The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1906-06-13

4
these people are ny aotives-their pleas
ureg my pleasures-their life, my life.
Apparently so,' he replied, ambisu'
ously.
$50 that" she pursued, II am indicted
OF the crime of endeavoring to prove my
superiority over my neighbors."
He laughed in an abrupt way.
"No more than myself"
"That is q mere prevarication," she
persisted, gayly. Tell me, please, in
what particular this coveted superiority
lies"
'In desire to appear more aimless
than you are" he retorted, gravely.
II deny that. / plead not guilty" she
said. II am q person of many motives,
but the many receive their life from one
source. That one source is an earnest
endeavor to please myself in all things,
to crowd as much pleasure and as much
excitement into lifetime as it will hold"
''Then," he said, after a pause, you
are only ope of the crowd after all"
"That is all, Mr.. Tyars. Did you ever
suspect me of being anything else?"
IL believe did," he replied, with a
more direct gaze than is allowed by the
dictates of polite society.
She returned the gaze with serenity.
"Then please get rid of the idea," she
said, significantly.
There was a short pause, but it was
not the silence of people who have moth
ing more TO say to each other. 1t was too
tense, too restless for that.
'Shall l." inquired Tyars, rising sud
denly, go and find Easton? l should
like you to know him"
i shall be most happy she said, with
one of her gracious little bows. AS he
moved away she called him back almost
as il she were loath to let him go, as If
there were something still left unsaid
between them.
Tell me-" she said in a gayly conf
dent tone, before you go, what is his
speciality. / always like to know a stran-
gers chief characteristic, or, If he has
no characteristics, his particular hobby
whether, l mean, he is q botanist or a
yachtsman, a fisherman or a politician.
1t is so much more convenient, you IN
derstand, to know beforehand upon what
topic one must conceal ones Ignorance"
Miss Winter" he said, deliberately,
"you have not found out my particular
hobby or my chief characteristic yet"
"Not yet" she admitted.
II think" he said, that Easton has
no hobbies. His specially is eloquence.
He could almost persuade certain stub
born quadruped to part with his hind
legs. He was destined by the positive
department of Providence for an orator,
but the negative department, with its
usual discrimination, gave him weak
chest, and therefore he is nothing"
Thank YOU" she said. Now / know
something of him. / have to conceal
beneath wretched smiles the fact that
know absolutely nothing of American
commerce, American politics OF oratory,
1 wonder" she added, as an afterthought,
whether there. is anything he can per-
suade me into doing?"
"He might" suggested Tyars, per.
suade you into the cultivation of a mo-
| tive"
Then he turned and left her. Matthew
Mark Easton saw him approaching, and
broke off rather suddenly a waning con.
versation with his minister.
"Easton." said Tyars, come here.
want to introduce you to Miss Winter"
Miss Winter" returned the American
"ominous name. Who is she?"
"She is person of considerable In
fuence in the Grace household. Do you
understand? 1t is In Miss Winters pow
er to deprive US of Oswin Grace, If she
cares to exercise that power"
Easton's face expressed somewhat lu-
dicrously passing CONSERVATION.
Hang these women!" he muttered.
docs she," he inquired, suspect some.
thing"
Il think So" was the reply, "and.
moreover, she Is clever woman; 20 %
careful