Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-11-08


"No bad news. hope?' he inquired.
though the sight of Stephen Brand
seated at his desk and placidly writ
ing was reassuring.
The question stesdied her to an ex-
tent.
at Is nothing of any consequence"
she said and darted past him.
Brand looked up from his journal
He smiled. though the American
thought there was hint of pain in he
eyes.
II am going to lose one of my girls ="
he said "Oh, no: this is not loss by
death, but by marriage If were Il
Frenchman l would describe it as gain
ing n son. enid has Just received what
is tantamount to a proposal"
by flag waggingT Pyne was natu-
rally sstounded.
Yes. You would not expect one of
the people from the Chinook to he so
enterprising.'
'I-don't-know." said Pyne puuctu-
ating each word with n deliberate nod.
well, IL any case, l would not have
forwarded the application after an ac-
Quaintance of eighteen hours" OBJ
served Brand, with equal delberation.
They're two powerful fine girls "
said Pyne. steering clear of the point,
They have just been telling me how
Miss Enid happened along, 1t reads
like n fairy tale
"She was given to me by the winds
and waves. yet she Is dear to me as
my own child. l shall miss her great
ly--if all goes we'll here
I've cottoned on TO both of them
something wonderful. But. if l am
not intruding into private affairs, how
comes it that Miss Enid Is being telc-
graphed for? OF course | can under
stand the gentleman being in Il hurry.
] would feel that way myself If the
conditions were favorable"
Pyre could be as stolid as a red In
dian when the occasion demanded It.
Brand found no hint in his face of the
hidden thought in his words.
Have they said anything to you of
man named Stanhope?" inquired the
lighthouse keeper, resumng the entry
In his diary after sharp glance up-
ward.
"Y-yes. They pointed him out to me
this morning; in the navy, I think; fell
low with title and that sort Of thing"
mo His mother Is Lady Margaret
Stanhope, being an earis daughter but
his father was Il knight. He has been
paying attentions TO Enid for n year
and more to my knowledge and to his
mothers eSceed!ng indignation, l fan.
cy."
That Is where we on the other side
have the pail of YOU
Have you? | wonder. However,
Lady Margnret's views have not troli-
bled me. l will deal with her when
the time comes. At present i: looks
fairly certain that Master Jack has
settled matters on his own account !
may be mistaken, of course. How Go
you interpret this:"
He closed the journal and handed to
Pyne a memorandum taken down let
ter by letter by sailor rs Brand read
the signal:
Mother sends her love to Enid"
did mother ever convey her love
to Enid before?" asked Pyne.
"No"
"1hen l call that neat. take OF
my hat to Stanhope. He and mamma
have had heart to heart talk"
Brand leaned his head on his hands
with clinched fists covering his ears
There was period of utter silence nm
til the lighthouse keeper rose to light
the lamp.
Pyne watched him narrowly.
Il may be trespassng on delicate
ground" he said at last, IF am, you
are not the sort of man to stand OIL
ceremony. In the States, you know
when the authorities want to preserve
park section they don't say, Please
do not walk on the grass They put
up a board which reads, Keep Off.
We never kick. We're used to it."
my notice board. If required, vii
be less curt, at any rate" replied
Brand, and they faced each other
Though their words We're light, N
pleasant conceit lurked In their minds
There was question to be asked ant
answered, and it held the issues Of lif'
and death
"What did you mean just now by
saying, If all goes well hcre?' Is there
any special reason why things should
not 60 well?'
The young Philadelphia might have
been hazardlng an inquiry about
matter Of trivial interest. so calm wa
he, so smooth his utterancc Blu
Brand had made no mistake In estl
mating this youngsters force of char
acter, nor did he seek to temporize.
He extended an arm toward the reef
You hear thatT he said.
"Yes."
at may boil that way for weeks"
$50 have been told"
"By whom"
"Mr. Emmett told NE"
"Ah! He and | have discussed tn
matter already. Yet | imagine tina
neither he nor any other man In tn
place save myself grasps the tru
meaning Of the fact"
1--WE been theorzing." said Pynt
ut occurred to me that this light ism
here for amusement"
He looked up at the lamp and smilet
The pillar in those days must hav
been haunt of illusions. for Brant
like Constance and Pyne himself |
the case Of Mrs. Vansittart, though
m m ovr,rnucicn familiar