The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-07-12
HI
Brangwyn Mystery

yc'h5 "a
But he WILL" declared his sister.
IL know why he's coming. III tell you
now. A child of nineteen Is likely to
care little about such things. but at
any rate you can understand. The
mans ~five-and-thirty II he's a day. II
there is a darling girl in the world, as
good as she's lovely, and as lcYable as
she's good, it's Lillian Lee"
What's that mean" asked young
Molloy, rolling over idly in his chair.
Suppose he be five-and-thirty, and
Miss Lees good and pretty, what's the
one thing to do with the other?"
"Oh, the density of it," said Miss
Belle. "Amn't telling you? He's in
love with her, and he pesthers the life
out of her to marry him" In her anger
the sweet musical hint of Irish In her
speech broke into a most decided
brocue. And I'd invited Lillian TO
spend a month with me here, and now
she'll be afraid TO come. I'd beer
lookin' forward to it so. and now me
pleasures clean spoiled"
IF she doesn't like the fellow" said
Bob, why doesn't she send him about
his business"
That sounds like a sensible ques-
tion," Belle answered. II don't sup
pose that yen understand a word Of
what I'm saying, but I've had it on me
mind for more than a year, and now
hat the mans coming near, know
that he's made up his mind to lay a
regular siege to poor Lillian. She's
afraid of him. She doesn't like him.
But could kill him for the has
some kind of fascination or power or
charm don't know what you call it."
He can't make her say Yes while
she means No | suppose said Bot
sitting up in the lounge chair and tap
ping his pipe against his heel.
That's the misery of it," said Belle.
That's why he frightens her"
Then" declared Master Molloy. ris-
ing for his tobacco pouch, she must
be a little ch~uckle-head."
Indeed she isn't" cried Belle, We
hemently. She's as level-headed a
gyurl as ever ye met in your loife. And
she's plenty of courage and spirit and
determination and all that. we've
never seen her? I'll show we her por-
trait. an We shall tell me if she looks
the kind Of girl to be affected that
way"
She pumped the work on which she
was engaged into a little fancy basket
beside her, and walked into the next
room. In q moment she returned with
the portrait, mounted on a bevelled
and gilt-edged plaque of cardboard,
some ten by eight inches in size, and
thrust It into his outstretched hand.
I've seer this said Bob. Il was
! going t ask you who it was, but I for
got. ! say. Belle, she is a ripper and
no mistake. BY Jove, | wish | thought
there was a nice young gal like that
growing up for me"
The portrait had been tinted by an
artists hand. 1t represented a girl of
twenty or whereabouts in winter cos
tune in the open air, with a back
| ground of snow-laden trees. The fig
ure was 1.-the and well posed. and
through its furs revealed no more than
that. The face was very beautiful,
with eyes of an innocent childish blue,
the lips not actually smiling. bnt look
ing as If they were about to smile, the
whole countenance radiant with a
gentle intelligence, and framed in hair
Of an unusual tint of reddish gold. The
fault of the face was that 1t was too
| ethereal, too sensitive. 1t was not a
weak face either, though any expert
enced observer, bearing Miss Bellies
statement In mind, would have had no
difficulty In understanding that it's
owner might very well be susceptible
to influences of a kind which would
leave other ONE of her years and in
telligence untouched, The midship-
man looked at it long and seriously.
| Perhaps because Of his Irish blood, he
! had an intuitive unconscious under
| standing of 1t.
81 know what you're driving at,
Belle" he said, at last; Il can feel it,
though l can't say 1t. There are
snakes, we know, thatll look at a little
bird till the poor thing grows bewild-
cred, and will take a header into the
jaws that are waiting for it. He's a
snaky kind of a Johnny. is Mr.. Alloy.
sius Brangwyn, and this Is just the
sort OF little bird for him. Poor little
bird!"
He kissed tho picture with a boyish
impulse. and handed 1t back to his sis.
ter.
II didn't think you'd understand,
Bob" she said as she received 1t. But
We see exactly how feel, and We know
now what 1t is that mikes poor Lillian
afraid OF him."
Marry her off to some nice fellow
that will take care Of her" Bob coun
selled, sagely. There ought to be
lots who'd be willing to carry OF a girl
like that. Has she got money!?
She's not rich, but she has enough
and to spare, and there's more coming.
But as for eligible men that are Just
pining for her-they're in shoals.
Dy