Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-09-28

lieI
Nobody, and-nothing. Old Sir
Harry has been in India, I believe, all
his military life, and beyond a week
in London after his arrival from CAL
cutta (where, by the way, he saw no.
body this is his first appearance on the
scene"
i've got an idea that my old gov
ernor knew a vinden In India, but I've
been so long in England that I've for
gotten"
Even If it was the same. you would
not know the lady, for, as rye said,
she is quite young. and could only
have married the old chap within the
last couple of years at the very least"
"Ah!-I still hold you to be in error,
old mani" said Lane deliberately
that girl is no more a wife than / am
a benedict
"Well after all, it doesn't matter SO
very much-she is nothing to you-or
to me-"
mo, of course not, how could she be?
/ don't n her-but there's no say
ing, l may-I may"
This harping on one string was evil
dentlv having an irritating effect on
Ray Maskell causing him TO ma
terialize ideas which otherwise he
would have let sleep.
And so may others!-so may /, per-
haps!" he blurted out, aggressively.
MISUNDERSTANDING his glass above
his head-"here's to the lovely mystery
of the Upper Thames-to the White
Witch of H~enley!'" =
Sidney Lane, who, till the last half
dozen words We're spoken, was pre-
pared to do honor to the toast, brought
his glass down upon the table with
such force hat the stem was splint-
cred.
That" he said hotly, sis surely an
insult TO the lady. Such a name cam
not be applied without offence intended
n implied"
"Oh, as to offense. / meant none.'
said Maskell. II merely-weil-gave
utterance to a jest"
Which on second thought, you must
agree was i'll timed, if nothing else"
IF you like TO have 1t so-although
every man is entitled to his own opin-
ion. isn't hep"
q suppose so-wfthin limits"
"Come!-don't let us quarrel, Lane
and spoil the good time we hope to
"Quarrel-not I! There's my hand
upon II! But l do not feel In the least
like going to bed! / am half inclined
to take a midnight spin for half an
hour. I think / NOW where my man
has stored my boat"
Then you're more mad than I gave
you credit for being. Good night"
1t must have been nearly IL o'clock
when Esme Vinden suddenly startled
her father out of a nap.
Dad" she cried, dad, wake up;
there are two single SOULS coming
down"
"Hoh-hoh!-this Is getting inter-
esting!" said Sir Henry. sitting up and
looking in the direction his daughter
| was pointing.
"Seel-the first one is not Mr.. Mas
kpllf-I a m cIr ~ &c mott Tho .naA,I
one keeps a good distance behind-and
in the shadow of the bank. / don't
think the first n sees him."
mo. 2 must be watching No. 1, then,
! should say" remarked the old gentle
man
Now No. l puts on a ~spurt!" cried
Esme, excitedly, and the other is pull
ing out into mid stream!"
BY this time the foremost boat was
within snapshot distance of the Iris.
The scGilor, who was now clearly
conscious Of his p%ursuer's presence,
showed no sign of Stacking speed. and.
though casting an earnest look at the
house boat, would, NJ doubt, nave kept
on his course.
But the man in the craft behind had
soon, by dint of e~xertions,
brought the bow of his boat right up
till it touched the stern-post of the one
in front.
his CDJctl was " get Tic lilltT vi
left oar side. This No.. 1 did his ut
most to prevent, shouting out to the
other to keep clear.
you rascal" roared Sir Henry from
the deck of the Iris. I'll find out who
you are and have you posted every
where!"
Then, a shrek from Esme-the over
turning of the second boat and the
disappearance Of its owner in the wa
ter.
Hi! Brookes! Soul out the dingy.
The fellow mustn't drown! Why, the
chap he tried 70 run down has gon in
after him, Good boy! Good boy! He's
got him into his own boat! He's scull-
ing to us. Here! Esme-go down and
see about some hot fiannels and
things!"
In less thar ten minutes Ray Mas
kell was lying, breathing sSertoriously,
on the couch in the sitting room Of the
Iris.
1t must be confessed hat Esme,
womanly and tender though she was
to her finger tips, gave the most OF her
attention to Sidney Lanes watery con-
dition.
Here was a man, h said to herself,
who actually risked his own life to save
that Of the coward who a done his
best to drown him.
Yes, sir" said Sir Harry emphat-
ically. and when Lane had duly intro
duced himself, I'm proud to know you,
and If you were only the same flesh
and blood as my old comrade, Archie
Lane, commanding in Poonah ten years
ago, why, I'd be the happiest man in
all England"
10 you mean General Lane, now
commanding in C~eylon?"
"Yes-yes!'
well, l am his son, f.
His soni-Archie's SOM God bless
you, my boy! You've just done what
your fathe would rave done! Esme!"
But Esme had gone up on deck again.
go up and bring her down, Sidney
why, of course l remember you now,
as a ~baby-baby Sid your father used
to call you! Go up n bring my Esme
down."
But it was a longer operation h
the patience of the old soldier could
stand, SO. stumping up the companion,
he broke in upon their ~tete-a-tete.
He found them-both leaning upo
the rail, Sidney pouring into her ear,
Othello wise, some wonderful story,
maybe, of adventure by foo or field.
And this was by no means the end
of IL, for, the spell being once broken,
Sidney Lane took good care that, so
far at least as he was concerned, 1t
should never again haunt the Iris or it's
mistress.
Ray Maskell came to himself before
daylight, and getting into his recovered
and .'riehted' boat, pulled away and