The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1906-07-11

book them"
He shook hands and left her standing
in tn emiddle of the room.
Perhaps she murmured regretfuliy,
1T was very cruel-or it may be only my
own self-conceit. AT all events, it was
not so cruel as they are to Helen. / do
not think that they will both go now"
Scarcely had the front door closed be-
hind Oswin Grace when the bell was rung
again.
Miss Winter, standing In the drawing
room, heard the tones Of a mans voice,
and in a few moments the maid knocked
and came into the drawing room.
"A gentleman, please, miss a Mr.. Eas-
tom she said.
Mr.. Easton," repeated Agnes Winter.
For a IN she forgot who this might
be. "Show him up at once"
Matthew Mark Easton had evidently
devoted some care to the question of dress
on this occasion. Some extra care, per-
haps, for he was a peculiarly neat man.
lie always wore a narrow silk tie in the
form of a bow of which the ends were
allowed to stick straight out sideways over
the waistcoat. His coat was embellished
by an orchid.
Il am afraid" he began at once, with
perfect equanimity, 'that / have made a
mistake-a social blunder. l came to in
form you that have secured a box-the
stage box-for Wednesday night, at the
Epic Theater. 1t will be doing me a
pleasure if you will form one of my
party. l do not know exactly how these
things are managed in England, but |
want Miss Grace and her brother to come
as my guests, too. Miss Grace was kind
enough to ask me to be one of a theater
party, and mentioned the Epic, so / went
right away and got a box"
"Oswin has just gone to procure seats
for the same night" said Miss Winter,
quickly.
No." replied the American, II stopped
him. l met in the street"
Miss Winter knew that they must have
met actually on her doorstep, and she
wondered why he should haye deliberately
made a misstatement. She felt indefinitely
guilty, as if Oswin's visit had been sur
reptitious. Suddenly she became aware
of the quick, fitting glance of her com
p%anion's eyes, noting everything-each
tiny flicker of the eyelids, each indrawn
breath, each slightest movement.
How am i to do it," he asked, inno-
Gently. "A note 10 Miss Grace or a YER
bal invitation to her brother"
"a note," replied Miss Winter, with
a gravity equal to his own, ito Helen,
saying that you have secured the stage
box for Wednesday evening, and hope
chat she and her brother will accept seats
in it,
He nodded his head, signifying compre-
hension, and rose to go.
That" said Miss Winters, skipping
away from the subject under discussion
with all the inconsequence of her sex and
kind, reminds me of something / heard
said of you the other evening. 1t was, in
fact, said to me-"
Then replied the American, with
CHEEKY gallantry, II should like to hear it.
Had it been said to any one else | allow
that ] should nave been indifferent"
He stood with his hands clasped behind
his back, looking down at her with a smile
upon his wistful little face.
"Do you know Mr.. Santow?"
The smile vanished and the dancing
eyes at once assumed an expression OF
alert keenness, which was almost ludi-
croIs in it's contrast.
'"The Russian attache-unaccredited?'
he replied, giving back question for ques-
ton. MOO" he said, slowly, Il do not;
| think | know him by sight,
II have met him on several occasions.
| rather like him, although / cannot un-
derstand him. There Is an inward Mr..
Santow whom / have not met yet; | only,
know a creature who smiles and behaves
generally like a lamb
"Santow,' said Easton, deliberately, sis
altogether too guileless.''
Miss Winter countered sharply.
II thought you did not know hfm?'
Il do not" answered Easton, imper-
turably.
Except by reputation"
Precisely
He is reputed,'' said Miss Winter, ito
be a great diplomatist."
80 | believe-hence the lamblike man
ners.''
Easton's face was a study in the art of
suppressing curiosity.
do you think that he is a wolf in
lambs clothing?' asked the lady with a
laugh. Il will tell you what he said about
YOU"
THANK YOU"
"We were talking about Russia-it is
his favorite topdc-and he said that at
times he felt like the envoy from some
heather country, so little IS Russia
known by US. BY way of illustration, he
asked me to look around the room and
tell him If 1t did not contain all that was
most intellectual and learned in England.
| admitted that he was right. He said,
And yet there are but two men in the
room who speak Russian Then he point
ed you out. There is one he said; he
knows my country better than any man
in England. IL he were a diplomatist l
should fear him = What Is hep / asked.
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