The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-07-13
THE
Brangwyn Mystery

young MOllOy.
But he WILL" declared his sister.
II know why he's coming. I'll tell you
now. A child of nineteen Ia likely to
care little about such things, but at
any rate you can understand. The
mans fve-and-thirty II he's Z day. II
there is a darling girl in the world, as
good as she's lovely. and as lcvable 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 othor?"
"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
speech broke into most decided
brogue. "And I'd invited Lillian to
spend a month with me here, and now
she'll be afraid to come. I'd been
lookin' forward to it so. and now me
pleasures clean spoiled"
IL
Bob, why doesn't she send him about
his business?"
THAT sounds like sensible ques-
tion," Belle answered. II don't sup
pose that yen understand word OF
what I'm saying, but I've had it on me
mind for more than a year, and now
that the mans coming near, know
that he's made up his mind to lay
regular siege to poor Lillian. She's
afraid of him. She doesn't like him.
Butt could kill him for it-he has
some kind Of fascination or power or
charm--I don't know what you call It,"
"He can't make her say Yes while
she means No l suppose" said Bob
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 chuckle-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. Ye've
never seen her? I'll show We her por-
trait. an ye shall tell me II 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 a 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 seen this" said Bob. Il was
going to ask you who it was, but for
got. say, Belle, she is ripper and
no mistake. BY Jove, wish thought
there was nice young gal like that
growing up for me-"
The portrait had been tinted by an
artists hand. 1t represented girl OF
| twenty or thereabouts in winter cos
tune in the open air. with a back
ground of snow-laden trees. The fig
! through it's furs revealed no more than
| that. The face was very beautiful,
with eyes OF an innocent childish blue,
| the lips not actually smiling, but look
! ing as IL 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 its
/ owner might very well be susceptible
to influences of a kind which would
leave other women 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 It,
Il know what you're driving at,
Belle" he said. at last: Il can feel it.
though I can't say it. There are
snakes. ye know, that1l look at little
bird till the poor thing grows bewild-
cred, and will take header into the
jaws that are waiting for it. He's a
snaky kind Of Johnny, is Mr.. Alloy.
sius Brangwyn, and this is just the
sort OF little bird for him. Poor little
bird!"
He kissed the picture with boyish
impulse, and handed 1t back to his sis.
/ ter.
| Il didn't think you'd understand,
| Bob" she said as she received 1t. But
| ye see exactly how feel. and ys know
now what 1t is that makes poor Lillian
| afraid Of him."
Marry her OF to some nice fellow
1 that will take care OF her." Bob coun-
| selled, sagely. There ought to be
lots who'd be willing to carry OF girl
like that. Has she got money!"
"She's not rich. but she has enough
| and to spare, and there's more coming.
But - for eligible mon that are just
| pining for her they're IN shoals.
| There's that black-avised wretch'G
xAn.saas. A1owAa Hnr ,s.o