The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-11-02
== =THE z
BrangWyn Mystery


CHAPTER xvilI-(continued.)
The inventors OF the Book OF Prov
erbs were beyond doubt set OF wise
and experienced people, and the great,
grave king who collated and edited the
current wisdom of the East was him.
self among the wisest of manking.
Ard yet he allowed to pass beyond
his censure the amazing dictum that
the net is spread in vain in the sight
of any bird. Simple Belle Molloy
could have told Solomon better than
that.
She ard Blllery parted for the time
being at the church door and went to
their respective places, and sat out
the service with the rigid air Of devo-
ton. What the gentleman thought
about Is not worth in quiry, for he
dropped into one of those brown stud
les into which all but the most ardent
OF churchgoers do sometimes fall, and
allowed his mind to play vacuously
over q thousand things which were
each forgotten as soon as they float
ed to the top of the waters of his
sleepy intelligence. But the lady
thought about gentlemen. He had n
little-though she knew that it must
be a very little indeed-of his own;
the merest small fragment of wasted
fortune, which, of itself, would scarce
suffice to hold body and soul together.
But then he had position on the
Record, and he was an intimate friend
and associate of its wealthy and in
fuential proprietor, and he was un-
doubtedly very clever man, and had
in him the faculty to do well if only he
were kept in order. And Miss Belle
| had a little In her own right-not so
little but that with good management
| It could be made to serve for two. And
she rather thought that Billery might
prove very tractable partner IL reas-
enable means were found to lead him
on the path on which he ought to go.
What very different place the
worlC would be If it should ever come
to pass that everybody will be able to
tell what everybody else is thinking
about. There are many scientific gen.
tlemen who are teaching us to look in
this direction, but in the meantime we
lie snug enough in our own contempla-
tions, each weaving out OF our own
cocoon, and quite safe from the intru-
sion Of our acutest neighbors. Miss
Belle marshalled all her forces and
thought out all her plans within a
score of yards Of her intended vic
tim, and the good, easy man never
came within mile of guessing it.
When the service was over they met
at the porch again, and after few
minutes OF greeting and gossip they
strolled away, side by side, in the sun
ny, languid weather, with the Sabbath
peace everywhere about the tranquil
fields In little while they were sit
ting on the veranda, overlooking the
well-kept small garden and the broad
shining river. Miss Cole, a faded lady
of some two score years, who played
at being Miss Bellies chaperon, was
Billery had leave given him to smoke
a cigarette. The odors of the garden
and the scent of the tea and the to-
bacco mingled agreeably together and
cool breeze came up from the river.
Miss Molloy had taken off her hat
and was thoughtfully sticking a long
hatpin through 1T, and her hair was
prettily disordered by the breeze. She
had really beautiful hair OF fine
glossy chestnut tinge, and 1t waved
and curled quite naturally, and was al
ways disposed to rebel from strict or
der. For some reason the lady's color
came and went, and her bosom heaved
with a slight irregularity. There was
q silence which lasted for two or three
minutes, and Miss Cole came out on
| the vera'lda with tray, which she de-
posted very carefully on small BAN.
boo table. 1t was well that she had al.
ready placed 1t there, for, as she af-
| terward declared, she felt as If she
had been struck by lightning and de-
prived of her forces when Miss Molloy
said:
did you ever think of settlin' down
IN life, Mr.. Billery?"
Settling down." said Billery, wax
ing from a new day-dream. mo.
don't think ever did. Matrimonially
~ suppose you mean?"
Can offer you cup Of tea?' asked
the lady.
Thanks, very much,' said Billery;
''your tea is always delicious, Miss
Molloy"
Now" Miss Molloy retorted, 1T you
really thought that, ye'd come oftener
for it. Don't We think SO. Fanny"
Miss Cole coughed an embarrassed
little cough and laughed an embar
rassed little laugh, and said she really
couldn't say,
do you like it sweet?" asked Miss
Belle, bending forward toward Billery
with the sugar tongs lowering over the
bowl, and her eyes raised just at the
telling angle.
mo, no. said Billery, with what
Miss Cole took to be meaning em
phasis; "oniy one lump. No more"
"Cream?" said Miss Belle.
Very little." said Billery. And
again Miss Cole, who was unduly sen
sitive, thought she read meaning in
the tone. But Billery was literalness