The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1906-07-11
Prisoners and Cdpfiyes
80
CHAPTER XvIII.-(Continued.
BY H. S. MERRIMAN

ny out this theater party come and see
1me about it. / shall be at home all the
morning. Yours very truly,
AGNES WINTER"
The young sailor read this letter among
others al the breakfast table. His faith
er and sister were engaged on their own
affairs-Helen with her letters, the adj
miral among his newspapers. Oswin
Grace read the letter twice, and then
slipped it into his pocket together with
the envelope that had contained it.
Miss Winters elderly maid servant ex-
pectcd Lieut.. Grace, for she opened the
door and stood back invitingly. He was
ushered up into the warm, luxurious
drawing room, and after the door had
been closed, stood for a few moments ir-
resolute in the middle of the deep carpet.
Presently he began to wander about the
room, taking things UP and setting them
down again. He inhaled the subtle at
ssospheTe of feminine home refinement
and looked curiously around him. There
were q hundred little personalities, little
fnconsidereG feminine trifes that are only
found where a woman is quite at home.
There was a silly little lace handkerchief
utterly useless and vain, lying upon a
table beside a work basket. He took it
mp, examined its texture critically, and
h e instinctively raised it to his face.
He threw 1t down again with a peculiar
twisted smile.
Wonder what scent it u.s." he mutter-
e Il have never come across it-any-
where else"
He went toward the mantelpiece upon
IL were two portraits-old photographs,
somewhat faded. One of Helen, the 9TH
or of himself. He examined his own like
ness for some moments.
Solemn little beggar," he said, for the
photograph was of a little square-built
midshipman with a long, oval face. "Sol-
emn little beggar; wonder what the end
will be? Wonder why he is on this
mantelpiece? l think that / was rather
"A fool to come here. Tyars would not
like it,"
While he was still following out the
train of thought suggested by this refec-
zion the door opened AID Miss Winter en-
tered. She had evidently just come in,
FOR she was still gloved and furred.
"Ah!" she said, gayly, you have come.
i was afraid that your exacting COM
mander would require your services Ill
the morning.
MY exacting commander" he answer
ed, as he took her gloved hand In his.
has a peculiar way of doing everything
himself and leaving his subordinates idle"
She was standing before him, slowly
unbuttoning her trinm little sealskin
Jacket.
What she said, suddenly, about the
expedition?
He looked back at her over his shoul-
der, for he had gone toward the window.
and there was a sudden CLEAN of deter.
mination in his eyes. It was her infu-
ence chat had disturbed Tyars' resolu-
zion.
What expedition" he asked CURLY, on
his guard.
This theater expedition she replied
sweetly.
"Oh, well. l suppose it will be carried
through. We all want to go. / d
you are not strongly opposed to it?"
~ she laughed lightly "of course /
-zvant TO go. You know that | am always
ready for amusement, profitless or other
wise-prohtless preferred. Why do you
look so grave, Oswin? Please don't-I
hate solemnity. DO you know you have
got terribly grave lately? 1t is"
1T is what, Agnes?"
lie was looking down at her with his
keen, close-set gray eyes, and she met
his glance for a moment only.
"Mr. Tyars," she answered. clasping
her fingers together and bending them
backward as If to restore the circulation
after her cold walk,
There is something" said Grace, after
a little pause, during which Miss Winter
had continued to rub a remarkably rosy
little pair of hands together, that jars.
Tyars annoys you in some way. Why?'
Miss Winter changed color. She look
ed very girlish with the hot blush fading
slowly from her cheeks. She did not,
however, make any answer
Won't you tell me, Agnes?" he urged
and as he spoke he walked away from her
and stood looking out of the window.
They were thus at opposite sides Of the
room. back to back. She glanced over
her shoulder, drew a deep breath, and
Then spoke with an odd little smile which
was almost painful.
"His Arctic expedition" she said, de-
liberately. IF he is going to spend his
life in that sort of thing I would rather
-not-cultivate his friendship"
I $hc leaned forward, warming her hands
feverishly, breathing rapidly and uneven
sy. She felt him approach. for his foot
steps were inaudible on the thick carpet,
and she only crouched a little lower. At
last, after a horrid silence, he spoke, and
his voice was deeper and s~ingularly mo-
notonous.
why should you not wish to cultivate
his friendship under those circum-
stances?"
Because she answered lamely, II
should hate to have a friend Of mine-a
real friend-running the risk of such a