The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1906-07-28

pack from your word. You are an Eng
lishman and "a gentleman know
that means the. same as if any other
man :swore it!!'' The triumph, the ex-,
ultat1on in her manner made him look
at her surprised. W.. :,z$ ~=s> ~ -, > :
+: Il hope mans word anywhere is
enough : he said, little gravely. He
was too English ,at any rate. to like
enus1on unn necessarily. It was q great
fuss to make about the merest tribe,
but Countess. Ilka seemed 8 to find
amusement in it. He listened patient
ly to hear, what he was expected to do
for her. = Il
well, you haven't given me my or
ders YETI She glanced round over her
shoulder with q swift, sharp glance.
NO; I did not think we should be
driving home with the whole of the
town and rneighborhood. IS*can't tell
you here; it is too private; give me a
chance to. speak to you tonight at the
ball." j. -. .,..>st.
e'The gift will be yours" said Win
stanley, with easy good nature, If it
carries with it a waltztor two. shall
feel l must do any deed of knight er-
ranty to deserve such favor, for I
know how much in demand your
dances always are" Z
She murmured something with a
sudden flash in her glance. He bent
nearer again to catch it. Bang! came
draggled bunch of cowslips against
his cheek, thrown by the unerring
hand Of a girl amongst the laughing:
group on the r. a.. drag. and his hat
was driven tskew over one eye. He.
righted It and returned the missile
with cordiality. 1t was hardly the mo.
>ment or the place for sentiment. Even
one of her nosegays from the back of
the carriage and handed it to him with
her most charming smile. LET me
arm my knight. for the tournament"
she said, gracefully. 1T is all that a
poor lady can do"
All the way along the road to Wa
terlooville, all down the way to Pur-
brook ,all over the crest Of the Ports
down hills, and on to the red-roofed
town below, the flower battle ragged.
The bouquets grew more and more
dusty and unsavory, more and more
battered and disheveled. 1t was only
Countess Ilka's bouquets that were
hailed with admiration and voted too,
lovely to be thrown again. If she saw
Winstanley's long look down the
branch road that led to Nutwood she.
did not remark 1t as they Whlr1ed past
She was hugging herself in self-con-
graduation that believed its way open
before it. He had given his word to
do flor her what she chose to ask 1t
was true that he could hav emo con-
ception, no dream, what that request
was to form itself into. But he had
promised. Would an Englishman who
prided himself on his honor break his
word?
The mist was rising from the half.
empty harbor below them, and the dis
tant lights Of Portsmouth town we're
| beginning to steal out through the
failing of the April evenings dusk. A
sudden peace and calm came settling
her. and the other seat at the risposal
down upon them as they left the major
part of the riotous crowd behind them
at the Waterlooville hotel, and spun on
over the dust-piled road almost alone.
Countess Ilka looked at the profile of
the man before her, marked sharply
against the pale light in the sky. His
eyes were still on those trees above
the Nutwood chimneys, and his face
was thoughtful and tender. His strong
right hand rested on the door close to
her knee. Should she slip her own
delicate fingers into it,: under cover of
/ the carriage rug with it's embroidered
coronet, or would he be startled-was
it too soon? Another glance at his alb
sent look decided her. That must wait
for the warmer atmosphere of the ball
tonight. Then he would be ready for
any silken net she could fling about
him: he must lose himself and be en-
shared in it, or she had never put to
| the test her own resistless power.
ITO Be continued.)>