Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-07-19
Captains Double
BY LILLIAs CAMPBELL DAVIDSON
CHAPTER XIX.
Vain Endeayor.

under the silken bodice perhaps Win
stanley might have heard it too, had
he stoned the sound of the distant
band walled down the corridors and
died away into hush like the cry of
a wandering spirit. the hum and the
clatter at the long supper table sound
ed q long way off, Then Winstanley
pushed back his chair sharply and
rose to his feet.
Shall we go back to the ballroom?"
he asked, rather distantly. II think
Z the next dance is beginning, and
4 fear | am engaged for IT,
His manner was SO resolute, he so
openly ignored the subject she had
4 scarcely ceased to speak Of, that she
could not find a word to say, even in
her nimbleness OF wit. She took the
arm he offered her, and her right
handthat soft little gloved hand
clenched itself suddenly with a sharp,
quick gesture. as 1t hung by her side.
She showed no sign Of emotion in her
innocent, childish face, with its beau
tiful grace and expression Countess
1lka was too much mistress Of herself
for that. But in her heart there were
a rage and a bafaed ingenuity that
made her feel she would have liked to
i deal a blow blow on the arm that SO
cOurteously offered itself to her. He
had put her aside with civil indiffer-
4 ence-this man she had thought so
easy a dupe, such fool of an English
officer
He had treated her appeal as il she
had been a foolish child. Well, there
must be another mode of attack then,
since his stupid. laundering loyalty to
his chief made him refuse to discuss
his affairs even with woman like
herself, who pleaded brothers cause.
She would use the next weapon in
i her armorythe weapon she could
trust not to fail her. No man could
resist If she made the appeal to his
heart.
They reached the ballroom in
silence. Winstanlty bowed, and would
have left her at the first divan, but
5 the touch of the little hand frightened
on his arm. You are not yexed with
me-? whispered a soft voice close to
his ear, In such trembling, almost
fearful. accents that he had to bend
his ear down to catch what she said.
sVexed with you! He smiled
beamingly. What q suggestion! Why
are you to suppose I should be vexed?
No, no; only yexed with myself, witt
circumstances, that can't do any Ia
vor you ask of me, You will see, I
feel sure, lie ven think 1t over, that i
am the last one to be able to help your
brother In the thing he wishes
He Went away then, and she
watched his hasty progress across the
wide floor to where Miss Hamilton's
white frocA showed snowy against
the background Of glowing flowers and
tall plants. Her face wore a look he
could not have read II he had seen it,.
He had failed her once she would see
that he did not fail her a second time
Ursula saw him coming, with Of
leap Of her heart. How long he had
stayed In the supper room; how alb
sorbed he had been In his talk with
Countess Ilka! Too absorbed even to-
see her as she passed close to his side
on her way out In all her happy
young life Ursula had never. before
felt that strange, slow pang that
seemed To take her heart In an iron
grip and press 1t hard Was she jeal-
Gus Hateful weakness!' IA thing she
had despised IN others ever since she
WAS old enough to recognize 1t. Gould
she have believed she should ever
yield 10 such a contempt table emotion?
She hung her head as she asked Il Of
herself.
et what else was 1t that made her
Igso full 81 disc comfort and apprehen-
\ Bion as she saw finstanley's absorp-
ton hi his lovely companion In the
supper room Why else did she
grudge his attention to her his evil
dent delight Ia her society ii was In
vain that she told herself she was
horr.d to mind II ne danced with other3
women or found their conversation
agreeable The tact remained that
yhe felt that curious pang 81 disconl-I
Tort that Was almost = pain s83
3Ss And now he anne UP to her with
eager pleasure, AZ IL he did not XII oS
Tier re vas a suming limo
h ma she had never dreamed ne could