Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-09-06

He applauded the sense Of the fellow
who apparently took to his girl the
moment he set eyes on her. He nod
ded silently as he heard OF the meet
ing after the run in the hunting field,
and how Winstanley had come to call,
and how Ursula had found him at
Portsmouth when she went to stay at
Nutwood. "Winstanley he do
ing A. D. G. to Kenyon? I thought as
much. / knew his father and moth
er in the Punjab. They both died to-
gether and left this boy to the care OF
an old uncle. BY the way, there's
been a whisper or two about him,
hasn't there? What was the fuss at
Portsmouth they seem to have hushed
up?"
And then Ursula told him all the
rest. How Noel and she had grown
to care for each other, and had found
it out but would not say any more TIL
her dear old daddy came home, and
they could ask him if he were pleased.
How the terrible, mysterious trouble
had arisen which had suddenly blotted
out Noel's whole career and spoilt his
life. Daddy, he didn't do it, He is
as incapable of it as you are. she
lifted to him her sorrowful eyes,
steady with conviction. 1t all some
frightful, horrible mistake; some mys.
terry that can't be explained"
Colonel Hamilton took his pipe from
his lips and blew thoughtful cloud.
tits the thing no man could do with
out some powerful motive" he said,
thoughtfully. "a price from foreign
government, enough to make him
tempted to sell his honor. Or else a
woman in the case. Now you were the
only woman, my little girl, Ell? You
are sure of that?'
Ursula's cheek crimsoned, but her
look did not falter. 81 thought there
was someone else. just at first" she
said, simply. "But l found it was
mistake"
Someone else, Ell? Who was
that?'
And then it had all to be told-the
story of their misunderstanding and
their reconciliation.
"a Polish countess" unused Colonel
Hamilton "Phew! The very deuce!
I smell a Russian rat, somehow. This
looks uncommonly like a plot"
'.He was only friend to her" Ur-
sula would not allow even hint
against Noel's fidelity.
''Aye, aye, no doubt. Friendship
with woman like that is a snare OF
the Evil One! What is his story
about the AFFAIR.""
"He had note from her asking him
to dine, and she would tell him how he
could explain to me what | had been
foolish enough to misunderstood. AS
if wanted her assistance!" This was
a sudden burst of Ursula's. HE went
in for a minute or two on his way to
the dance at Admiralty House. He re-
members having coffee, but nothing
else can he recollect till he found
himself, nearly at daybreak, in the
street near his rooms. He felt i'll and
dazed, he declares he cannot tell how
he got there, and he knows no more"
HIN! Sounds like drugging. What
does the woman say?"
ooh, she and her servants declare
he left there after staying a minute or
two But, father, he didn't! He
speaks the TRUTH"
"He might have been under the in
f1uence of a narcotic drug AID come
back to Government House as If he
were walking in his sleep. I've seen
that done in India-experiments with
the drugs used by the natives. A mans
will-power goes, and his consciousness
he behaves as if he were hypno-
TIED
mo, that is not the explanation. He
thought it might be so himself at first.
But know as truly as he does that he
was not at Government House again
that night"
That's a good deal to be sure of,
when the sentry and the orderly both
swear to seeing him, and you, yourself
thought it was he" There was
faint dryness in her fathers tone that
he could not keep out Of it. Bless
these women! If they loved any one,
they would believe black was white in
his defensei
Ito Be continued.)
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