Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-01-25

Aa Caught me IOOklng NJ NM WIZ
Gwinkling eyes. lie made a valiant q,
fort TO return my smile and succeeded
I'm twisting his face into a knot tina,
&eeyned to hurt him as much as II
amused me.
"welI. goodby, Tom said l. Give
my regards to your brother Wnen nc
lands. and tell him his going away
vas a mistake. A man cant aIord &c
trust his important business TO under
etrappers." This with a race free IRON
any suggestion OF intending q shot az
him. Then TO Sam: See you
tonight. old man. and / went
away, leaving Lewis looking from one
to the other as If he felt That theFs
was dynamite about but couldnt locate
60. / stopped with Melville to tax Goa
for a few minutes-at my ease, ana the
last ma on earth TO be suspected OF
harging by the crook of one nnger
from the edge OF the precipice.
L rang the Ellersly's bell at half past
mine that evening. The butler faced me
with eyes not down. as they should
have been, but on mine, and full or the
uervile insolence to which he had, been
prompted by what he had overheard IN
the family.
'Not at home. sir" he said, though
= had not spoken.
L was p~reoccupied and not expecting
his statement; neither had | skill nor
desire to acquire skill, in reading family
barometers in the faces of servants.
so, I was for brushing past him and
entering where / felt l had as much
right as in my W places. he barred
the way.
beg pardon, sid. Mrs. Ellersly in
atructed me to say no one was at
home."
I halted. but only like an oncom-
eng bear at the prick Of an arrow.
What the hell does this mean?" 1
exclaimed, waving him aside. At that
instant Anita appeared from the little
reception room a few feet away.
"Oh-come in!" she said cordially. II
was expecting you. Burroughs, please
take Mr.. Blacklock's hat"
/ followed her into the reception
woom. thinking the butler had made
some sort of mistake.
How did you come out?" she asked
eagerly, facing me. You look you
natural self-not tired or worried-so it
must have been not so bad as you
feared"
~If IL friend Langdon hadn't slipped
Gwav I might not look and feel so
comfortable" said /. His brother
0lundered, and there was no n to
checkmate my moves" She seemed
nearer to me, more In sympathy with
sx1e than ever before.
II can't tell you how glad ami"
Her eyes were wide and bright, as
from some great excitement. and her
color was high. Once my attention was
an II. I knew instantly that only some
extraordinary upheaval In that house
hold could ave produced the fever hat
was blazing in her. Never had I seen
her In any such mood as this.
What is it?"I asked. What has
happened?"
'If anything disagreeable should be
eaid or done this evening here" she
said. II want you to promise me hat
you'll restrain yourself, and not say or
do any of those things that make me
that jar on me. You understand? 2"
~I am always myself" replied I. IT
cant be anybody else"
"But you are-several different kinds
of SELF" she insisted. And please
this evening don't be that kind. It's
coming into your eyes and chin now.
I had lifted my head and looked
round, probably much like the leader OF
q hornet herd at scent OF danger.
"Is his better?" said I, TRYING to
look the thoughts / had no difficulty in
getting to the fore whenever my eyes
on her.
Her smile rewarded me. But II dis
appeared, gave Mace to a look OF ner-
alarm, of terror even, at the rust
Ting. or. rather, busting OF skirts In
LklG hdll--lllCIG WAS WAT III the very
SCUM and / felt 1t. Mrs. Ellersly an
peared, bearing her husband as a de-
yected trailer inyisibly but firmly COUP
led. She acknowledged my salutation
with a stiff necked nod, ignored my ex-
tended hand. / saw that she wished to
fmnress unon me that she was a very
grand lady indeed; but, while my ideas
OF what constitutes a lady were at that
tirse somewhat befogged by my snob-
bishress, she failed dismally. She
Eoked just what she was-a mean. bad
tempered oma in a towering rage.
t'You have forced me, Mr.. Blackjack.
said she. and then I knew for Just what
purpose that voice OF hers was best
adapted-"to say to you what I should
have preferred to write. Mr.. Ellersly
has had brought to his ears matters
I'm connection with your private life
chat make ii imperative that you dis
continue o u calls here"
MY private life, ma'am?"I repeated.
sT was not aware that / had q private
life."
Anita. leave us alone with Mr..
Blackjack" commanded her mother
The girl hesitated. bent her head, and
with a cowed look went slowly toward
the door. There she paused, and. with
what seemed a greater effort. lifted her
and gazed at me. How I ever
same rightly to Interpret her look I
0U1 I kAOWs DuL 4 Saias MISS EllerSiy.
I've the right to insist that you stay"
I saw she vas going to obey me,
and before Mrs. Ellersly, could re-
peat her order / said: Nov.
madam, if any n accuses
me OF having done anything that would
cause you to exclude a man from your
house. I am ready for the liar and his lie.'
AS l spoke | was searching the weak.
bad old face of her husband for an ex-
p1anation. Their pretense OF outraged
morality j rejected at once-it was absurd.
Neither up town nor down, nor
else. had / done anything that any one
could regard as a breach OF the code OF a
man of the world. Then, reasoned I. they
must have found some one else to help
Them OF their financial troublesome
one who. perhaps. has made this insult to
me the price, or part OF the price, OF his
generosity. Who? Who hates me? In
instant answer. up before my mind flashed
a picture Of Tom L~angdon and Sam Ellers-
fy arm In arm entering Lewis OFFICE. Tom
Kangdcn wishes to marry her: and her
parents wish Il. too; he is the man she
was confessing to me about-those were
my swift conclusions.
I'VE do not care to discuss the matter,
SIR Mrs. EIlersly was replying. her tone
Indicating that 1t was not AT to discuss
And this was the woman ! had hardl,
been able TO treat civilly. so nauseatinf
were her fawnings and Gatherings.
ESQ., said. ignoring her and openine
--<< 40 fnrfan ft41f t.,,(o tho al $780, ..xr-.