The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-09-14
the facts he can. When he returns
bring him in to me.

ana was yet llH6eiiHS over MS COL
fee, when the two soldiers entered
with their report. The sergeant step
ped aside, and the orderly, tall, boy
ish looking fellow with pugnacious
chin. saluted stifly.
, Well Bane." and the officer eyed
his trim appearance with manifest ap-
prevail, what did you succeed in learn
ing?"
The operator said this yere Muir
ply had never bin thar himself, sir,
but there wus several messages come
fer him. One got here this mornin'."
What becomes of Them"
They're called fer by another fell
ler sir"
"Oh, they are! Whoo"
Red Slavin wus the name he give
me of tibet other buck
When the two had disappeared,
Brant sat back thinking rapidly. There
was mystery here. and such actions
must have a cause, Something eth
err in or about Glencaid was COM
polling Murphy to keep out of sight
but what? Who? Brant was I'm.
able to get it out of his head that
all this secrecy centered around Nadia.
Perhaps Hampton knew; at least he
might possess some additional scrap
of information which would help to
solve the problem. He looked at his
watch, and ordered his horse to be
saddled.
1t did not seem quite so simple now,
this projected interview with Hamp-
ton, as it had appeared the night be.
fore. In the clear light of day, he
began to realize the weakness of his
position, the fact that he possessed
not the smallest right to speak on be.
half of Nadia ellis. Nevertheless, the
die was cast, and perhaps. provided an
open quarrel could be avoided. the
meeting might result in good to all
concerned.
Hampton welcomed him with dis.
tant but marked courtesy, having evil
IDENTIFY thought out his own imme-
diate plan of action, and schooled him
self accordingly. Standing there, the
bright light streaming over them from
the open windows, they presented two
widely contrasting personalities, yet
each exhibited in figure and face the
evidences of hard training and iron
discipline. Hampton was clothed in
black standing straight as an arrow,
his shoulders squared, his head held
| proudly erect, while his cool gray
eyes studied the face of the other as
he had been accustomed to survey
his opponents at the card table Brant
looked the picture of soldier on
| duty, trim, we'll built. erect. his reso-
lutte blue eyes never flinching from
the steady gaze bent upon him. his
bronzed young face grave from the
seriousness of his mission. In both
minds the same thought fingered
the vague wonder how much the 9TH
err knew. The elder man, however. re-
tanned a better selt-control and was
first to break the silence.
Miss Gillis informed me of your
kindness to her last evening"" he
said, quietly. and in her behalf I
sincerely thank YOU. Permit me to
offer you a chair
Brant accepted it and sat down,
feeling the calm t'one of proprietorship
in the words of the other as if they
had been a blow His face flushed,
yet he spoke firmly. Possibly mis-
construe your meaning" he said, with
some bluntness, determined to reach
the gist Of the matter at once did
Miss ellis authorize, you to thank me
for these courtesies?"
Hampton smiled with provoking
calmness, holding an unlighted cigar
between his fingers. why, really,
as to that do not remember. I
merely mentioned it as expressing the
natural gratitude Of us both"
"You speak as if you possessed full
authority to express her mind as we'll
as your own"
The other bowed gravely, his face
impassive. "My words quite naturally
bear some such construction"
The officer hcsitated. feeling more
doubtful than ever regarding his own
position. Chagrined, disarmed. he
felt like a prisoner standing bound
before his knocking captor. Then l
fear my mission here is useless"
Entirely So If you come for the
purpose l suspect" said Hampton, sit.
ting erect in his chair, and speaking
with more rapid utterance. "To lee.
ture me on morality, and demand my
yielding up all influence over this girl
such a mission is .assuredly a fail
ure. I have listened with some de-
gree of calmness in this room already
to one such address, and surrendered
to its reasoning But permit me to
say quite plainly, Lieut.. Brant, that
you are not the person from whom !
will quietly listen to another"
II had very little expectation that
you would
you should have had still less, and
remained away entirely. However
now that you are here. and the sub
ject preached it becomes my turn
to say something, and to say it clear
ly. It seems TO me you would ex'
| hihif far hettor taste and discrimina