The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-10-31

uous favor
Not at ALL" assured him,
"but-'
1T isn't quite convenable?" he fin
ished, as | hesitated. Surely, we don't
need to stand on ceremony, and Ce-
ely doesn't care a hang for ,conVen-
ton. It's a great favor to Doth or
us. She'll cry her eyes out If she has
to stay at home. and 1 simply can't
take her"
Very WE'LL 1 said. TIL be glad to
take her." and thanking me again he
hurried away.
She was dressed and waiting for me
when | knocked at her door, and she
caught me by both hands as I en-
tered.
This is good of you" she cried.
"DoudouX has been so busy for many
lays that we have gone nowhere; but
he promised me tonight. oh, | Should
| not have stayed at home. l should
have gone alone. 1 care not for the
| eyes of the men,"
"oh, I shan't let YOU go alone!" l
protested, and watched her. fascin-
ated, as She put on a little bonnet
and gave her hair two or three final
pats before the mirror.
She was in the highest spirits, sing
ing to hersclf-reaily, 1 told myself,
only a child-and at last she swung
around and dropped me a courtesy.
How is that, chez" she cried,
smiling up at me. Does that please
you?"
"~Charming!" 1 cried. gasping a lit
tie. with a feeling of giddiness, as I
looked down into her eyes.
Then in a moment and turning,
she struck a match and touched it
to a wick floating on olive oil in a
tiny glass before an image of tho
virgin. which hung in a little chap
ellie against the wall. She made a gen
Injection and turned back to me. Now
l am ready" she said, and tucked her
hand c~onfidingly under my arm.
What Is the light for, Cecily?' I
asked, as we left the room.
oh" h explained. "faut lime
lampe on pou fai la Verge passe dams
caie-ou. Now the virgin will watch
over me while L am away But you
are a Protestant. you do not care for
the virgin"
She looked up at me r~eproachfully,
with a little sigh because l must be
damned.
But Tremaine-is he not a Protes-
tant?" 1 asked.
"Oh, no. she answered. shaking her
head. Certainly not-not at all. He
even at one time thought of becoln-
ing a priest"
"A priest!" 1 repeated, astonished.
Here was news, indeed, and l was so
absorbed in 1T that l did not resent
Higgins stare OF establishment as we
went down together in the elevator.
Tremaine a priest! Yet, why not? No
doubt he would have made a most sue
cessful one-an ideal Jesuit, for ex-
ample. rising to q high place.
Then why did he not become one?"
l questioned, when we were seated in
our cab n bowling along toward
Broadway. A sudden fever of eager
ness to probe into Tremaine's past
took possession of me.
Il do not know" she answered.: then
she looked at me with a sudden quiz
zical narrowing of the eyes. Perhaps
he found the vow a repugnance."
We swung around Into Broadway.
ablaze with light, and Cecily forgot
me IN the excitement Of watching the
changing crowd, the brilliant shop
fronts.
Here we are" I said. as the cab
drew UP at the curb, and sprang out
and helped her down.
AS we entered the foyer I heard
that murmur Of surprise and admira-
ton which I knew my companion
she was interested in everything; the
lights. the color, the movement Of the
the hustle Of the great theater
combined to form an excitant which
brought h deep blood surging to her
cheeks. She looked around with half
opSit ups ShiililS pleaSeu as a Chlld,
seemingly quite unconscious of the
curious eyes centered upon her.
"Oh. 1t is glorious" she cried. II
have to thanh you again, che"
You have nothing like this in st.
Pierre?" l questioned. laughing at her
eagerness.
No" and h shook her head; "ex-
cept, perhaps, the carnival"
I'm enjoying it, too" / said; and
indeed I was. for her happiness was
contagious. She seemed charged with
electricity, overlooking, communicating
it by a look, a word, a smile.
We went up to the promenade after
the first act, and ate an ice together.
place was crowded. and Cecily
soon became again the center Of at
traction. Men strolled past merely to
look at her, and from more than one
woman / caught a flash OF the eye that
said unutterable things. The advent of
a new, Incompatible siren could
pass unchallenged. To them
all, Cecily glanced from time to time
with admirable nonchalance; one would
have sworn she a been reared in New
York. h chatted gaily. eating her
slipping her wine, looking at me
with eyes that glowed like stars. Then
suddenly. as h looked up, her face
changed. I glanced up. too. and caught
Jim Godfrey's astonished eyes fixed or
mine. He bowed n passed on.
Who is that gentleman" demanded
Cectly eagerly, leaning across the table
toward me. You know hfm?'
"Oh, quite well,' I answered. more
and more surprised. His name Is God
Trey"
Godfrey" she repeated slowly. at
ter me, as though fixing 1t indelibly II
her memory. And what is his busi
ness?"
Hes a reporter by trade: he gather.
news for a paper" I added, seeing tina
she did not wholly understand.
"Oh." she said. and breathed a deer
sigh Of relief. II see." Then, az sh'
met my glance, she added. II fanciec
that I had met him somewhere: l wa.
mistaken. In New York I have met III
one except u missile"
But I scarcely heard her: my eye
had dropped to a pin at her throat: a
she leaned forward, I could see 1t yer.
clearly-an opal surrounded by
blazing ring of diamonds. I looked a
it Observation-Disclosures with a sudden
intent interest. For one link of tina
brilliant ring was missing; one OF tn,
diamonds had fallen cut.
CHAPTER ".
THE PROBLEM OF THE DIAMOND
l was scarcely surprised when God
frey's ard was oiaashs 81 to me n
t1e s.<3ra ~. I, >..S :.