The Red Cloud chief., 1907-03-15
The MaSquerader
Continued from Page Ihres.)

WIFI " QUICK SeuSe vi ItSpltt he ~
cepted It. At least he could sit secure
from detection while he temporized
with fate.
For q moment they sat silent, then
Lillian stirred. won't you smoker"
she asked.
Everything In the room seemed soft
and enervating-the subdued glow of
the fire, the smell of roses that hung
about the air and, last of all, Lillian's
slow, soothing voice. With n sense Of
oppression he stlffened his shoulders
aud sat straighter in his place.
mo" he said, II don't think I shall
smoke"
She moved nearer to him. Dear
Jack" she said pleadingly, don't say
you're I'm a bad mood. Don't say you
want to postpone again" She looked
up at him and laughed a little In mock
CONSERVATION.
Louer was at a loss.
Another silence followed, while Lii
liam waited: then she frowned sudden
~ and rose from the couch. Like
many indolcnt people, she possessed a
! tOuNh VI obNlllld'y ulIu INV Ah"N hVt
triumph over Chilcote was obtained,
now that she had vindlcated her right
to command him. her original purpose
came uppermost again. Cold or inter
eSted, Indifferent or attentive, she in
tended to make use of him.
She moved to the fire and stood look
ing down into ii.
sIn,I. - el,n Inrnp cpntI- ''o fnullU
amazing thing has happened to me.
do so want you TO throw some light
Loder said nothing.
There was n fresh pause while she
softly smoothcd the silk embroidery
that edged her gown. Then one more
she looked up at him.
"Did | ever tell you,' she began,
that I was once in n railway accident
on n funny little Italian railway cen
turtles before | met youT' She laughed
softly and with Il pretty air of conf
dence turned from the fire and re-
sumed her seat.
".Astrupp had caught a fever In Flor
ence, and | was rushing away for fear
Of the infection, when u stupid little
tTulh ran VII thc ltilo hCoi l.
and smashed itself up. Fortunately we
were within half a mile of a village. so
we weren't quite bereft. The village
was impossibly like a toy village. and
the accommodation what IN would ex-
pect in q Noah's ark, but it was all alb
solutely picturesque. l put up ut the
little inn with my maid and Ko Ko-
10 ~ u.n C,,,h N Cu-ant dor yx.hitn
poodle. I was tremendously keen on
poodles that year" She stopped and
looked ~thoughtfully toward the fire.
"But, to come to the point Of the
story, Jack, the toy village had a boy
doll!' She laughed again. "IIe was an
Englishman-and the first person to
come to my rescue on the night of the
smashup. He was staying at the No,
rh's ark inn, and after that first night
; t-he-we- Oh. Jack, haven't you any
imagrnation?" Her voice sounded pet
ulant and sharp. The man who is indif
) ferent to the recital of an old love af
fair implies the worst kind of listener
, II believe you aren't Interested" sh'
added In another and more reproachfu
tone.
He leaned forward. You're wron,
there" he said slowly. I'm deeply In
} tereStcd."
| She glanced at him again. His ton
: treasured her, but his words left he
uncertain. Chilcote was rarely en-
phatic. With n touch of hesitation sh
went on with her tale:
AS told YOU. he was the first t
: find us-to find me, | should say, 70
my stupid maid was having hysteric
farther up the line, and 10 10 wa
lost. | remember the first thing | iii
, was to send him i'll search Of 10 no.
!, Notwithstanding his position, Lode
found occasion to smile. did he SUI
ceed?" he said dryly.
Succeed? oh, yes, he succeeded
= She also smiled ~involuntarily. POO
. 10 10 was slowed away under the luI
u gage van, and after quite n lot of tro'
bic he pulled him out. When ii We
all done the dog was quite unhurt III
z livelier than ever, but the Engllshma
had his finger almost bitten throug.
ID Ko 10 was a dear, but his teeth an
his temper were both very sharp" 81
laughed once more in soft Amusement
% Loder was silent for a second. then
- too Observation-Disclosures short, sarcast
laugh. "And you tied up the wound,
~ supposeY'
She glanced up, half dlspleased. "W
- We're both staying Mt the little inn
she said. as though no further explain
ton could be needed. Then again h
manner changed. She moved impe
&C. ....u,. ,oa.o, 80, .orohoa bis Mo