The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-12-11
CHAPTER xxiv-(Continued.)

IA ER overwhelmingly
The American men were so differ
ent. They were SO new, SO untem-
pered, so lacking in repose. Their
very ~roliteness was aggressive and
Irritating, their chivalry fussy AMI UNI
natural, their of the copy
book order-a part of the curriculum
of the public schools-but MOI yet
bred in the bone.
The men of the Eastern states might
be somewhat different-she did not
know. She had lived nearly all her
life out West. But directly she be-
gan to move about in England she
was conscious of a difference. The
men and the women-but particularly
the men-were of a different type.
There was a quiet dignity that re-
minced her somewhat Of her father.
There was energy without fuss;
strength without Boosting; gentle
ness without effeminacy. She was not
Ut all surprised that American women
nked>to marry Enslishmen-if she
ever married she would like to marry
m Englishm~ a herself.
She retired early that night, but she
did not sleep for several hours. Her
memory and her imagination had been
strangely quickened. Her thoughts
would revert to the past in spite of all
her efforts.
She had received the news that her
trunk had been rified and the silver
box stolen with comparative indiffer-
snce-the things taken were of no
very great value.
But now, as she lay awake, and the
noise OF the city died down into a
great stiffness, a number OF new ques-
lions suggested themselves to her. If
the silver box and its contents were
Of no particular value, why was Ev-
ans. or Nevins, as he called himself,
20 anxious to possess them? Why did
he spend weeks and months for the
purpose? Why did he lie and in
trigue to gain his object? And why,
when he had got possession, was he
prepared to commit murder rather
than cart with the stolen goods?
Her thoughts travelled back again to
that wild nj. hit in 'Odero. when her
father lay dying IN a gambling saloon,
slot through the lung.
She began to rack her brains so that
she night REGAL, his exact words. 1t
was not easy to remember them all,
few cs they were, she was SO over
wleimed With grief at the time. But
she had a distinct recollection OF his
saying that the bog contained all the
- NJ - anil fhnt Cnnn dQV
sic would know.
EEow what? Her brain began to
work along a new track. Was there
some mystery surrounding her life!
Wes there something that had been
kept from her-something OF impor-
tance-important not only TO her, put
perhaps to other people?
Her memory began to travel farther
beck still. She tried to pierce the
shadows that surrounded her early
childhood. She could not remember
her mother. Her very first recollec-
lions seemed to be associated with a
school. Memories of holidays followed,
not always in the same house or IN
the same city. Then day-school life,
and an old housekeeper named Sarah.
The ma year at q boarding school
or perhaps it was more than a year
then the responsibilities of h~ousekeep-
ing and a gradual descent In the So
cial scale. There had been nothing
romantic about her life. nothing to
suggest mystery. Indeed. 1t had beer
yery unromantic and humdrum n
commonplace.
And yet, a. her memory tripped ma
halted through the misty glades OF a
past. words dropped by her father,
vague hints and suggestions flung out
from time to time, which she took no
notice Of, began uncoasciously. TO as
sumo . large significance.
She rot out Of bed at length and
searched for the letter written by her
father to Mayhem. It was very brief.
x few broken sentences scrawled IN
nencil while his life was swiftly ebb-
lng out, but It contained nothing that
would help her to = solution OF the
problsm:
s4This 10 Marion. Take care OF her
- Ion - necessary. I'm done Tor.
The case should not be dlmcult. All
the proofs In the silver box.-R. w"
No. there was no solution OF any
problem. and yet there was q sugges-
ton OF mystery that had never struck
her before. What vas the a 8 that
should not be difncalt? She had as
sumed that 1t referred to Mayhew's
care Of her, but. read in the light OF
recent events. the words suggested 9
much deeper meaning
Then. again. there were the papers.
.Proofs." he called them In this let
ter to Mayhem. Proofs Of what!
was there anything In dispute! Had
she been sent to England Tor some
other than that she should
merely have Mayhew's protection!
The mystery deepened. The more
she thought and reflected. the more
perplexed she became. II q nad
only some friend who could help her
and advise herl This was e case that
required 4 mans wit and 9 mans judg.
ment and strength. A girl like herself
cns,la "a nothing. She was absolutely