The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-08-12

ner son 10 Der. Inat she loved MIN
he knew, but the great bar between
them had been her wealth and rank
Now, owing to What had happened
there was just one chance that his
lifes hope might be realized. There
was just one chance, and he felt as
he had sometimes felt before the pis
tol fire of some International race
keen, confident, and determined. He
analysed his own sensations in this
way: Yes" he said to himself, 81
feel just as did before I had broken
the worlds record for the mile and
licked the American! somehow
knew | was going to win-knew it in
stinctively. | feel it now, but it will
require every single power | have of
brain, body, cunning, and endurance"
He looked over at Basil, whose eyes
were closed, and who seemed to be
sleeping.
Now, what a good chap that isl"
Grant thought to himself How keen,
and what a thorough sportsman!
Surely Fate means to be propitious
when it has thrown such a helper in
| my way, at the very beginning of the
| whole affair? One could not possibly
| have a keeIer, Cleverer chap to help
one. How sharp it was of him to try
me with the Morse code just now.
That is the best of sailors, they are so
thoroughly alert and accomplished
They live constantly on the lookout
| for the unexpected, and are always
ready to meet it, while from all hear
| too, this Captain Marriott is one of
| the most distinguished young officers
in the Navy. He has already got a
big command. In short, | could not
possibly have anyone better with me
He is a gentleman, and a good fellow
in every way"
Then the great athletes brain be-
gan to scheme and make plans for the
immediate future. He found it ex-
tremely difficult, because he did not
in the least know yet what was going
10 happen. 1t was almost impossible
to lay down any detailed method of
procedure; time and opportunity must
decide what was to be done, and both
must be taken by the forelock at the
right moment.
Very WELL" he said to himself, 81
am not going to tire my brain by max
ing plans before we get to the front,
as it were. shall want all my powers
then"
He had always had distinct power
of mental detachment. The brain
which had gained a Double First at
Oxford, and controlled a body which
was, perhaps, as perfect a physical
machine as lived and walked in Eu-
rope at that moment, was able to reg
ulate its thoughts and to exercise a
rigid control over them.
He looked at his watch. They
would reach the Dover Pier in half an
hour. Il will have a nap for just that
time" he said to himself, and in three
minutes was breathing quietly in
slumber.
Basil, on his part, had dismissed all
troublesome considerations from his
mind, save only that he retained
sense Of pleasant excitement, as of
some approaching sporting event. 81
am not going to worry" he thought,
It'll the time comes. Meanwhile, |
wonder what my girl is doing? What
little dear she isl"
He thought of her as he had seen
her first Of all in Grants chambers, In
her perfectly-fitting coat and skirt,
with her grave and agitated manner.
He thought of her again in the quaint,
fragrant old drawing-room of the
country rectory, with the sun shining
in through the French windows upon
her-of her look Of welcome and glad
ness as she saw him. And then, once
more, he remembered her as the sun
was setting at the end of the avenue,
over the quiet cornfields. He thought
of her standing beneath the painted
sky. which glowed like the very pave
ments of Heaven itself, and he re-
membered how the love-light had
leapt into her eyes. and how he had
caught her to him.
Was there ever a swifter, more sud
den wooing? He doubted 1t. These
things were sometimes heard OF, but
he had never really believed in any.
thing of the sort. WELL" he said to
himself, 'if am an exception, and IL
she is an exception, what does it mat
ter? Some people might say that the
whole thing was so quick that we
could not possibly know our own
minds. On the contrary. should say
that 1t was very good proof that
our minds were perfectly made up
on the subject, otherwise we should
have hesitated! And, after all, what
is convention? 1t is a thing made
for man, and useful sometimes, but
man was not made for it, and Daisy
and ! are exceptions. That is all.
But what luck! What huge luck! To
think Of the Duchess coming out on
this extraordinary adventure and TAX
ing Daisy with her! Everything is
just about as jolly as 1t could be, and
II old Grant there and myself don't
find the little Duke-wherever he may
be-and bring him back l am a con-
founded longshoreman. that's all!