The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-11-25
CHAPTER X-Continued.

heard, the Rev. Montague Decies. Sh
went to be the gOyerness Of the yOuni
Princess Sophia Marie EleanOra
There she married a gOOd-fOr-nOthini
and ~rascally officer in the little Cere
monial army of Neutrality-suspicious..
The marriage was kept secret, bu
a son was born. Then the marriag,
had to be declared, and Miss Decir!
was compelled to return to England
In disgrace, especially as her HUSBAND
just about that time-cOmmitted al
unforgivable crime and was impris
oned in a fortress, where he died
Now you see the connection between
all these strange e~vents?"
Il see that things become clearer
but | do not see why Miss DecieS
should have abducted the young Duke
if she really did do so. and, II so
why she should have committed sui
eide"
Basil rejoined and for half an hour
presented the wildly moving drama
before her, fitting in detail and detail,
explaining this or that, drawing on his
imagination for those pieces Of the
puzzle which were yet wanting, and
building up a coherent whole.
He warmed to the work. He spoke
rapidly and well. Even as he talked,
he knew that he was making point
after point-that what he said was a
worthy presentation Of as strange a
drama as any modern ear could hear.
1t was about five o'clock in the after,
noon when he concluded.
Daisy, in the excitement of the mar,
ratiVe, had risen from her chair,
walked over to the m~antelpieCe, and
was now leaning upon it. Her eyes
were fixed upon him. Her whole atti-
tude and pose was instinct with inter
est and imagination.
AS his last words died into silence
she made a simple, impulsive gesture,
oh" she said, but you have told it
all most wonderfully, most beautifully.
Captain Marriott, you should have
been a writer of romance"
4" She had taken a step towards him.
The two young people were looking
at each other in a moment Of curious
understanding. Perhaps in a moment
they might have been nearer still.
The door opened, and an elderly
clergyman, whose face was rather
flushed and on whose cheeks the per-
SEPARATION stood out In little beads,
entered the room.
How do you dot" he said. How
do you do, Captain Marriott? My
daughter told me that you were COM
ing to see her. You find me a little
dishevelled, no doubt, but l have been
moving the croquet-lawn all the after
noon. Croquet, Captain Marriott, is
a game which, ten or fifteen years
ago, was regarded as nothing at all.
Tennis arose and entirely swamped 1t.
l am thankful to say, however, that
its really scientific character Is now
realized by everyone, and it Is no
longer a game for anamic curates
and very old maids. We have re-
duced the size of the hoops and in
creased the size Of the balls. We
have abolished the cage and the bell,
and our mallets are now properly
weighted and proportional.
"Croquet is a game which I should
imagine a sailor, long unaccustomed
to the pleasant happenings of the
green, would find an excellent thing
when he vas on shore"
Basil looked at the old gentleman
rs he would have looked at some new
and strange addition to the Geological
Gardens in Regents Park. He had
never known anyone quite so OBJ
livious to fact and environment. He
had never realized how croquet can
sap the brain and engross the sense,
until a tranquil country life becomes
q tournament.
And now, Captain Marriott" the
old clergyman said, Il hope you will
have some tea. | expect there is
some tea somewhere. Daisy, my dear
Is not there some tea to be brought
I'M"
"Oh, yes, father. | will look after
all that" the girl said.
Captain Marriott" he replied. "you
don't know what my girls are to me II
many, many ways"
He half turned, looked appealingl.
at Daisy. and, with a muttered apollo
gy, left the room.
In two minutes Basil and Dais.
heard the smart click Of the box-woo.
balls, as the enthusiast-the law
moved and clear-was practising
cannon.
What a dear old ~gentlemanl
Basil said.
Daisy smiled.
My father she replied, awas
double-hrst at Oxford NAM year
ago. but all his life he has been hand
capped by the fact Of his utter III
worldliness. He obtained the chal
laincy Of Bad Fiirstenberg after h
had been a curate in Leeds for tire
years. He was then appointed to thl
living, and Iii this living he will di,
With the kindliest possible natur,
and q scholarship which is absolutel
profound. he is yet quite united Il
the aifairs Of ordinary life, and, j
order that Hubert may stay at Mar
Borough end my little sister, Gract
may remain at the Girls School
cheltenham, + swallowed my pride al
fpok ne situation with the DMches
IX<N tr1. ~a4X .fnaf- ~..A1