The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-02-03

Irish pixies were sharp, hlo h1e would
not be worth one weeks purchAse IL
he wrongeds this girl.
And Asgin suspected the other: and
he shook with rage at the thought that
Payton might offer the girl some rude
ness. When Payton rose to- &c. he
rose also; and when, by chance, Payton
sat down. he sat down also. AT once
thenceforth they sat with frowning
faces, each more certain. with, every
moment, that, the other removed, his
path to the goal was clear and open.
There was claret on the table, and
the Major did not spare It. When ae
rose to his feet to retire he wa heated
and flushed, but not drunk. Where's
that young cub?" he asked
Asgrilli shrugged his shoulders. II
can't hope to fill his place." he said
with q smooth smile. But I will ba
doing the honors as well al I can"
You are very officious. Il seems
to me- Payton growled. And then.
said.
I'm his absence" Assill answered.
with mock politeness. Il will have the
honor Of lighting you"
you needn't trouble"
Faith. and it's no trouble ut all"
Asgill replied in the same tone. And,
taking two Of the candles from the ta-
BILE. he preceded the Englishman up the
stairs.
The gradual ascent OF the lights
and the mems footsteps should have
given Flavia warning OF their coming.
But either she ~disdained concealment
or she was thinking of other things,
for when they entered h passage be-
You'd the landing they espied the girl
standing outside the Colonels door.
A pang shot through Asgilps heart and
he drew in his breath.
She raised her hand. ..Ah," she said.
The has been crying out! But I think
1t was in his sleep. Will you be making
as little noise as o can?"
Asgill did not answer. but Payton
did. Happy mani" he said. And. be-
tone and with such a look that q deep
blush crtmsoned the girls face.
Her eyes snapped. Good night she
said. coldly.
Asgill continued to keep silence, but
Payton did not take h hint. wish
chuckle. I'D be a happy man them"
Asgill's face was dark with passion,
but Good night Flavia repeated cold
~. And this time the displeasure in
her tone silenced the Major. The two
men went on to their rooms. though
Asgills hands itched to be at the 9TH
eT's throat. A moment later two doors
closed sharply.
Flavia remained in the darkness OF
h passage, but h no longer listened
she thought. Presently h ven back
to her room.
There she concluded to stand and to
think And the blush which the Majors
~insinuation had brought I o her cheek
still burned there. It was natural that
Payton's words should direct her
Thoughts 20 the mar outside whose door
he had found her: o less natural that
aho should fnottfNt<n a ~@v~e rSA1- -
tween the two, should consider how the
one had treated her, lei he had held
her struggling In his arms, when In her
despair h had beaten his face with
her hands, and how the other had treat
ed her In the few hours he had known
her! Thus comparing he could not but
And in III n a nobility. In h other
!a-a-dreadfuness. Cooking sbackaand
having PaytOn's words and manner
fresh IN her mind. she had to own that,
In all his treatment of her, Colonel Sui
Fhvan, while opposing and thwarting
her. had still, and always. respected
her.
Strange to say. she could not now
understand that rage against him
which had before carried her ia Suah!
lengths. How had he wronged hsr!?,
ShescOuld find no sufficing answer.
curtain had fallen between the past
and5the present. The rising? It stood
q sudden very distant. very DIM
thing OF the past. an enterprise roman-
tic, but hopeless. The contemptuouis
words in which he had denounced 1t
rang again In her ears, but they no
longer kindled her resentment: they
convinced. AS one recovertkg from
sickness looks back on tie delusions OF
fever. Flavia reviewed the hopes and
aspirations of h past month. She saw
now 1t was not with a handful Of plot
tiers and peasants that Ireland could be
saved or the true faith restored.
She was still standing a pace within
her door when q foot stumbled heavily
on the stairs. She recognized It for
James footstep-she had heard him
stumble on those stairs beforehand she
laid her hand on the latch. She had
had a real quarrel with him until
now and, o-utrageously as he had
treated her. she could not bear to sleep
without making an attempt to heal the
breach. She opened the door and
stepped out.
James. light was travelling up the
stairs, but he had not himself reached
the landing. She had just noted this
when q door opened and Payton looked
III He saw her, and stu flushed with
claret, he misunderstood her presence
and her purpose. He stepped toward
her.
Thought So" he chuckled. "still lis
tening, h Why not listen at my door?
Then 1t would be a pretty man and q
pretty maid. But I've caught you" he
shot out his arm Inc tried to draw her
toward him. There's no one to see.
and h least you can do IL to give me
q kiss for q Forfeit"
CONTINUED Next weeko