The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-10-19

the corner OF the sofa, and sat with
her hands clasped around her knees,
all swathed around and strapped by the
knitted shawl, her golden head Ike 8
radiant flower, appearing from bank
of snow. Her fragility. her sweetness,
her smallness, appealed strongly to the
big young fellow, whose heart was
warm toward the world, whose ideals
were high, and who had the chivalroUs
longing Inherent in all good men to
succor, to protect, and above all to
adore. No feeling in D1n Blair had
been as strong as this, to take her in
his arms. to lift her up and carry her
away from London and the people
who appIauded her, from the people
that criticized her, and from Ponio-
towsky.
He was engaged TO the Duchess of
Breakwater And as far as his being
able to do anytime fer Lefty Lane,
he could only offer her this politeness
from the woman he was going to mar
ry.
81 never sing out Of the theater."
Her profile was to him and she looked
steadily across the room. Its a per-
feet fight TO get the manager to con-
sent
Blair interrupted and said: ooh,
I'll see him; I'll make it all right"
"Plaase don't" she said briskly, "it's
purely business affair How much
will she pay?"
Dan vas rather shocked. Anything
you like"
And her bad humor faded at his
tone, and she smiled at him. We'll,
I'll tell Roach that. l guess it'll make
my singing a sure thing"
She changed her position and drew
a long sigh as though she were very
tired, leared her blond head with it's
soft disorder back on the pillow, put
both her folded hands under her cheek
and turned her face toward Dan. The
most delicate corallike color began to
mount her checks, and her gray eyes
regained their light.
''Will two thousand dollars be too
much to ask" she said gently.
If size had said two million to the
young fellow who had not yet begun
10 spend his fortune, which as far as
he was concerned was nothing but
name, it would not have been too
much to him; not too much to have
given to this small white creature
with her lovely flushed face, and her
glorious hair
Whatever is your price, Miss Lane,
goes"
'I'll sing three songs: one from Man
dalay, an English ballad and some
thing or other, don't know what now,
and l expect you don't realize how
cheaply you are getting them" She
laughed, and began to hum a familiar
air.
81 wish you would sing just one song
Tor me-
For another thousand?" she asked,
lifting her eyebrows. what song is
lt?'
And as Dan hesitated, as if unwill-
ing to give form to words that were
90 full of spell to him, she said de-
licTously: why, can you see a Ic~
dor drawingroom listening to NE stag
Presbyterian hymn tune?" Without lift
ing her head from the pillow she be
gan in charming undertone, her gray
eyes fixed on his:
Iron Greenland's icy mountains,
From midas coral strands,
Where Africa's sunny fountains
Roll down their golden sands"
Blair, near her, turned pale. There
rose in him the same feeling that she
had stirred years ago in the little
church, and at the same time others.
He had lost his father since then,
and he thought of him now, but that
big. sad emotion was not the one that
swayed him
please STOP" he pleaded; don't
go on. Say, there's something in that
hymn that hurts"
Lefty Lane, unconscious of how
subtly she was playing, laughed, and
suddenly remembered that Dan had
sat before her that day by the side of
old Mr.. Blair. She asked abruptly:
'Why does the Duchess of Break
water want me to sing?"
Because she's crazy about your
voice"
SIS she awfully rich?"
"Um don't know"
Lefty Lane flashed a look at him.
"Oh,'' she said coolly, II guess she
won't pay the price then"
Dan said: eyes, she will; yes, she
will, all right"
"Now," Lefty Lane went on, eff it
were a charity affair, could sing for
nothing, and don't doubt the duchess,
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