The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-07-06

Farrell impressed GARRISON for three
handed bridge. Sophia did not are
TO play and Amber was ignorant Of
the game-a defect in his social edu-
cation which be found no cause to re-
greet, since it left him In u%ndisputed
attendance upon the girl.
She had seated herself at a warped
and discouraged piano, for which
Raikes had already apologized; It a
he said, a legacy from a former Resi-
dent Fol years It's yellow keys had
not known q woman's touch such as
that 10 which they o responded
with thin, cracked voices; the girls
fine, slender fingers wrung from them
a plaintive, pathetic parody Of melody.
Amber stood over her with his arms
folded on the top OF the instrument,
comfortably unconscious that his pose
was copied from any number of senti-
mental photographers and art photo
graphs" His temper was sentimental
enough, for that matter; the woman
was very sweet and beautiful IN his
eyes as she sat with her white, round
arms flashing over the keyboard, her
head bowed and her face a little
averted, the long lashes low upon her
cheeks and tremulous with q fathom-
less emotion. II was his thought that
his time was momentarily becoming
shorter, and hat just now, more han
ever, she was very distant from his
arms, something inaccessible, too rare
and delicate and fine for the rude
possession Of him who sighed for his
own unworthiness.
Abruptly she brought both hands
down upon h keys, educing a jan
gled, startled crash from the tortured
wires. and swinging round, glanced
up at Amber with quaint mirth trem-
bling behind the veil of moisture In
her misty eyes.
"India!" she cried, with a broken
laugh; India ~epitomized: a home
sick, eXiled woman trying TO drag q
SONG Of Home from the broken heart
OF a crippled piano! That is an Eng
lishwoman's India: It's our life, ever
to strive and struggle and contrive TO
piece together out of makeshift odds
and ends the atmosphere OF Home'
It's ~suffocating IN here. Come
She rose with a quick shrug Of I'M
patience, and led the way back to the
gardens. ~-rx~ss%.a~
PensiSe, the girl trained her long
skirts heedlessly over the dew
drenched grasses, Amber at her side,
himself speeches. with an intangible,
ineluctable, unreasoning sense Of ex-
pectancy. Never, he told himself, had
a lovers hour been more auspiciously
timed or staged; and this was his
hour. altogether hisl II only
he might find the words OF wooing TO
which his lips were stranger He
dared not delay; tomorrow It might
be too late; In tho womb OF the nor
row q world OF chances stirred-con.
tingencies that might in a breath set
them a world apart.
They found seats in the shadow OF
a pepul.
Are you IN the habit OF indulging
IN protracted eilenccs?" she rallied
him gently. Between friends of old
standing they're permissible, l believe,
but"
"A days journey by tonga natures
acquaintanceship wonderfully" he OBJ
served abstrusely.
Indeed" She laughed.
AT least. I hope So"
He felt that he must be making
progress; thus far he had been no
less inane than any average lover OF
the stage or fiction. And he wonder
ed: was she laughing at him. softly,
there in the shadows7
You see" she said, amused at his
relapse into reverie, you're incurable
and %upgrateful. I'm trying my best
to be attractive and interesting, and
you won't pay m u attention what
ever. There must be something on
you mind Is It this mysterious err
rand that brings you so Unexpectedly
to lndla-to Kuttarpur, Mr.. AmberY"
Yes" he answered truthfully.
And you won't tell me2"
Il think I must" he said, bending
forward,
There sounded a stealthy rustling IN
the ~shruhbery The girl drew away
and rose with n startled exclamation.
With a bound, a man In native dress
sped from the shadows d paused
before them. painting.
Amber jumped up, overturning bis
chair, and instinctiyely feeling for h
pistol that was with his travelling
things, upstairs In the Residency.
The native, treasured him with a
swift, obsequ!ous gesture. Pardon.
sahib. and yours. sahiba, If | have
alarmed you. but | am como on an er-
rand of haste. seeking him who Is
known as the Sahib David Amber
Il am he. What do you want with
me?"
1T is only this, hat I have been
commissioned 10 bear TO you. sahib.'
The man fumblcd hurriedly In tho
folds of his surtout. darting quick
glances OF apprehension round the
garden. Amber looked him over as
closely as he could in tho dim light,
-