The Huttig news., 1911-05-06


 me to be interested i'll you?"
 She flushed becomingly at this and i acknowledged the touch with rueful, smiling glance. But, Because I'm interested in you she admitted open ly.
 And why?"
 Are you hardened to such adven- tures?" She nodded in the direction the babu had taken Are you ac- eustomed to being treated with ex- traordinary respect by stray Bengalis and accepting tokens from them7 Is romance commonplace to you?"
 Oh he said, disappointed. If it's only the adventure-l Of course, that's easily enough explained This halfwitted mammoth-don't ask me how he came to be here-thought he recognized in me some one he had known in India. Let's have look at this token-thing"
 He disclosed the bronze tav and let her take it in her pretty fing s
 Tt must have secret spring. she concluded. after careful inspecfon
 
 She shook it. holding it by her ear. There's something inside fl rattles ever go slightly I wonder,''
 Nc more than I
 And what are you going to dc with Il i9" She returned It reluctantly.
 Why, there's nothing to do but keep it till the owner turns np. that can sec
 You won't break 1t open?"
 Not until curiosity overrowers me and I've exhausted every artffice, trying to find the estch'
 Are you patient person, MT. Am. ber?"
 Not extraordinarily so, Miss Far rell"
 "Oh. how did you guess?"
 By remembering not to be stunid. You are Miss Sophia Farrell, daughter ot Colonel Farrell of the British dip lomatie service in India" He chuclIied cheerfullv over his triumph of deductive reasoning You are wis iting the Quains for few days, while en route for India with some friends whose name I've forgotten"
 The Rolands,' she prompted in- voluntarily
 Thank yon. The Hollands. who are stopping in New York. You've lived several years with your father in India, went back to London to come out and are returning. having been presented at the court of St. James Your mother was an Ameri- can girl, schoolmate of Mrs Quain's. I'm afraid that's the whole sum of my knowledge of you"
 You've turned the tables fairly. Mir. Amber she admitted And Mir Quain wrote you all that?"
 I'm afraid he told me almost as much about you as he told you about me; we're old friends, you know. And now l come to think of it. Quain has one of the few photographs of me extant So my chain of reasoning s complete. And I think we'd better hurry on to Tang ewood' Indeed. yes. Mrs Qnain will be wild with worry if that animal finds his way back to the stable without me: I've been very thoughtless." How much longer shall you stay 1t Tanglewood. Miss Farrel?"
 "Unhappily. she sighed, T must cave on the early train tomorrow, to oin the Hollands in New York"
 You don't want to go?''
 I'm half an American. Mir. Amber we learned to love the country al nody naci1ae u,a e+art or San Francisco. and it'll be such little while before I'll be in India You don't care for India?"
 I've known it for less than six ears, but already I've come to hate as thoroughly as any exiled English. 5oman there. It sits there like reat, unsuitable monster, devouring nglish lives Indirectly it was re nonsible for my mothers death; she ever recovered from the illness she 1ntracted when my father was sta oned in the Deccan. In the course
 time 1t will kill my father, just as. did his father and his elder brother. Is cruel, hateful. ungrateful land not without the price we pay for it.' T know how you feel he said with sympathy. It's been a good many years since I vis's-i India, and of curse l then saw and heard little of he darker side. Your people are brave enough, out there"
 They are. I don't know about gov srnment; but its servants are loyal nd devoted and unselfish and cheer ul. And I don't at all understand" he added in confusion, why should ave decided to infiict upon you my motional hatred of the country Your uestion gave me the opening, and 1 forgot myself"
 T assure you was thoroughly hooked, Miss Farrell
 Will you tell me something?"
 If I can"
 About the man who wouldn't ac- nowledge knowing you? You remem- 'er saving three people had been mis- aken about your identity this after foon."
 No, only one--the babu. You're s0t poicfa kop-a