The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1912-11-01

enced q singular. instantaneous
aversion to this immaculate in
truder.
Get out" he heard Braddock roar
after him as he paused at the partition
to look once more at the stranger.
The man was bowling low before the
straight, motionless figure Of Mary
Rraddock. Her chin was high in the
air, and David could almost have
sworn that he saw her nostrils dilate.
From a place beyond the flap in the
partition he surveyed this disturbing
visitor.
He was not long in supplying a rea-
son for the sudden antipathy he felt
toward this man whom he had never
seen before. In the first place, the
mans face was a peculiarly evil one.
His dark eyes were set quite close to-
gether under a bullying forehead. His
eyebrows We're straw colored and so
thin that they were almost invisible.
\ broad. fiat nose, with spreading nos.
trils not unlike that of an Ethiopian.
gave 10 tie upper part of his face q
.A2' i'N ~ f'1'A iptE INV IL M
thick and blue and loose. protruded
with fabby insiStcnce beyond its mate.
which was short and straight. The
chin re1cded, but WAS Of surprising
length and breadth. His ears sat very
low on his head and were ludicrouslv
small. Above them rose n massive
dome. covered with thick. well brushed
1a5Y. - a r-ojI1,,ssl I,,,1 ,,,r,~1 ,-o,.t,
in the middle His cheeks were white
and fiaccid, and there was n f~ullness in
front of the jaw point that suggested
approaching bagGineSS. He smiled with
his lips closed, and broadly at that.
The picture was even less alluring than
when his face was in repose. In the
suhdued gray light Of the tent his com
plexion was sincularly colorless; David
thought Of a very sick man he had once
seen.
But this man was apparently in the
best Of health. He was spare, and his
Sloping shoulders did not suggest
breadth or strength, yet there was that
about him which made for force and
yirility. His hands We're long and slim
and very white. s huge diamond gilt
tered on one Of the fingers of the left
hand: another quite rs large adorned
the bosom OF his shirt. One would say,
guessing, that he was thirty-siX or
thirty-eight years Of age. As q matter
of fact. he was tifty-tiye.
David noticed that he never allowed
his gaze to leave the face Of Mary
Braddock except to occasionally tray
erSe her figure from crown TO foot. He
experienced a fierce desire to rush out
and strike the man across the eyes,
He could not hear what they were
talkin. about. Braddoek was urging
something on her in low, insistent
tones. His manner was that Of one
who espouses q forIorn hope. He
argued with tho insinnatin@. doubt
ing earnestness 50 characteristic of
tn. man vho knows that he is oper-
atinS against his own best interests in
the face Of one who fully understands
the weakness that impels him. Mrs.
Braddocs stood before him. cold. pas
sive, unconvincel Her greeting for
the had been most uu-
friendly. He stood close 10 her elbow.
the trace Of . smile on his lips.
Suddenly her tense body relaxed.
Her chin dropped forward. ana She
nodded her head deiectedly. Brad
docks next remark, uttered With CON
siderable gusto, came to David's ears.
Good hc said, biting his cigar with
approving energy. We can talk il
over there. | think you will see it my
way. Mary. You'll see if I'm not
right. Come on, Bob. This is no place
to talk"
She preceded them without another
word. an air of utter WEAKNESS char
acterizing her movements. Tie stran-
ger smiled his bland. hateful smile.
When Braddock in genial relief essay