The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1913-07-11
BIZ FRANCIS PERRY ELLIOTT
90 ILLUSTRATIONS ~ /MAzvS
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brave. so noble-mannered, you know
SO simple."
Simple! Dash simple people-nevel
could stand them! Thing | admired
vas brains, Aloud | said gently-al
most humbly:
so glad you like him. don't yor
know-did Ike, | mean"
Did like! ! DO still her tone
lifted in earnest protest-'I love &c
think OF brave. dear Arthur and bis
knights-so few, and yet SO full oil
love. Of gallantry and daring!"
So his nights were like that! BY
Jove, l was devilish glad then that
comfort, dash It. wondered II the
beggar was dead. But what difference
did IL make now, after all? She was
mine now and she knew ! knew 1t;
that was why this sweet, ingenious
child was laying bare TO mo her past
the darling.
Really, l ought not to let her go on.
Never mind them now" | urged
sootAingly. And needless OF the win
dows, | hitched a wee bit closer.
That's all past and gone and you and
| will yet see as good nights as they
ever were" l spoke with assurance.
Don't you think so?" l added, softly,
She sighed. Il don't know-I hope
so!'-she fingered obviously over 1t,
looking away again, the while her
hand put back the feecy, golden
what-you-call-it that was smuggling to
her eyes. | looked at the goddess
Ike forearm, barred TO above the ell
bow, where II slipped from sight un-
der the roll Of sleeve. and thought OF
that night in my apartment when she
had made me feel OF her biceps, don't
you know.
You don't know" l repeated with
gentle ~reproach. "Oh, | say, you
know! You know you know you
know" By Jove, that sounded rather
rum, but | knew she knew | knew she
knew-see?
She looked at me sidewise, her
slender foreinger pressing the half
parted lips slowly shaping in a curve.
Then her little teeth flashed, jewel
like-regular Jolly pearl setting IN the
frankest, sweetest smile!-and then
her glorious arm and wrist arched
suddenly toward me.
"Yes!" she said contritely, and with
the most delightful, kindest infection
and laugh-such a laugh!-a laugh
gurgling melodious-oh, dash 1t,
yes; l mean Just that!-like the dute
notes in the overture to what's-his-
name-that sort!
That's the way l love to hear a
man talk" she said warmly. Il think
it takes an American to stand up for
his own place. his W times-please!"
And gently, but with a lovely smile.
she withdrew her hand tina. | had
folded close in mine. l let it go, for
| saw her look toward the house, and,
OF course, l understood-jolly careless
OF me not to have remembered-but
she would know from my nod and
shrug that l comprehended.
l sighed, and my deep breath
brought her gaze back TO me and her
flashing smile as we'll.
And So" she said, lifting her little
chin, you think there are just as
many knights now as there used TO
be-"
| almost laughed at the child-like
question-but didn't! Dash It, no, |
wouldn't have done so for the world.
Just looked at her seriously and an.
swered her in kind:
Perfectly sure OF 1t, don't you
know!"
And, by Jove, l was! Knew II there
had been any change, some newspa
~per-reading chap at the club would
have mentioned it--that was safe; es
pecially one silly ass who was always
reading of some jolly comet that was
coming. He would know about the
nights.
"Yes-Oh. yes. there are just a,
many" l affirmed positively. and add
ed quickly: More, you know!" Fol
suddenly I remembered 1t was leap
year. and | knew there was some joll,
rhyme about leap-year gives US on'
day more-so, OF course. there'd b.
another night!
"You don't know how glad / am I,
| hear you say that" she said musingly
There are just as many knights, yo'
mean, but the conditions hav'
| changed-the man Is changed-is tina
it?"
I should say the man was changed
"Oh, dash II, yes!" I blurted. B,
Jove. I hoped there wouldn't be an
other change.
You mean"-with a rttle, cha
longing. puzzled smile, she leaned fol
ward. her elbow resting upon her kne
like q sculptured, Grecian pillar; he
fiower-like curving fingers supportini
her chin like a Corinthian what'sits
name. you know. the sort Of thing tn
ancient INTERPRETATIONS Away
added to top on their stunning mai
Bile columns-you know!-well, Xix
that-"you mean we may find knight.
not only In the field, but In the shop.
upon the streets-even In the slums
or In the hospitals, In the church O
upon the bench-that Is your idea!''
To ro~rp< vcu tAoo ox ~ 49,,