The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-08-28

Tic dSQuiSiuou VI u Dcu-dltuOuSu IL
might possess the odor Of a bed Of
tuberoses-when all of his pleasant
calculations were upset by the appear
ance Of a German burgher and his
family. 1t was then that he learned
that these people had booked le COM
Mich.
Brock resumed his window seat and
de%spondently awaited the call to break
fast He fell sound asleep with his
monocle in position. nor did 1t matter
to him that his hat dropped through
across the green Rhenish fields. When
next he looked at his watch 1t was 8
o'clock. A small boy was standing at
the end Of the passage staring wide
eyed at him. Two little girls came
piling, half dressed. from a compart-
ment, evidently in response to the
youngsters whispered command to
hurry out and see the funny nan
Brock scowled darkly, and the trio
darted swiftly into the compartment.
He dragged his stiff legs into the
dining car at Stuttgart and showed
them under a table. The car was
quite empty. AS he was staring blank
ly at the menu the conducteur from
bis car hurried in with the word that
madam would not breakfast until 8.
She was still very sleepy. Would M.
Medcroft be good enough to order her
coffee and rolls brought to her COM
partment at that hour? And would he
mind seeing that the maid saw to 1t
that Raggles surely had his biscuit and
a walk at the next stationf
"RagglesT" queried Brock, passing
his hand over his brow. The other
shrugged his shoulders and looked
askance. "Oh. yes; l understand"
murmured the puzzled one, recovering
himself. For the next ten minutes he
wondered who Raggles could be.
He had eaten his strawberries and
was waiting for the eggs and coffee,
resentfully eying the early risers who
were now coming In for their coffee
and rolls. They had slept He could
tell by the complacent manner in which
their hair was combed and by the in.
terest they found in the scenery which
he had come, by tedious familiarity,
to loathe and scorn.
The actions of two young women
near the door attracted his attention
From their actions he suddenly gather
ed that they were discussing him-and
In a more or less facetious fashion at
that. They whispered and looked shy
and grinned In a most d"isconcerting
manner. He turned red about tho ears
and began to wonder fercely why his
eggs and coffee were so slow in com
ing. Then. to his CONSERVATION, the
young women. plainly Of the serving
class. bore down upon him with abash-
ed smiles. He noticed for the first
time that one of them was carrying a
very small child in her arms. AS she
came alongside. grinning sheepishly,
she extended the small one toward the
astounded Brock, and said IN excellent
old English:
"Good morning. Mr.. Medcroft." Then.
with a rare inspiration. "Baby. kiss
pdpd0COme, now.
She pushed the infant almost into
Brooks face. He did not observe that
1t was a beautiful child and that it
had a look Of terror In Its eyes. He
only knew that he was glaring wildly
at h fendish nurse. the truth slowly
beating its way into his be-addled
brain. For a fa,l minute he stared as
If petrified. Then. administering a
sickly grin. he sought to bring his wits
mp to The requirements Of the extra
ordinary situation. He lifted his hand
and mumbled: Come. Raggles! /
haven't a biscuit, but here, have a roll,
do. Give me IA kiss!" He added the
last in most heroic surrender.
The nurse and the maid stared hard
at him. The baby turned in alright
to cling closely to the neck Of the for
mer.
Good Lord. SIR" whispered the
nurse. with a nervous glance about
her. this amt Raggles. sir. This is
q baby"
do you think I'm blind. madam
whispered he savagely. 81 can see it's
a baby. but didn't know there was
to be n Its father didn't mention 1t
to me-"
IT'S q wise father that knows his
W child" said the nurse. with prompt
sarcasm.
II think they should have prepared
me for this" growled he. us 1t sup
posed to be mine? Does-does Mrs.
Medcroft know about TT"
"You mean about the baby. sir? or
course she does. It's hers. Please
don't look 90 odd. SIR. Ny word. SIR.
didn't know you didn't know 1t. sir.
wasn't told. was I. O'Brien? There.