Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-12-26
CHAPTER H.--continued.

I'VE shall simply keep you playing
until you drop from w~eariness," she
announced ecstatically, when the las
wailing, sobbing, soothing chord had
died away; and the other ladies muir
INJURED, How delightful" and whis.
pered their approval.
The girl smiled and rippled into a
Chopin Valse, under " of which
those who cared to could talk in low
tones. Afterwards the musician dashed
into the brilliant movement of a Beet
hoven Sonata.
1t was just as she was beginning Ru-
binstein's exquisite tone portrait,
Kamennoi-Os trow, that the gentlemen
came in.
Tryon Durham had had his much de-
sired talk with the famous Judge, but
1t had not been about law.
They had been drawn together by
mutual consent, each discovering that
the other was watching the young
stranger as she left the dining room.
"She is charming" said the old man,
smiling into the face of the younger.
as she an intimate friend?"
IL hope So" stammered Durham,
THAT is, l should like to have her
consider me So"
"Ah!" said the old man, looking deep
into the others eyes with a kindly
smile, as If he were recalling pleas
ant experiences of his own. you are
a fortunate fellow. l hope you may
succeed in making her think so. Do
you know, she interests me more thar
most young women, and in some way
] cannot disconneot her with an oc-
currence which happened in my office
this afternoon"
The young man showed a deep inter
est in the matter, and the judge told
the story again. this time more in de-
tail.
They drew a little apart from the
rest of the men. The host, who had
been warned by his wife to give
with the judge, saw that her plans
were succeeding admirably.
When the music began in the other
room the judge paused a moment to
listen, and then went o. with his
story.
There is a freight elevator just op-
posite that left door of my Office, and
somehow l cannot but think it had
something to do with the girls disap-
pearance, although the door was
closed and the elevator was down on
the cellar floor all the time, as nearly
as l can find out"
The young man asked eager ques-
tons, feeling in his heart that the
story might in some way explain the
mystery OF the young woman in the
other room.
Suppose you stop in the Office to-
morrow" said the judge. Perhaps
you'll get a glimpse of her, and then
bear me out in the statement that
she's like your friend. BY the way,
who Is making such exquisite music?
Suppose we go and investigate. Mr..
Bowman, will you excuse US II we fol-
low the ladies'? We are anxious to
the music at closer range"
The other men rose and followed.
The girl did not pause or look up
they came in, but played on, while
the company listened with the most
rapt and wondering look. She was
playing with an empressement which
could not fail to command attention.
Tryon Durham, standing just behind
the judge, was transfixed with amaze
ment. That this delicate girl could
bring forth such an enhancing volume
Of sound from the instrument was a
great surprise. That she was so ex-
an artist filed him with a kind
of intoxicating elation-it was as
though she belonged to him.
AT last she played LISTS brilliant
Rhapsody, her slender
hands taking the tremendous chords
and octave runs with a precision and
rapidity that seemed inspired. The
crash came in a shower of liquid
of sound, and then she turned
to look at him, her ons friend in that
company OF strangers.
He could see that she had been play
Ing under a heavy strain. Her face
looked weary and flushed, and her eyes
brilliant with feverish excite
ment. Those eyes seemed to be plead
Ing with him now to set her free from
the kindly scrutiny Of these good
hearted, curious strangers. They gath
ered about her In delight, pouring
heir questions and praises upon her.