The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-10-22

it to her when he died. She and
| Challis spent several summers there"
Vivian took me through it one aft
ernoon last summer"
"It must have been quite as much
Of a novelty to her as it was to you,
old chap" said Leslie gloomily.
What do you mean?"
"Vivian's a bit Of a snob. She never
liked the place because old man Gooch
built it out of worsteds. She never
went there"
But the old mans been dead for
years"
That doesn't matter. The fact Is,
Vivian didn't quite take to Sara until
after-well, until after Challis died.
We're dreadful snobs, Brandy, the
whole lot OF Us. Sara was quite good
enough for a much better man than
my brother. She really couldn't help
the worsteds, you know. I'm very
fond of her, and always have been,
We're pals. Cad, it was a fearful slap
at the home folks when Challis justi-
fed Sara by getting snuffed out the
way he did"
Booth made an attempt to change
the subject. but Wrandall got back
to x.
Since then we've all been exceed
ingly sweet On Sara. Not because we
want to be, mind you, but because
vera afraid she'll marry some chap
who wouldn't be acceptable to u.s."
Il should consider that a very neat
way out OF t." said Booth coldly.
Not at all. You see, Challis was
fond Of Sara, in spite of everything.
He left q will and under it she came
in fer all he had. AS that includes n
third interest in our extremely refined
and irreproachable business, it would
be a deuce of a trick on us if she mar
ried one OF the common people and set
him up amongst us, willy-nilly. We
don't want strange bedfellows. We're
too snug-and | might say, too SNUG.
Down in her heart mother is saying to
herself 1t would be just like Sara to
get even with us by doing just that
sort OF a trick. OF course Sara is rich
enough without accepting a sou under
the will, but she's a canny person. She
hasn't handed it back to us on a silver
platter, with thanks; still, on the
other hand, she refuses to NEEDLE. She
makes US feel pretty small. She won't
sell out to US. She Just sits tight.
That's what gets under the skin with
mother"
Il wouldn't say that, Les, If / were
In your place"
ut is a rather priggish thing to say,
isn't it?"
Rather"
you see, I'm the only one who
really took sides with Sara. l forget
myself sometimes. She was such a
brick, all those years"
Booth was silent for a moment, not
Ing the reflective look in his compan.
ions eyes.
Il suppose the police haven't given
up the hope that soone or later the
er-the woman will do something to
give herself away" said he.
They don't take any stock in my
theory that she made way with herself
the same night. l was talking with
the chief yesterday. He says that
anyone who had wit to cover UP her
tracks as she did, is not the kind to
make way with herself. Perhaps he's
right 1t sounds reasonable. Cad, |
felt sorry for the poor girl they had
up last spring. She went through the
third degree, II eve anyone did, but,
hv InUn Qhn annn npt re ~ Ill rioht
The Ashley girl, you remember. I've
dreamed about hat girl, Brandy. and
what they put her through. It's a sort
Of nightmare to me, even when I'm
awake. On, they've questioned others
as well, but she was the only one to
have the screws twisted in just that
way"
Where is she now?"
She's comfortable enough now.
When l wrote to Sara about what
she'd been through, she settled a neat
bit of money on her. and she'll never
want for anything. She's out west
somewhere, with her mother and sis
tiers. ! tell you, Sara's a wonder. She's
got a heart of gold"
Il look forward to meeting her,
old man"
Il was with her for a few weeks
this winter. In Nice. you know. WV
ian stayed on for a week, but mother
had to get to the baths. Cad, / be-
lieve she hated to go. Sara's got a
most adorable girl staying with her.
A daughter of Colonel Castleton, and
she's connected In some way with the
Murgatroyds-old Lord Murgatroyd,
you know. | think her mother was a
niece OF the old boy. Anyhow, mother
and Vivian have taken a great fancy
to her. That's proof Of the pudding"
Il think Vivian mentioned a com.
panion of some Sort"
"You wouldn't exactly call her a
companion" said Leslie. she's got
money TO urn | a X il. Quite keeps
up with Sara In making 1t fly. and that's
saying a good deal for her resources.
l think it's a pose on her part, this
calling herself o companion. An Eng
lish joke, Ell? AS a matter of fact,
she's an old friend Of Sara's and my
brothers too. Knew them in England.
Most delightful girl. Oh. l say. old
man. she's the n for you to paint"
Leslie waxed enthusiastic. "a type. a
positive type. Never say such eyes in
all my life. Dammit. they haunt you.
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