The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-08-14
!: Just In Time
For the Duke
!. Prompt Action Made Him
Lose the Prize.
BY BARRY PRESTON.

him, dear. aren't you?" Mrs. Brevort
inquired, not without a certain doubt
full note III her tone, which seemed to
hint that such possibly might not be
the case.
The girl who stood by the window.
looking out at the Uneven payenents
of the Roman street, turned Slowly
and smiled. In that smile were WeaIi
less and subtle understanding and pa
TENT resignation.
Yes. am very much in love with
him, Aunt Eiinor.'' she said in IA color
less voice. as il she were saying the
words more because they We're expect
Ell OF her than for any other reason.
Mrs. Breyogt smiled her open ap.
prevail. The little froWn Of doubt
which for the past few moments had
Wrinkled her brow suddenly Disappear
cd. She crossed the room to the girls
side and threw al arm about her.
or course, dearie." she coUed. .'your
happiness is my first. | might almost
S'S hy oiiiss In ~. y oLc IcILlLtS
better than | the portent Of this step
that all your future. all your lifelong
happiness, depends upon it. No one, l
think you'll admit. too, is more averse
to the majority Of these marriages than
| am, but the duke is SO utterly differ
ent from all the other eligible men we
have met. He is not seeking your
AY.a 1A,c r. 49,
wealthy in his OWL right He is an
upright, honest, splendid type Of an
more like our own men In America, l
think, than any n we have seen.
Isn't that your impression of him?"
YES" said the girl in the same col
orless voice.
Mrs. Breyort's pale face grew rather
eager. Somehow l have felt from the
first that your destinies were linked,
yours and his" said she, but when he
talked with me this afternoon l gave
him no definite answer / let him un-
derstand that the matter rested pri-
marily with you; that it was your hap
J piness that was at stake.
HE didn't seem quite to understand
my attitude at first, but be was per
fectly charming about 1t, as be Is in
everything. He said / was to speak to
you and that he would call for me this
afternoon at 4 in the road car. and
while we went out to the aqueduct I
could give him my final decision. or.
rather. yours"
The girl had turned again to the win
dow. She was looking a~bstractedly at
the passing crowd In the street below.
Her brow was furrowed by a little
disfguring frown. Her lips were set
tightly together. Her eyes were truu-
bled.
$50 / suppose ! am to give him q IA
vorable answer, an | notY' Mrs. Bre-
wort suggested tentatively.
The girl was silent. The troubled
look In her eyes grew more pronounc-
ed Her aunt watched her narrowly
and with growing Impotence
Peggy. dear. l asked you a ques-
tion." she reminded her niece. us It a
favorable answer l am to give7"
The girl shrugged her dainty shout
ders. yes, yes; oh, yesr she said hur-
riedly. 1T doesn't matter" Her voice
suddenly choked. Nothing mattersv
Mrs. Brevort elevated her brOwa
Really. Peggy-she began chidingly.
But the girl turned swiftly and left the
room, waving back the older woman.
who started to follow her. Something
like a smothered sob sounded as the
door closed behind her.
Mrs. Brevort looked rather angry for
a moment. Then she recovered her
usual composure and smiled But there
was something distinctly unpleasant in
that smile.
She glanced at the bronze clock tick-
Ing unobtrusively on the mantel. It
pointed to half after 3. She went to q
desk near the front window and from
q drawer drew out q bundle OF letter2
They were all directed In the same
hand-Peggy's hand And they were
all addressed to Mr.. William Hale, at
some outlandish Spanish sounding
town In Ecuador. South America.
Mrs. Brevort smiled again. It had
cost her q pretty penny to circumvent
j S10 A10AtAA8 " SASO00 AOkGGA0V wv S1CAO
are many itching palms In Rome, and
what good money will not accomplish.
II It l. judiciously placed. Is not worth
accomplishing.
An open fire burned DULY in the
CRATE beneath the mantel. Mira Bre-
wort stepped briskly I've to It and fed
the bundle OF letters to the danes.
She watched grimly until there was
nothing left OF them save q few gray
white ashes.
Then from another drawer she took
out another bundle Of letterA They
were thick letters, all Of them The
sprawling superscripdons were all for
Peggy. and they were postmarked with
the name Of the Spanish town In Ecua-
dor.
Other itching Roman palms had been
soothed IN the conventional way to
bring those epistles into MrA Brevorts
/ n0nnonli0n