The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1915-05-07

a bad dream now"
Are you going to take Raiah with
| you?'
Wherever l go. Looks silly,
doesn't 1t, for a man Of my size TO tote
around a parrot cage? But ! don't
care what people think. Life is too
short. It's what you think of yourself
that really counts"
That is n of the rules | have
laid down for myself. If only we all
might go through life with that idea!
There wouldn't be any gossip or scan
dial, them
Some day l am going to tell you
why have lived over here all these
years"
Il shouldn't, not if it hurts you"
Q the contrary, there's a kind of
happiness in unburdening ones con
science. ! called that day in Rangoon
for the express purpose of telling you
everything, but l couldn't in the pres
ence OF a third person."
But always remember that l
haven't asked YOU
Are you afraid to hear it,
NO. What l am trying to convince
you with is that | trust you, and that l
give you my friendship without reser-
vations.'
He laid his hand on hers. strongly
God bless you for that"
She liked hi0 because there was
lacking in his words and tones that
element of f~lattery so distasteful to
her.
Would you like to sit next to me at
the tablet"
May II" eagerly.
I'll have Martha change her chair
for yours. Do you speak Italian?'
Enough for ordinary conversation.
1t is a long time since l have spoken
that tongue"
Then, let us talk it as much as
possible at the table, if only to annoy
those around u.s."
Craig had been cycling the two. evil.
ly. Set the wind in that direction?
An idea found soil in his mind, and
grew. He would put a kink, as he
vulgarly expressed it, into that affair.
He himself wasn't good enough for
her. The little cat should see. War
rington's ultimatum of the night be-
fore burned and ranked, and a man of
Craig's caliber never accepted the in
evitable without meditating eveng
revenge of a roundabout character,
such as would insure his physical safe
ty. There was nothing loyal or gen
erous or worthy In the man. There
is something admirable in a great ras-
cal; but a sordid one is a pitiful thing.
Craig entered the smOkeroom and or
dered a peg. At luncheon he saw
them sitting together, and he smoth
cred a grin. Couldn't play cards, Or
engineer a pool, Ell? All right. There
We're other amusements.
That afternoon Martha CHANGED to
sit down in a vacant chair, just out OF
the range Of the cricketers. She lolled
back and idly watched the batsmen.
And then she heard voices.
She is Elsa Chetwood. remember
seeing her pictures. She is a society
girl, very wealthy. but something Of a
snob."
Martha's ears tingled. A snob, in
her own affairs!
They think because they belong 10 ,
the exclusive sets they can break DIS
many laws of convention as they
please. Well, they can't. There's al
ways some scandal in the papers about
them. There was some rumor of her
being engaged to the duke of What's
his-name, but it fell through because
she wouldn't settle a fortune on him.
Only sensible thing she ever did, prob
ably"
And did you notice who sat next
to her at luncheon"
"A gentleman with a past, Mr.. Craig
tells me-
Il dare say Miss Chetwood has a
past, too, If IN but knew. To travel
asone like this!'
B~usybodies! Martha rose indignant
ly and returned to the other side O.
the deck. She had lived too long with
Elsa not to have learned %self-repres-
sion, and that the victory is always
with those who stoop not to answer.
Nevertheless. she was alarmed. Elsa
must be warned.
All Elsa said was: MY dear Martha,
in q few days they and their tittle-tat-
tie will pass out Of my existence, ad.
hitting that they have ever entered
It. ! repeat, my life is all my own,
and that l am concerned only with
those whom | wish to retain as my
friends. Gossip is the shibboleth OF
the mediocre. and, thank heaven. / am
not mediocre"
While dressing for dinner Elsa dis
covered a note or the floor OF her
The writing was unfamiliar.
She opened it and sought first the
Slowly her cheeks red
and her lips twisted in disdain.
She did not read the note, but the
keenness OF her eye caught
the name Of Warrington. She tore
latter into scra n0 which he toccod