The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-03-26
This alarmed A%ristides. He did not

ing: he would compromise WIN Hio
conscience.
"You see | used to be Il valet, miss"
he said with Il gulp, "but I'm study
ing now, and Mr.. Br-Mr. Overton's
taking me across
"Etudiant! oh, how can 1 make so
bold wiz yOu:'
"But I'm likely to be a valet again
very soon,' was the rcassuring reply.
The girls eyes danced.
".Ah," she cried, $50 Eat ccs Get:
was sure wiz myself Zat ] could not
have re mccstake. / declare to Mees
Jcnnison So"
That silenced Stebbins effectually.
He recalled how cmplatically he had
been ordered to give no human being
an inkling of the true state Of AFFAIRS
between them, and here he was chat
tering i'm the very quarter where nc
shouldn't. He tidgcted, but the neces-
sity of saying anything was obviated
by the beginning Of more music.
This time it was a piano solo, a Llszt
Hungarian Rhapsody, played by a SINAI
roly poly gentleman whose iron listed
strength bcIied his size. He had been
discovered i'm the second cabin at the
last moment, and he might have re-
lieved Miss JennisOn of the duty OF
playing Accomplishments but that he
stcrlily refused to belittle himself with
any such trivialitics.
"My dear madam the deep voice of
Professor Pennythorpe was heard to
say to Mrs. Blucher-Ward. who was
awake. as the final crashing cords
died away, "those strange noises you
hear from that instrument OF percus-
sion arc overtones. They are caused
by a property of acoustics when
But all further calculation Of a mat
ter in which Mrs. Blucher-Ward took
not the slightest interest was drowned
by the storm of applause that greeted
the pianist's feat.
Another vocal selection was now
due, and as Brill arose to take his
place at the left OF the piano he noted
that Marsh was no longer In the
room.
"Cou!dn't stand what he was re
sponsible for" he thought, with a
smile. then admitted that he himself
would have had little interest in the
affair but for a certain member OF tho
committee now playing the opening
cords of a duet in which the gaunt
tenor and a plump, blond contralto
assured each other a dozen times at
least that their two hearts We're inter.
changed and never was a better bar
gain driven"
Brill's gaze wandered from the print
ed pages on the rack to the beautl1u.
head so near to him, crowned with 1ts
wealth of dark hair and made eXqul
site with a profile of cameo purity
then, false to his trust through the
eve service Of love. he failed to turn ;
page. The girl reached to takc the
sheet, and her loose sleeve fell back
On her wrist cleaned the ruby brace
let Brill had pawned to Benedict!
Out of his day dream in an instant
it seemed to Brill that the platform
beneath his feet was crumbling. What
could il mean? What else than that
the Mexican had made Miss JennisoL
n christmas gift: And she had accept
cd it. He shot Il glance, part anger
part envy, ut Benedict, and met the
glistcniny of the unfathomable lenses.
How did the fellow, with all his icy
assurance. dare to give away property
no. his own. And yet what was there
to dare. after all: He himself certain
L.. .o,,l1 ,,,u1.> ,o nrnfNct until no WA.
ready to redeem the pledge.
But it was not the converting Of hi
property that troubled Brill. 1t WA:
the yiving-and the accepting-of z;
costly piece Of jewelry. What right hat
the Mexican to bestow those tlashin:
gems. and why did the girl find it prop
or to accept them? There was the pos
sibility Of an engagement, but he re
jected it at once. All his intuition
cried out against Il hypothesis tina
would match a satyr with a nympll
1t might have been permitted in th'
days Of mythology, but no now. NJ
matter what the circumstantial cvi
thought.
All these fantasies of feeling, an'
more, strayed through the young man
mind as the concert proceeded to it
end. lie heard little. and when TO
the finale the Benedict troubadour
played Il sensuous Spanish bolero til
music that apparently pleased all 9th
ers was to him discoluant and merry
racking.
AS Miss Jcnnison did not ear to j"i
in the post musical supper, plcadin.
that she must go back to her father
who had remained in his room, Bri
had no interest in the function. \
though strongly urged to attend b
Professor Pennythorpe, who assure
him that he had reserved Il place mex
to himself for mfr. Overflow Wit
whom he wished to have Il confidcl
tial chat, the tempting bait was d,
clincd, ana the young man turned hi
ctnpc Ininf.tn11v tounrI biS c4afovnhn