The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-12-07
CHAPTER vi.


nri" Her amazing complacency would
have suited a fairy godmother gloat-
ing over some signal benefcence.
Past the deck chair in which she
was reclining. with Peter Trait at her
dde. arm In arm. Lydia Craven and
Mrs. Merrilees were striding briskly
an. Rare color warmed the face Of
OFaven's daughter. mirth danced In her
eyes, q smile edged the pretty lips
from which the breeze caught a snatch
oE laughter as musical as singing glass,
and bore 1t to the ears Of her two
devoted admirers.
Um-hm," Peter assented indistinct-
" between teeth gripping the mouth
Diece Of his pipe. Basking in the
warmth Of a late Suptember sun. as
lastly content as any cat, Peter
watched the girls swing down the deck
and disappear round the superstruc-
ture. Then he removed the pipe to
observe, critically. Business Of taking
ali the credit to yourseif-ehr
"Why not7" the Dowager Dragon
demanded with asperity. "Didn't
discover who she was and bring her
8uu Auu tOkctucEI Audl . why Sic .
happy. II you must know-not because
you've fallen head over heels In love
With the girl and moon around after
her like a stray puppy looking for a
good home"
"Ouch!" said Peter pensively, and
replaced the pipe.
With a grim sniff. the Dowager
Dragon withdrew momentarily into
deep thought. Have you asked her
to marry you yeti"
"Who-me?" Peter expostulated.
Nothing like thatr'
"Why not?'
TOO much sense" Peter explained,
rarely sententiOus.
"WhOse-hersT'
Even money you can't guess"
"Yours, of course"
'There!" groaned Peter. II might've
known better than to bet against in
tuition"
why plain intuition, Peter7 The
phrase "a rightfully feminine intui-
tion.'"
The weed intuition fourishes only
In the well-known sex. Man. possessed
Of brain, reasons to logical conclu-
sion; woman-hm shuts her lovely
eyes. sticks a pin through the card,
and II the perforated horse wins,
claims her choice was dictated by a
mysterious faculty denied to man. The
word itself Is sort OF abracadabra,
at mere mention of which fools faint
and wise men climb trees"
bo MrS pou0o To ff
wrtnkled her nose unbecomingly. For
ence you admit man is deficient"
Grinning Peter made q quaint obei-
sance, and strolled aft, leaving Mrs.
Beggarstaff to gnaw her neither lip over
the discovery, too tardily made to be
turned to his discontinue, that what
took him from her was his utter in
ability to rest in ignorance Of Lydia
Craven's whereabouts. For the two
young women had failed to round out
their circuit of the deck.
Turning past the veranda cafe, at
the after extreme of the promenade
deck. Peter came upon Mrs. Merrilees,
seated at an adjacent table in COM
pany with Craven.
A second glance showed him Lydia
in the angle of the starboard rail,
Quoin at her side.
In response to hail from Craven
he turned sulkily to that quarter
where, at least a cheerful disposition
couldn't go ahappreciated. Indeed, he
was welcome. Having privately dis
seminated news of their engagement
Craven and Mrs. Merrilees were indus.
trtously conducting themselves in as
smartly an unloverlike manner as pos.
sible. A tentative third was always
encouraged in their company.
"Sit down there" Craven insisted
The steward'll be back in a minute
want to talk to you about this
wretched concert tonight. They've
asked me to be master Of ceremonies
awful bore I"
With a fixed, agreeable smile. Peter
sat, drank whatever the steward
brought him, automatically consumed
Cravens cigarettes, and listened with.
out the least interest to the others
plans. How could he be interested
with that fellow Quoin monopolizine
Lydia? Not that he didn't like Quoin
10 fact, Peter admired that man tre'
mendously: so much the more reason
to fear his influence!
And Lydia, leaning on the rail, O
vision more radiant even than the day
"Well'" Craven demanded with par
donable impatience.
Peter started and batted his eyes
"Eh7" he inquired stupidly.
what do you think?
"Ah-about what?"
Good heavens!" Craven exploded
q full, deep note Of exasperatioa
Here l sit yammering at you"
Sorry" said Peter. Fact Is
know Mrs. Merrilees won't mind being
let into my confidence on the groune
Aao.-fnnt n I'm in love with YQul