Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-09-27
genial humor.

one appears, trust that l I'm well
come 7"
Indeed you are. I'm glad you
camel"
Dan spoke warmly, and his com
panion, with a little satisfied nod,
settled back into the seat. They
had seen very little of each other
since the moment Of meeting. Dan
had gone to bed the previous night
before his room mate appeared,
and had not even heard him come
in. This morning, when he arose,
Chevrial was sleeping calmly, and
Dan had gathered his clothes to-
gether as noiselessly as he could
and stolen away to the bathroom.
They had passed each other once
or twice on the promenade, and
had nodded but had not spoken
and then Dan remembered. sud
denly the flare of light from the
nearby bench the night before, as
he and kasia rose to go below.
Chevrial smiled again as he met
his glance.
You are thinking of last
night?" he said. Eyes? 1t is con-
corning that l wish first to speak
to you. When | sat down yonder
| was not conscious that this bench
was occupied. You and the young
lady were speaking in very low
tones, and the bench itself was in
shadow. 1t was only when she
raised her voice that | realized [
was hearing what was not in
tended for me. | was just about to
go, when she stopped abruptly,
and a moment later you went
down together. 1t was then that
you noticed me. I struck the
match in order that you might see
that it was |, and so have no I'M
easiness."'
Dan stared at his companion in
establishment.
"Uneasiness?" he repeated.
|"But why should | have any un-
easiness?"
"Not on your own account, of
course, but on the young lady's
account"
"But [ don't see why, even for
her, l should be uneasy" said
Dan perplexedly.
MY dear SIR and Chevrial
dropped his voice and spoke very
earnestly, "there r always spies
on these big boats-this is a most
productive field for them-Ger-
man spies, French spies, English
spies, listening to each word,
watching each gesture. Suppose
one Of them had CHANGED to hear
what | did
Dan stared a moment longer,
then he burst into laugh.
sob, come, M. Chevrial," he
protested. "You don't really be-
lieve that?"
believe what?"
About the spies.
Chevrial's face grew a little
grim.
II am not one to offer advice
where it is not DESIRED he said;
.but I assure you, M. Webster,
that what | have told you is true,
and furthermore had any one Of
three or four persons who are on
this boat heard what / heard, that
girl and her father would have
been under espionage for the re-
mainder Of their lives"
1t was easy to see that Chevrial
spoke in deadly earnest, and, in
spite Of himself, Dan was i'm
pressed and sobered.
II beg your pardon" he said;
perhaps you are right; but to an
American the very idea of such a
system is laughable--it savors to
much of cheap melodrama. But
why should the story Miss Ward
told me interest any one?"
My dear sir" answered Chew
rial, drily, when a girl goes
about boasting that her father is
more powerful than the czar or
kaiser! Suppose she had stopped
there, any nearer would have con
Guided that he was an anarchist,
and therefore to be watched. But
| she went further: she asserted
that he can blow up forts and de-
stroy armies! That he can wreck
battleships. Why, M. Webster, it
is only four days since La Liberte,
the greatest Of French battleships,
was destroyed in the harbor Of
Toulon by an agency not yet de-
termined!!"
Dan had turned a little pale.
But you don't imagine he
stammered; surely you don't
A.s
Chcvrial Tipped away his cigar
ct ash negligently.
80 Z wHNn F.!IEr EE ~ kSAFE&AE HE.4tgEAE =