The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-11-26

any of the restraint cngendered by
hostess or by ono Of q different ma
tionality that the guests at Wave
Crest took their tea.
On this particular afternoon they
were all assembled on the veranda, for
| the warmth OF carly autumn sfi1l held
in spite Of the clomding over Perctval
| Pcnnicuik, who. since tho morning. had
attained a uniform. was the guest Of
honor. lie sat beside Molly and Miss
Myrtle. a position which. was not an
uehnixed blessing. Mr. Pollock. need
less to remark. had taken charge Of
the cake tables--and had secured Mrs.
! Lee for his right hand.
! Fritz was bust1ing around with sup
plies Of hot toast. thin bread and but
! ter. shrimps. and jam. Indeed. he
| BUSTED too much about Mr.. Pollock for
that scntlemans liking. It seemed to
| him today that nc could never look
up without finding Fritz at his elbow.
| Brent was sitting on the other side
of Mrs. Lee, opposite TO Molly. which
! was the latter's arrangement. She
/ had been trying to be broad minded
! that afternoon by playing tennis with
Mrs. Lee, and she was now continuing
| the good work, not altogether unbiased
| by the fact that I'cnnicuik was beside
her. A little low toned conversation
with him might make Chris jealous.
which she could not help feeling would
be a good thing. Being true wom-
an, she never bothered about the ef-
feet on Pcnnicuik at all.
"Wcll." said MI. Pollock breczlly. rs
, = A. "a. tod ali ~ hut
tered toast Il must say Mrs. Sander
son does US uncommonly we'll. This
toast would taste like nectar or clysi-
UNI. or whatever they call 1t. to the
Germans. suppose. Poor beggars!
have II on the best authority--though
I'm not at liberty to disclose from
whom-that they have finished thei:
last horse already. And now they have
got to live almost entirely on cats and
dogs. A man who isn't 4 narrow minded
, bigot can't help feeling sorry for the
poor fellows. For the rank and file.
that is. They have been mislcd By
their superiols. Still. they are awful
brutes most Of them, and deserve
what they get and Mr.. Pollock spread
his jam with liberal hand.
II hear" remarked Miss Myrtle. in
her thin. reedy voice and with Il mali
cious glance toward Mr.. Brent, that
Miss Wellington was most successful
with her white feather campaign this
morning"
/ Il disapprove entirely of such
methods" doomed Mr.. Pollock. IF
man cannot or will not hear his coun-
try's call he must either be able to
give Il rca sonable excuse to his friends
/ or be prepared to sacrifice their es-
teem." He spoke with raised voice
! and obvious intention. "Impertihent
/ young women have no right to force
such explanations ny employing em.
! blcms Of cowardice."
II have often wondered" piped Miss
Myrtle. how the white feather came
| by its significance"
! Molly, ,Yho Was NOT SO absorbed witt,
i her conversation with Percy as not to
hear what was going on. gave low
toned. reproachful "Father!" NJ. Poi
lock only grunted.
I'D tell you like shot If could,
Miss Myrtle" said Brent politely. BIT.
l haven't the foggicst idea. never was
any good at history, but have
vague notion that it was connected
with the Black Prince. who wore ONT
in his helmet and said something
about his white plume shining"
What utter nonsense. Mr.. Brent
replied Myrtle. who had BEEN a
gOverness in her day. BLACK Prince
indeed! Or Henry Of Navarro for
that matter either, though I suppose
it's he YOU are thinking Of. They were
both very brave men. 1t can have no
connection with them"
Don't think am sticking myself
up as an authority" put in Mrs. Lee
pleasantly. but as II tier Of fact |
think ! can tell you. I came across
the explanation the other day
Indeed" said Mr.. Pollock, all so-
likeness.
Yes; II dates from the time wien
cock fighting was a fashionable spors.
A white feather Is never seen in q
pedigree gam. cock. Its presence IN
dicates a bird of baser breed
!, Dear me. dear me-" said Mr. Poi
lock. Most interesting. I'm sure"
/ And" continued Mrs. Lee, still
more swectly. even today you will
find that the cock with the most AFRO
giant strut and loudest crow has gen
orally IL white feather In its tail .
by the way. MIR. Pollock, didn't YOU
get one this morning."
Get what" asked Mr.. Pollock. .
don't understand
a white feather"
Me, me-" Between toast and indig
nation Mr.. Pollock positively splut'
tered. Certainly not. Even Miss
7 kidlinston has sufficient remnants o
good taste left to respect my years.
Your years Mr.. PollockI" criet
Mrs. Lee. But why should she know
what they arc? Nothing would b.
easier than for you to conceal them.
You flatter me, I'm sure" said Nj
: Pollock. but looking far from pleased
NO. no: not at ALL" persisted Miri
, am. i didn't mean it that way. Blu
heaps OF men with a fine youthful con
q stitution like yours have managed I
n,islay their birth certificates in
d spirit of patriotic enthusiasm"
CONTINUED on this page tomorrow,