The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-11-20

| ssouc HeT icct very unhappy. l11S ucS
trembled: she did the wiscst thing she
could have done to put an end to the
situation and distract Percy from his
feelings. She burst Into tears.
molly. my darling don't cry
| begged the distracted Percy, kneclinp
| up In the sand and dabbing at his eyes
| with khaki silk handkerchief, she
herself had given him. .-.fI.-
Don't cry. What brute g. am!
Forget II. dear. II It only makes tou
unha ppier." ssss ,s 4 sss
Soon MolIy's sobs died DOWN and she
| smiled wanly. IT'S an right. Percy
TN sorry to have been SO silly. hit I'm
feeling upset today. IL think NC had
better go back"
Percy got to hts feet and helped her
up: and thofa. stilI holding her hand
rs he stood looking at her for MINI
ute:
molly. Just promise me this" he
urged. IF you should find you are not
happy In your present engagement you
will tell me. won't YOU. and let me
have my chance?"
Pm afraid Id sooner be unhappy
with Chris than happy with any ono
Else in the world"
Still. promise me-"
IF ] do YOU mustn't count on It,
Percy. will you? Because It's quite.
lutte impossible: 1t can't ever happen"
IAN right then" he said more gayly,
Wen leave II at that. II the impos.
siblc happens. as 1t often has before
Tow. yop1i tell me about II, honest
tnjun,"
Honest Injun.. promised Molly.
Now must 60 honc.'
But Percy sti,i kept hold OF her hand.
I say. Molly" he begged. Won't
YOU? just one-yOu never have.
But In Molly's eyes kiss was still
surremely important thing: "Oi,
Percy. how can you? It wouldn't be
light. Nobody ever has except Chris
1T wouldn't hurt him. and wouldn't
hurt you, and 1t would do me no
md Of good. It would. really. Ever
such a little one. Molly"
Molly hesitatcd. She had always
been proud Of the fact that until the
'oming Of Chris she had never al
owed any one to kiss her. Yet she
vas sadly conscious now of the fact
hat her refusal, instead of sounding
noble. seemed rather selfish. She
ooked appraisirgly At Percy, at his
>ager. anxious face and his nice blue
yes. and It was not entirely unset
ishness which prompted the sudden
inIiftinG 1T her cheek toward him.
All the way home she felt rather
wicked. hut pleasurably aware OF the
act that even II Chris were flirting
With Mrs. Lee. she herself had net
'een entirely faithful. either She
wondered whether Chris would mind
{ he knew. and hoped he would, but
ruer instincts told her that hc. was
much more likely. to call her a blessed
infant and say he was glad she had
'een able 10 do that much for poor
I'D Pennic,iik. 1t was probably this
instinct rather than any new found
wisdom which made Molly eventually
lecidcIko keep the iaffairs'tc herself
AS may be seen. Mr. Brent counted
IS something OF a mystery in a house
'oId where everything seemed ordi-
'arN and open as II did at West Crest
set his history. II he could BIZ said to
ave one. was nothing out Of the way
Acept that 1t reflected far more credit
n his than he would have admitted
ven to his intin,ates. No one at West
rest was an intimate Of CHRISTOPHER
Brent. with the rather notable ex.
'eption of Mrs. Leland this although
ne was supposed only now to have
made her acquaintance.
Deception such as this. especially
when practiced before a young and
hitherto trusting fiancec sounds as
houEh there may be something repre-
'ensible to conceal. Nothing could
ave been further from the truth in
he case OF Christopher and Miriam.
fhey were both OF that rare race which
,olds work, and the idea behind IL. to
re of more value than anything per-
onal. They lad first met when Brent
vas taking a well earned holiday big
anne hunting in Rhodesia. having Just
'rought 10 a. successful conclusion the
'elicate mission With which he had
'een tntrusted. Up till then he had
cen not. particularly shining orna
nent OF the diplomatic service. He
anne Of reasonably old though UNI
tiled Irish family. which perhaps was
Why. although younger son. he was
rot In the proyerbially pcnniless con
lition Of his kind.
His real genius seemed to be for
'rivatc theatricals. and this II was
which gave a certain great man--who
vas really extraordinarily intelligent
or member of the intelligence dc.
'artnent-the idea that Mr.. Brent
'ou'd be some use to him. That idea
'ad been fully justified. and though,
10 longer popular figure In en-
Mssy drawing rooms. yet this appar-
'nt'y useless and futile young man
vas now considered one of the most
'rilliant members OF the secret service
older men at the game were wont Il
'ay OF him that he trusted too much &c
instinct and not enough to reason, blu,
wen they admitted that he had won
ierful flair which up to now had never
allied him.
AS to Miriam. his connection with
Ter was Of the simplest A letter @,
Introduction from friend had landed