Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1917-08-23

that the architect Of my dome used
any building material more substan.
tlal than funny-bones."
do you mean me to understand
you're incurably friyOlous?"
"Rather!
isn't 1t pretty poor recommenda.
ton for n sutton to advancew
"Do you think so?" He appeared
to ponder this gravely. "But I can't
see that. Think how deadly life would
be with . man who took everything
seriOusly-himself. for instance, and
the candidate for president on the Pro-
hibition ticket, and Lloyd George. and
-ah-the Anti-Woman Suffrage move
ment. There's only one thing I'm
ready to promise to take seriously.
Now pretend you don't get met"
"You are quite. quite hopelessT"
"Wrong again: was never moro
hopeful. First thing you know you'll
he lying awake nights wondering II
l can possibly be as silly as sound,
and thinking what pity tits II true /;
and when you come to that stage, it'll
be all over but the rice and old shoes
and Niagara Falls!"
Certainly you must be an incurable
ortimist!"
"Yor think so7 I say, that's an aw-
fully good sign! You're thinking about
me already"
But Of the four 1t was Quoin who
most impressed Lydia's impressionable
imagination. His seemed an indlvidu-
atty rarely simple and straightfor-
ward, to which latency and indirectiOn
must be altogether foreign. He was,
Lydia understood, criminal inyesti-
gator Of unusual attachments; yet he
utterly lacked every idiosyncrasy Of the
''great" detective of fiction. He was
long, lnnk man, with thin face Of
strong TEXTURES. His wide. thin lips
dropped quizzically at their corners.
And his eyes were dark and, normally,
deep with humorous expression. To
Lydia's notion he was the Yankee type
incarnate, but without that uncouth-
ness she had been bred to expect.
Because the Alsatia, CROPPING her
blind way at half-speed through wrnp-
pings Of fog ever more Opaque, per-
sisted in making night hldeous with
her unearthly whoop of warning. the
concert all but fell fiat. Only Ora
vens inexhaustihle enthusiasm saved
the function.
When It was over Lydia, announc-
ing her intention of going to bed. de-
layed only to say goodnight to Peter
Trait on the upper c0mpaniOnway
landing. near the doorway to the port
side Of the boat deck. One-half Of
this double door was open. Beyond
1t was nothlngness-a flat wall Of gray
but feebly tinted with artificial light.
Then. descending to the promenade
deck. she turned aft to her stnteroom.
and was about to enter when she
heard her name called in Crnven's
voice, and-since she had left him only
a few minutes before the center Of an
animated group In the music room
with pardonable surprise she discov-
cred the man coming swiftly toward
her from the after part Of the ship.
"Just to say goodnight" he ex-
planned hastily. folding his daughter
In the tenderest Of embraces; and then
in rapid whisper. "Meet me on deck
this deck-to port-fifth stanchion
aft from the door-in an hour. II
anyone seems to be watching you. go
back" And again aloud. Goodnight.
denr child. good-night!" he murmured
fondly. releasing her, and hurried for.
ward.
Almost without her knowledge the
knob turned in Lydia's grasp; and
when she found herself alone in that
dark stateroom her hands trembled
so with excitement that for moment
she fumbled in vain for the switch.
She had begged to be permitted to
help him, and Craven promised to
command her services. if ever need
should arise; but his tone in promising
had been mellow with an indulgence
deprecating the implication that
Downing Streets secret ambassador
could ever need the aid of woman's
hands and wits in his occult and mo-
mentous affairs.
Yet already that time had come
She was hnlf wild with delight. .
After some minutes the quiet Of the
ship was made musical with the mel.
low and deliberate sounding Of eight
bells, midnight. She had still half an
hour to wait-an almost insufferably
prOtracted vigil, with every faculty
tense In apprehension of the prema.
ture return Of her Dowager Dragon.
But tonight nothing happened to
change this custom; and the stroke of
one bell Of the midnight watch found
Lydia, unhindered. leaving her door. a
long cloak effectually Disgusting her
light dinner gown.
Cautiously. with swift glances max.
Ing sure that the alleyway was empty
all down its darkened length. she stole
forward. slipped quickly through the
port doorway into the welcome blank.
ness which closed round her like q