Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-10-11
CHAPTER xvI-(coNrINUED,

~ Vdo DSCauSC Il WIS tllIlhiLS
OF you. l have been thinking of
you all day. | tried to go to you,
just now. l had something to tell
you. But the guard at the ladder
stopped me-"
lie looked around to make sure
that there was no one near.
He didn't stop me-" she said.
No; first class passengers have
The run of the ship. How does it
happen that you are first class,
Kasia?
1t was the first time that he had
used the word with intention, and
his voice trembled a little over it.
She told him rapidly of the odor
which had suddenly developed in
her former %stateroom, and how the
ships people had finally been
compelled to transfer her and her
father to the first cabin.
"Oh, to quite sumptuous quar-
ters," she went on "you should
see them. Two bedrooms and a sit
ting room and bath-an imperial
suite. There arc 10 places left at
the tables, so III meals are served
IN u sitting room, as though we
were royalties. Pm afraid tips
will have to be something enor-
nous! I can't help but feel that
the steamship company is getting
very much the worst Of it. Both
father and / offered to continue
eating second class, but the cap
tain wouldn't hear of it. He seems
to think, poor man, that the odor
has disgraced his boat. He was
quite humble about it !"
Dan breathed a deep sigh Of re-
lief.
"I'm glad it's so simple" he
said. II had begun to imagine all
sorts of things. Last night, when
we were talking here, it happened
that my roommate, a fellow named
Chevrial, was sitting on that bench
yonder, and overheard a little of
u talk. He was quite solemn
with me this afternoon about it,"
lin what way2" asked Kasia,
quickly.
He said there we're always
spies on board these big boats, and
that you oughtn't to go around
talking about blowing up battle
ships-not at this time, anyway,
since it is only thee or four days
since a French ship was blown
up"
He could hear the startled
breath she drew, and the hand she
laid on his sleeve was trembling.
Did he say that?" she gasped.
But he doesn't suspect"
"That your father blew up La
Liberte?" laughed Dan. "Of
course not. He said that was alb
surd. But, just the same, he
thought it unwise to talk about
it,.
HE is right" Kasia agreed.
What else did he say?"
Gle seemed to think your be-
ing moved to first class war part
OF a plot of some kind, and
thought you ought to be warned
not to make any acquaintance or
conlide in any one. But of course
that was just his Imagination. If
the captain himself moved you
why thai settles it. He wouldn't
be concerned in any. plot. The
whole thing, anyway, sounds like
a bit Of 10-2O-3O. / told Cheyrial
So
WHO is this Chevrial?" asked
Miss Ward.
Il don't know. He told me he
vas a dealer in wine. He seems to
have travelled a lot, and he is Ger
tainly a well educated fellow, and
one Of the best takers | ever met.
A Frenchman nil through, from
the way he Ket worked mp over AL
sace-Lorraine, He said it was as
bad as Poland. But / suspect he
was letting his Gallic imagination
run away with him when he got on
the subject of spies"
II am not so sure Of that," she
said, and fell silent for a moment.
II have seen more of spies than
have you, Mr.. Webster know
how Europe is honeycombed with
them. At any rate, it can do no
harm to follow his advice. Please
make sure that there is no one
near us. I have something most
important to say to YOU"
Dan glanced at her in surprise ;
then he got up, looked behind the
boat IN whose shadow the bench
stood, and made q careful survey
of their surroundings. Then ne
sat down again.
There IS no one near he as
sured her.