Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-06-24

he was supposed only now to have
made her acquaintance.
Deception such as this, especially
when practiced before young and
hitherto trusting fiancee, sounds as
tho there may be something repre-
hensible to conceal. Nothing could
have been further from the truth In
the case of Christopher and Miriam
They were both of that rare race
which holds work. and the idea be-
hind 1t. to be of more value than any
thing personal. They had first met
when Brent was taking a well earned
holiday big game hunting in Rhode
STA having Just brought to a success
full conclusion the delicate mission
with which he had been entrusted. Up
till then he had been not particu-
larly shining ornament of the diplo-
matte service. He came OF a reason
ably old. tho untitled. Irish family,
which perhaps was why, altho n
younger son. he was not In the prov
erbially penniless condition of his
kind.
His real genius seemed to be for
private theatricals, and this 1t was
which gave "A certain great man-who
was really extraordinarily intelligent
for member of the intelligence de-
partment-the idea that Mr.. Brent
could be OF some use to him. That
idea had been fully justified, and tho
no longer "A popular figure in em-
bassy drawing rooms. yet this APP
parently useless and futile young wen
now was considered one of the most
brilliant members OF the secret serv-
ice. Older men at the game We're wont
to say of him that he trusted too
much to instinct and not enough to
reason, but even they admitted that he
had n wonderful flair which up to now
had never failed him.
As to Miriam, his connection with
her was of the simplest. A letter of
introduction from friend had landed
him at her husbands farm in Rhode
sia. Roderick Lee was remittance
man of the worst type. lie did all the
obvious things-that Is. drank, gam
bled and knocked his wife about
Brent. who had a genuine talent for
friendship, pitied the lonely intelli-
gence stranded in the wilds as much
as he did the i'll used feminine; and IL
was on loan from him that Miriam
Lee began life for herself as secre-
tary to a member of the South African
government Later still, in case
where n woman Of charm was neces-
sary, Brent recommended her to the
authorities as his collabOrator since
when she had been associated with
him several times. And if her feeling
! for him went ever so little deeper
than his for her. when do these things
ever swing quite level? At any rate
both were filled with genuine satisfac-
/ ton at working together once again
and even Molly's DETECTION with Percy
only left Brent freer for the matter
In hand.
| As the morning wore on, slight
haze came over the brightness. Moth
/ ing approaching mist, but rather that
/ fine grayish blight which sometimes
overcasts n fine autumn day and be-
hind which the sun seems to be hold
ing its breath.
! Molly had not yet come back. Mr.
Pollock was playing golf with another
| like unto himself whom he had picked
up at the clubhouse. Miss Myrtle was
in her room writing letters. pursui
which she always referred to as my
| correspondence" and which she ha(
INDUCED until 1t had become a habit
! Like most unattached people. she fel
she had to expend n great deal OF
energy In what she called keeping VI
with her friends"
Mrs. Sanderson had gone to the sta
ton to change IA library book and NEE
her son, who was coming down fol
the weekend. Only Fraulein knitted
with the quiet persistency of a trico
teuse in the French revolution. ant
Fritz, tho Dutch waiter. converset
with her as he went in and out in thu
course of his work The red bricl
gabled house (the country rouno
Eastermouth was Of the residential
type, where red bricks abound) glowet
in the clear sunlight, and the lawI
and clustering trees looked almos
painfully green by contrast A littl'
distance from the house itself showed
the annex where the maid servant
slept.
Everything was quiet. Mr.. Bren
and Mrs. Lee-whom he had presum
ably met for the first time the nigh
before. and yet whom he had ad
dressed as Miriam-were amusing
themselves by half-hearted attempts
to shoot sparrows. From n little dis
tance they looked exceedingly purpose
less, not to say lazy, and even the ex
pressions OF their faces partook o
their general casual aspect. But /
anyone had been near enough to over
hear even so much as the tones o
4 their voices he would have been strucl
by the incongruous yet unmistakabl,
note of purpose. If he had been near
er still and could have heard the &C
tual words the mystery might grad
ually have revealed itself to him.
80 that's all / have been doini
with myself" said Mrs. Lee, finishin,
n somewhat desultory account she ha,
been giving of her movements 81 don
go in for a personal life of my owl
any longer. you know. Kit. It's jus
friendships and work for me. ! hav
had enough of the other Kind o
thing"