The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-12-14
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE

OI amusement tnat pIecIuOeO OlScouk~
agement Of his eccentric wooing.
II want you to know me a. really
am" he informed her ON one occa-
sion. IF should seem as sober-sided
and solemn as your next adOrer. you'd
marry me in ignorance Of my true
character"
But haven't the slightest intention
Of marrying you. Mr.. TRAIT"
That's . iine line" he commented
admiringly. "What you heroines Of
modern fiction would do without 1t
heaven only knowsl It's certain our
novelists don't. or they'd invent some
thing less stereotyped. But you
mustn't forget it really means nothing
in the hrst chapters. Along about
page three hundred and twenty-one
it's q signal either for the clench or
for the bouncer."
II do wish you'd talk sensibly In lam
guage I can understand"
"As for the language, II It cramps
your style. Miss Craven. believe me,
I'll slip the rollers under 1t and give
1t the gatei But as for talking SEN
sibly-not I. not while sparring for
wind and trying to figure how stand
with you. It wouldn't be fair to snare
your affections with the impression
that the architect of my dome used
any building material more substan-
tial than funny-bones."
do you mean me to understand
you're incurably frivolous7"
"Ratheri"
"Isn't 1t q pretty poor recommenda-
ton for a suitor to advance7"
"Do you think so1' He appeared
to ponder this gravely. But l can't
see that. Think how deadly life would
be with q man who took everything
eriously-himself. for instance. and
the candidate for president on the Pro-
hibition ticket, and Lloyd George. and
I-ah-the Anti-Woman Suffrage move
ment. There's only one thing TN
ready to promise to take seriously.
Now pretend you don't get mel"
"You are quite, quite hopelessl''
"Wrong again: was never moro
hopeful. First thing you know you'll
be lying awake nights wondering II
and thinking what pity It's If 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
optimist!''
"You think so1 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 individu-
ality rarely simple and straightfor-
ward, to which latency and indirection
must be altogether foreign. He was,
Lydia understood, a criminal investi-
gator Of unusual attainments: yet he
utterly lacked every idiosyncrasy of the
great" detective of fiction. He was
long, lank man, with thin face of
strong features. 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 wrap
pings of fog ever more Opaque, per-
sisted in making night hideous with
her unearthly whoop of warning. the
concert all but fell fiat. Only Cra-
ven's inexhaustible enthusiasm saved
the function.
When 1t was over Lydia, announc-
ing her intention of going to bed, de-
layed only to say goodnight to Peter
Trait on the upper companionway
landing, near the doorway to the port
side Of the boat deck. One-half of
this double door was open. Beyond
1t was nothingness-a fiat wall of gray
but feebly tinted with artificial light.
Then. descending to the promenade
deck, she turned aft to her stateroom,
and was about to enter when she
heard her name called in Craven'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 e1-
planned hastily, folding his daughter /
in the tenderest Of embraces; and then
In a 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, 60
back!" And again aloud, Goodnight.
dear child, goodnight |" 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 a moment
she fumbled In vain for the switch.