Williams news., 1917-01-25

The deference of his manner soOthed the girls wounded pride. She smiled, and combined a friendly response with side thrust at her father:
 Indeed, we shall be delighted to have you Captain Hardy-I, because of your company, and Pere because of the cash"
 By Gar, he won't git no better feed in no hotel," vowed Dupont. "I can foresee that" agreed Hardy. His faith was justified by each sue cessive course. Though all the vege- tables had come out of cans, they were prepared with consummate skill. The trout were fresh from the creek; the grouse and beef had been hung exactly the right length of time in the dugout icehouse; the champagne was frappe. Between the girls vivid beauty, the good cheer, and the cordiality of his companions, his usually half-sad and wholly severe expression had given place to genial animation. Upon the return of the hostess from one of her visits to the kitchen he spoke to her in a tone that drew stare of open resentment from Van dervyn: "You are wonderful, Miss Du- pont, wonderful One day in an h. dian attack, followed by a ffty-mile drive; the next, fifty miles back, and such a dinner as this!''
 First the at-granddaughter of Sitting Bull, then Ia bonne cuisiniere FrancaiSe," flashed back the girl. "Where is the wonder? Two streaks of heredity, plus childhood in the sad dle and a course in domestic science"
 "Yet you must be fatigued."
 "When I have done what set out to do, then I permit myself to consider whether I need rest. There was time when my red ancestors had no horses. They ran down their game afoot."
 "You will always ride-or drive," bantered Vandervyn.
 By Gar, she won't never be driven," declared Dupont with conviction.
 Vandervyn smiled over his cham pagne glass. He did not notice that Marie was looking at him. But Hardy was watching her. He saw her proud face soften and her brilliant eyes melt with tender passion. His own face became grave. A moment later she was rallying him for his seriousness, and her animation soon compelled him to forget what he had seen. Vandervyn had not been mistaken in his assertion that she could act the lady to perfec- tion when she chose. Though the cigars proved to be Havanas, they were brought in much sooner than suited Hardy.
 The hostess signed her Indian boy to take the box into the parlor, together with the ice bucket, in which was still left a bottle of champagne. As he | obeyed, she bowed her dismissal of the guests from the table.
 q shall now permit myself to be fatigued," she said. Good evening, MT. Vandervyn. Good evening, Captain Hardy"
 Vandervyn nodded, and followed Du- pont with a nonchalant bearing that drew attention from the slight uncer- tainty of his step. Hardy fingered for word of appreciation: '"This has been a most enjoyable evening, Miss Dupont"
 She chose to disregard the sincerity d1u WdllulA Dculllu luS lOlludl dSC. You are very kind, Captain Hardy. But pray do not overestimate. Where all else is off-color, three-quarters white seems dazzling"
 Relieve me, it is not a question of contrast or comparison" he protested. Not even in New York or Washing ton-'
 "You flatter me. And now, as I am tired"
 He bowed and left her, concealing the sting of her polite rebuff under his grave smile. The Indian boy, who was standing at the parlor door, closed it behind the guest at sign from Marie.
 Dupont took the drink that he had poured out for himself and undertook the perilous operation of opening the champagne. He fumbled the bottle and would have dropped it had not Van dervyn jumped up and taken 1t from him. Thrust aside by the younger man, he lurched and sat down in a chair near Hardy.
 "Shelipp'ry-ben in ice," he ex- plained with solemn emphasis. He threw back his head and burst into an uproarious laugh. "Shelipp'ry like that gobe-mouche Redbear. Him trying to smooth me down-zif that'd give him a show with M'rie! An me the squarest trader in the U. s.! Why, lash time I got goods on credit, they shent me a skeshule to lisht my Ii'bilties, 'n' jush took my pen in han 'n' wrote cross tha' shere fish, T don't owe no man nushing,'" He again drew back his head and let out a hoarse laugh.
 "Poor grammar, but rich rhetoric, Jake" remarked Vandervyn as he filled the champagne glasses. "You told me they gave you the credit you asked for"
 "I got the goods" said Dupont, pull Inn hiraSolf tanathar and Soharinr his