The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-11-20
VIII.
The Secret War.

The Secret War.
David Noel entertained at din
ner, that night. Bruce had known
the fact, but the episode with ia
cinto Meyer and the excitement
attending his letter to Rose had
driven his thoughts abroad. More
over, he had not expected to be
numbered among the guests, who
he understood were to be few
and distinguished.
He was on his own balcony,
watching night shadow the garden
into new forms Of loneliness, when
Milo Valdez tapped perfunctorily
and then followed his summons
into the room.
Cup sluggard!' he mirthfully
greeted the spectacle of Bruce's
d~isarray, as the latter lifted him
self in his chair. "Behold me!'
He piorouetted airily in his eve
ming attire.
Made in Paris" he announced.
'You are invited to dress and dine
with my respected father, with
Dom Juan Ferraz and Marshal
-Granados,"
"I?" uttered Bruce, amazed.
"You, certainly"
"Meet-the governor?"
informally, yes"
"But, why?"
We'll, somewhat to discuss the
Meyer incident. Somewhat to dis
cuss-other matters. Never mind !
But dress, dress, my friend. IN
less you prefer to dine that way?''
Bruce rose, puzzled; decidedly
more embarrassed than delighted
at the unexpected honor. Milo
Valdez sat down and watched his
preparations.
"Haye you," the secretary
drawled presently, fluttering the
pages of a book upon the table
beside him, "have you any Ger
man connections, Bruce"
Il? No; I have not. Why, if
| had been free a couple of years
ago when this war started; if, if I
were free, now"
eyes
"They need engineers in
France" Bruce said his voice low.
He stared gloomily at his own
image reflected in the mirror of
the c%hiffonier. eff | hadn't made
such a bad mess Of things, / might
be at the front instead of-at the
'bottom!"
He tried to laugh at the feeble
jest, smoothing his hair, which
stood upright with fresh resiliency
after each stroke Of the brushes.
Valdez considerably bent over the
book, affecting to be interested in
an illustration.
"Whatg2" he presently ques-
toned. "What would the lady say
to that The lady to whom you
were writing the famous letter?''
81 suppose she would rather see
me dead than where [ was"
II am not sure" Valdez unused.
women love absolutely for love
itself Men often love their own
vanity reflected in another. All
least, it seems SO to me. Mothers
love their children equally, wheth-
er they are successes or failures.
ugly or lovely, or even deformed.
tits the fathers who want to boast
of my son the soldier my
daughter, the beauty My moth.
er and sisters are so; I know"
"Some women are hard
enough qualified Bruce. "And
ambitious! But I believe my cous.
in is like you say. She is only q
girl, ct. Still / know how she
would feel about this war. The
Belgian children, now, she loves
children
Milo Valdez nodded will
marked satisfaction. He did mo-
say why he was interested in thu
political sympathies Of the lady
name Rose.
! When Bruce was ready, the tws
young men went downstairs, to
gether, greatly to Corey Bruce.
relief of mind. His natural dispo
Isition to diffidence had beer
warped to a morbid nervousness,
by his trial and his year at tn,
prison.
There was nothing especial,
formidable, however, about til,
three quiet gentlemen who wer,
found stroNing in the garden will
their host. The governor proved
to be an older edition Of Milo Val
dez; Senior Ferraz was round O
face and figure. Marshal Gran
ADDS was a score of years younge:
than either Of his fellow guests
q gaunt, soldierly man abou
Noelis age. Evidently he ant