The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-08-13

Searles Jumped out Il had forgotten
that he might arrive that mighty. but
before I could greet him he swung
round and assisted a lady to a.ieht-
a short, stout lady In q travelling sap.
wrapped In a coat that fell to her
heels. She began Immediately to de-
liver orders in an authoritative tone
as to the rescue of her belongings.
Searles dived into the taxi and began
dragging out a vas amount of small
luggage, but my attention was divert
ed for a moment by Alice, who jumped
down the steps and clasped her arms
about the neck Of the stout lady.
"Aunt Alice! !" / heard her saying.
why didn't you tell us to meet your
why didn't l tell your" demanded
the stout lady. 1.-The moment you
left me l knew I'd made a mistake
In letting you come over here on one of
your absurd larks! And from the row
l had getting into the premises I
judge that you're at your old tricks.
Fired upon! Treated as though /
were an outlaw! You shall never go
out of my sight again."
"Oh, please don't scold mel" Alice
pleaded and turning to me: "This
is Bob Singleton. your nephew"
Mrs. Bashford-and I made no
question that Searles' companion was
individually my uncle's widow-gave
me her hand and smiled in a way
that showed that she was not so great
ly d~ispleased with Alice as her words
implied.
"Pay that driver for me and don't
fail to tip him. Those Methuselahs
at the gate all but killed him. 1t was
only the vigorous determination OF
this gentleman, who very generously
permitted me to share the only motor
at the station, that l got through the
gates alive! I beg your pardon, but
what is your name?"
Mrs. Bashford," I interposed, 'my
friend, Mr.. Searles."
"Mr. Searles! !" cried Alice, dropping
a cage containing some weird Oriental
bird which had been among my aunt's
impe,limtntu. The bird sQaawked
hideously.
"Miss Violet Dewing. permit me to
present the author of Lady Lark
spur'."
It was a week later that Alice and
l sat on the stone wall watching the
waves, at the point forever memorable
as the scene Of our first talk.
Aunt Alice isn't playing fair" she
said. "She pretends o that 1t was
all my idea-coming over to play ut
being our uncle's widow, but she real
ly encouraged me to do it so l could
give her an impartial judgment of
your character. I'm her only niece
and her namesake, and she relies on
me a good deal. You know she's very,
very rich, and she had never any idea
of keeping your uncle's money. She
meant all the while to give it to you
provided she found you were nice.
And she thinks you are very nice"
"Your own opinion Of me would be
interesting" / suggested.
She had gathered a handful of peb-
bles and was flinging them titfully at
a bit Of driftwood. l wished her lips
hadn't that little CULVER that preluded
laughter and that her eyes were not
the haven of all the dreams in the
world.
She landed a pebble on the target
before replying.
you are very nice. I think" she
said with d~iscOncerting detachment.
"At first l vas afraid you didn't like
nonsense. but you really got through
very well, considering the trouble !
| caused you. But I'm in trouble myself
now. Papa will land tomorrow. He's
the %grandest, dearest man in all this
world, but when he finds that I'm GO
ing to act in Mr.. Searles' play he will
be terribly cut up. Or curse it will
not be for long. Even If it's a big
success, I'm to be released in three
months. Constance and Sir Cecil
think / wv it to myself to appear In
the piece they're good enough to say
| nobody else can do it so well-which
is a question. I'm going to give all
the money l earn to the blind SOL
diers."
Il wished the tears In her eyes
didn't make them more lovely still y
Being what you are and all you are,
it would be brutal for me to add to
the number Of things you have to tell
| your father. I'm q very obscure per.
son, and he is a gentleman Of title and
| otherwise distinguished. You are the
Honorable Miss"
Papa has said numbers Of times
she began softly, looking far out
across the blue Sound-''he has said,
! oh, very often, that he'll never stop
| troubling about me until-until I'm
happily married"
when you came here you wore
a wedding ring" I remarked casually.
1T was only a property ring, to
help deceive you. / bought 1t In Chi
| cagO. When Aunt Alice came / threw
it away"
"The finger seems lonesome without
IT." said. "Tf get you another. ]