The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-06-24
habit though excellent repute.


~dejectedly as il t consult his COM
panion. while Kent watched him.
Perhaps" suggested Kent, you
could be comfortable here; o and
your friend. You're welcome"
Ivan wondered at his pertinacity.
But her High-My sister and her
maid are outside" the younger man
said. with faint eagerness. "My sis
ter and her maid, and the man who
their chauffeur. Can you provide
for so many?"
Easily, if you don't mind a little
discomfort" was the instant re-
Spouse. Bring them in. Don't keep
tl.m out there i'll the rain"
The elder man. with a grunt,
swung round and %reopened the door
Of the vestibule through which the
younger man, as if too relieved to
think for the moment of offering
thanks, preceded him out into the
storm.
You said there vas no inn!" in
dignantly demonstrated the old
peasant You said that
"S-s-sh," Kent silenced her, with
twinkling eyes. Forget that" he
said, quietly. "All you are to do is to
see that they are made comfortable.
Understand" he raped out like an
order, on discovering that she still
hesitated. Grumbling, but obedient,
and more or less subjugated, she
turned back toward her kitchen just.
as the outer door opened and
through it stepped a young woman
who without hesitation, walked to
the fire and with gloyed fingers
fumbled at the buttons of her coat,
and DOTTED it with an air Of salts
faction, exposing a graceful, we'll
rounded figure clad in a service
able tailored costume. Kent, watch
ing her, and ignored, saw that her
fine eyes we're sombre and absent,
as il her mind were concentrated on
something other than her surround
ings, and that her hands, when I'M
gloved and lifted with feminine hab-
itude to adjust her disordered, ex-
quisite hair, were white and grace
full. Her features were refined, sem
ssditiye. yell bred, and Of. strength:
Her lips, grave and compressed.
made him wonder what they might
be relaxed by laughter. Tenderness
and strength, he decided, were her
characteristics and he was not quite
certain but what, under different
circumstances, she might appeal
beautiful; eve to the Indifferent
judgement Of a fiscal agent.
Behind her came a most naughty
parsonage carrying a jewel case.
Nothing save the fact that she
carried it indicated that this might
be the maid and the other the mis-
tress.
WELL" said the lady with the
box, addressing him abruptly, "can't
you offer a chair?"
She fixed Kent with a naughty
stare, and he, realising that in his
inspection of his new guest he had
to be polite, felt rebuffed,
and fastened to make amends.
Pardon me-" he said, lamely. IT
forgot"
He drew chairs toward the fire
place, and wss then aware that dur.
ing his m~inistrations the door had
opened and another vonng man bed
entered carrying a suitcase and
handbag. This, he decided, cycling
the visitors long, gauntleted gloves,
the chauffeur. The latter care
fully deposited the luggage out Of
the way at one side, removed his
cap and stood by the door. He ap-
peared to be the youngest of the
party and was clean and fearless of
face and eyes. Kent, the student Of
men, mentally valuing him conclud-
ed that he liked the youn gman as
one who could be depended upon in
almost any emergency. He had scant
time for his inspection; for the door
from the vestibule again swung
open and the two men who had first
disturbed him appeared, closed the
door after them End Invested them
selves of their r%aincoats. The young
er man, evidently the leader of the
party, was clad in the unifom of an
office of hussars from which the
insignia was missing, and his high
boot tops were here and there splat-
tered with mud, proof that his ride
had been far from %leisurely. One Of
the frogs Of his coat braid had been
torn loose and dangled by a thread
as Il It had been ripped away in tie
haste Of fastening it, and one of his
spurs was missing. He fumbled alb
sently at his belt, unfastened it, and
threw gelt and sword carelessly on
top Of the suit case before turning