The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1924-02-29
CHAPTER xIV-Contlnued.

Y tOOhlllb IIOiC GllAiSlCL lldl CNClp
stood the lunatic Peters; and there
was an ominous bulge in his right coat
pocket which betrayed the presence of
the revolver. What John Peters was,
as q matter OF fact, carrying in his
right coat-pocket was a bag Of mixed
chocolates which he had purchased in
Windlehurst. But Billie's eyes, though
bright, had no X-ray quality Her
simple creed was that, If John Peters
bUIged at any point, that bulge must
be caused by a pistol. She screamed,
and backed against the wall. Her
whole acquaintance with John Peters
had been one constant backing against
walls.
Don't shootr' she cried, as Mr.. Pc
Gers absent-mindedly dipped his hand
anto the pocket of his coat. 'Oh, please
dont shoot!"
what the deuce do you mean?" said
Mr.. Bennett, i%rritably.
He hated to have people gibbering
around him In the morning.
"Wllbelmina, this man says that you
told him you loved him."
"Yes, / did, and l do. Really, really,
MFR Peters, l dor
Suffering cats!"
Mr.. Bennett clutched at the back Of
O chair.
"B1t you've only net him once - he
added almost pleadlngly.
You don't understand, father.
dear" said Billie desperately. "Tll ex-
plain the whole thing later, when ="
Father" CALCULATED John Peters
feebiy. did you say 'father'?"
"Of course / said father"
This is my daughter, Mr.. Peters,"
MY daughter! l mean, your daugh-
nerl Are-are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. Do you think I
don't know my own daughter?'
"But she called me Mr.. Peters! |"
We'll, It's your name, isn't it?"
"But, If shelf this young lady is
your daughter, how did she know my
manner
The point seemed TO strike Mr.. Ben
eett- He turned to Billie.
80 Va z luCt "hilcillllllu,
when did you and Mr.. Peters meet?"
"Why, in--in Sir Mallaby Marlowe's
SGice, the morning you came there and
found me when l was-talking to SAM"
MIR. Peters uttered a subdued gar-
Cling sound. He was fnding this scene
oppressive to a not very robust intel
iect. se~
~He-Mr. Samuel-told me your
Game, Miss Milliken," he said duly.
billie stared at him.
mfr. Marlowe told you my name was
Miss Milliken?" she repeated.
HE told me that you were the sister
OF the Miss Milliken who acts as Ste
nographer for the guv'-for Sir MALTA
BY. and sent me in to show you my re-
volyer, because he said you were inter-
esfed and wanted TO see It."
: billie uttered an exclamation. So did
MIR. Bennett, who hated mysteries.
A."Mhat revolver? Which revolver?
whats all this about n revolver? Have
you a revolverT /.
"Why, yes, Mr.. Bennett. 1t Is packed
now In my trunk, but usually l carry 1t
'abcut with me everywhere In order to
rtake a little practice at the Rupert
ugfreet range. / bought 1t when Sir
MaIlaby told me he was sending mt to
America, because I thought / ought to
b prepared-because Of the Under
world. you know"
; A cold CLEAN had come into Billie's
eyes. Her face was pale and hard. If
Sam M~arlowe-at that moment CAROL
Ting blithely in his bedroom at the Blue
Boar In W~indlehurst, washing his
hands preparatory to descending to the
coffee room for a bit Of cold lunch
aNllld .haye seer her, the song would
have frozen on his lips. Which, one
might mention, as showing that there
u always a bright side. would have
been much appreciated by the travel
ing gentleman In the adjoining room,
WHO had had a wild night with some
sther travelling gentlemen. and was
then nursing a rather severe headache,
separated from Sans penetrating bari.
tone, only by the thickness Of a wooden
wall.
Billie knew all. And, terrible though
the fact Is as an indictment of the male
lex, when a woman knows all. there is
invariably trouble ahead for some man.
There was trouble ahead for Sam
Marlowe. Billie, now in possession OF
the facts, had examined them and
some to the conclusion that Sam had
played a practical joke on her, and she
was q girl who strongly disapproved OF
Uractical humor at her expense.
THAT morning / net you at Sir Nal
aaby's Office, Mr.. Peters," she said In d
frosty voice. Mr.. Mariowe had just fin
tshed telling me q long and convincing
story to the effect that you were madly
On love with a Miss Milllken. who had
1ilted you. and that this had driven
Q or your head. and that you spent
your time going about with a pistol
crying TO shoot every red-haired WON
m you saw, because you thought they
were Miss Milliken. Naturally, wher
you came in and called me Miss Mill
zen. and brandished a revolver. l wa.
very frightened. Thought II would bt