The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-07-29

to her; even at the first she had not
| been frightened. although ~andeniably
startled.
Constance vas not so pretty as her
| ffteen-year-old sister: that would
have been difficult. for Slice was
pretty beyond all reason. None the
less. the young ~chate!aine Of the
Brooke mansion presented 20 the
world a countenance of which only
the most exacting could make COM
plant. It was the kind hat photo
| graphs with mysterious effect. be-
cause 1t held something maIe than
mere loneliness. something elusive
yet discernible. something that. for
want of a more successful dcscrip-
ton. IS usually called character.
John w Brooke always insisted
that Constance was e mother. over
again. Yet sometimes he saw him
self in the straightforward glance OF
| her gray eyes, and others saw it. too
Mr.. Hedge did not see it, because ne
had never beheld John w. Brooke.
Nevertheless, he saw enough TO con.
vince him that he had made no mis-
take in addressing himself chiefly 10
the young woman who stood before
him.
Certainly: we will dine said Con-
stance abruptly.
she led the way from the library.
down the broad hall and into q sra
cious room hal lay on the opposite
side of the house. Alice followed her
closely. then Billy. Mr.. Hedge
brought up in the rear. making swift
note of his surroundings and coca
sionalIy frowning slightly.
Tho dining-room in the Brooke
mansion was all that a Fifth Avarue
dining-room should be. IL was atr1ost
a banquet hall. Mr.. Brooke had
paneled 1t in a walnut. because he
could easily afford to: ne had placed
no check upon his architect. either
in this or any other apartment undar
his roof.
The family table. always enpt1Eed
when there were no guests. ocomed
absurdly small in the great room. II
was not placed IN the center. bat
drawn close 20 an oper fireplace.
wherein a few logs Of h~igh.nrired
drift wood were burning with strange
flames of green and blue and yellow.
1t wa quite a long walk 10 the
table, and the procession moved in
single file. Mr.. Hedges active glance
aitting from side I o side. EFtH
Horace, the butler from his ni-.cs
behind C~onstance's chair. could IFS.
,Ar, = tnor , ta1 90 IN n arnt. ryR . Onrn f.InfC.
ly al eas-. He neither hurried 0
loitered. ne did lot carry his hands
IN his pockets. nor rub his nose fur
lively. nor straighten his tie. he
moved as nonchalantiy ,nward ~
table as John w Brooke himself.
My fathers chair. said Con.
stance with a brief gesture
Mr.. H.'dge seated himself IN II
You may serve dinner. Terrace
murmured Conscience.
Yes. Miss Brooke" ard Horace.
w|renchlng ms glance from the f'ce
OF the stranger disappeared on his
errand.
There was nalf a minute of silence
broken only by an embarrassed
cough from Billy Then Mr. HcGgo
spoke
Now that we've all plunged IN
the water ISN'T 50 cold. after all. is
IT."
The three Brookes ooked at hins
sharply and with obviously surprised
faces Constance and her brother
exchanged feeting glances Alice
pursed her lips The observation had
sounded rather human. quite differ
emf from the Hedge of the library
He was smiling too.
You see he continued easily.
the first shock was not in the fact
that [ arrived on the Gene. but In
the fact that your father didn't
Constance was not wholly sure OF
this.
Il ar readily understand your u
PRISE. SAID Mr. Hedge 1t is en-
tlrely natural We are all more or
less creatures Of surprise But sur,
pri5es are NOT necessarily unpleasant
or attended by any unfortunate con
sequences.
Constance made a note OF the fact
that the stranger thought well Of
himself
I'm simply yout fathers agent for
Il short time I've no doubt In the
world hat you VIII all take a keen
interest in the experiment. as soon
as the nature Of It IS clear to yon
NEXT CHAPTER The FIRST ies-
son in efficiency.