The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-03-04


said. Weren't you telling me Of
one the other day when we came
down in the train together?"
"But that was not a genuine one,'
Seton reminded her. "If you re
member, I told you that the man was
shamming-to get rid Of a woman OF
whom he was tired.
80 you did" Nan laughed con-
STRANGELY. "How queer! Perhaps
Mr.. Lyster is doing the same thing"
she added hippantly. She hardly
knew what she was saying-she met
Sefton's eyes desperately.
For a moment there was a little
silence, then he said:
"I-wonder!" There was a short
u between the two words.
Nan turned sharply away; she felt
as if she could have struck him; she
put up her hand almost unconscious
ly and felt for Peters ring which she
wore beneath her frock.
That's not a very polite thing to
say to me, is it?" she asked; she was
surprised at her own calmness. you
know that I was once engaged to Mr..
Lyster. Fortunately, our engage
ment was broken off before this hap
pened," she added.
1t was a deliberate lie, but she felt
as if she must say something to pro-
tect Peter.
IT hate this man." she was saying
in her heart. II hate him, and I
don't know why. I should like to
tell him that I hate him, but I'm
afraid to- wonder why I am afraid
to?"
Seton was apologizing hurriedly.
"I give you my word that such a
thought never crossed my mind" ne
said. "If I said anything to lead you
to suppose so, it was quite uncon'
sciously. I assure you, Miss Mar
raby-"
Here are the boys" said Nan.
There was u~nutterable relief in her
voice; she turned eagerly as the door
burst open and the three boys pre-
cipitated themselves into the kitchen.
They stopped short when they saw
a stranger there.
Nan went forward.
'"Say 'how-do-you-do' to this gentle.
man, boys-are you clean enough to
shake hands?" She seized Buster,
who was nearest to her, and un-
curled the fingers which he had
promptly put behind his back.
Black she said, tragically. Boys,
whatever do you do with yourselves
to get into such a mess?"
Nobody answered.
IF you'll excuse us for a moment, "
Nan said to Seton, IN go and
make them presentable. Go into the
schoolroom, will you? Wen be down
in a moment"
She hustled the boys upstairs, and
the last Seton saw of the little group
was Mans slim figure with two arms
round her waist as they disappeared
round a bend in the staircase.
AS soon as they were safely in the
bathroom the temporarily silenced
tongues began to wag.
us he going to stay to tea?"
Going to stay to tea?"
ITO tea?"
Nan said Eyes" She scrubbed
away at Claudie's grimy face. Mice
objects he must have thought you
all. You're all to shake hands and
say How.do-you-do' properly when
you get downstairs" y
Its the man who hit us with his
whip" Jim said darkly. II shan't
shake hands with him"
Nor me-" said Claude.
"Nor me-" echoed Buster.
Nan tried to look angry.
Hit you with the whip! What.
ever do you mean? He's Mr.. Seton,
and a very nice gentleman" She
felt obliged to say so, because it was
the last thing she thought.
"He hit us with his whip" Jim
maintained doggedly. Il told you
about him-he was on a horse"
Nan knit her brows; she remem'
bered now that the boys had come
in a day or two previous, full
of righteous wrath because a man
on horseback had dashed at them
with his whip for running across the
road dangerously near to his horses
feet.
Claude had been crying, too-and
Claude was Mans favorite.
"Oh, are you sure?" she asked.
Three shaggy heads nodded a
solemn affirmative.
TO Be Continued .