The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-08-05

TO her; even at the first she had not
been frightened. although ~undeniably
startled.
Constance was not so pretty as her
ffteen-year-old sister. that would
have been difficult. for Alice was
pretty beyond all reason. None the
less. the young chatelaine of the
Brooke mansion presented to the
world a co%untenance of which only
the most eXacting could make COM
plant. II was the kind that photo
graphs with mysterious effect, be-
cause it held something more than
yet d~iscernible. something that, for
want of a more successful descrip-
ton, is usually called character.
John w Brooke always insisted
that Constance was her mother, over
again. Yet sometimes ne saw him
self in the Straightforward glance of
her gray eyes, and others saw it. too
Mr.. Hedge did not see it. because he
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 to
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 a spa
cious room that lay on the opposite
side of the house. Alice followed her
closely, then Billy. MIR. Hedge
brought up in the rear, making swift
note of his surroundings and coca
sionally frowning slightly
Tho dining-room in the Brooke
mansion was all that a Fifth Avenue
dining-room should be. 1t was almost
a banquet hall. Mr.. Brooke had
paneled it in a walnut, because ne
could easily afford to; he had placed
no check upon his architect, either
in this or any other apartment under
his roof.
The family table, always employed
when there were nc guests. seemed
absurdly small in the great room. 1t
was not placed in the center. but
drawn close TO an open fireplace.
wherein a few logs of h~igh-priced
driftwood were burning with strange
flames of green and blue and yellow
Ii was quite a long walk to the
table. and the procession moved IN
single file. MIR. Hedges active glance
fitting from side to side. Even
Horace, the butler from his place
behind ConsIance's chair. could dis
Germ thai ~ stranger was complete
ly al eas.:. He neither hurried D
Ioitercd he did no carry his hands
IN his pockets. nor u his nose fur
lively. nor stralghten mis- tie. he
moved as n~onchaiantly toward he
table DIS John w Brooke himself
My fathers char. said Con
stance with "a pref gesture.
Mr. II"dse seated himself IN 1t
You may serve dinner. Hogars
murmured Constance.
Yes. Miss Brooke" and He.
%wrenching ms glance from the sac
Of the stranger disappeared or al:
errand.
There was nalf a minute of silence.
broken only by an embarrassed
cough from Billy Then Mr. Hedge
spoke.
Now thai we've all plunged in
the water isn't so cold, after all, is
it7"
The three Brookes iooked al him
sharply and with obviously surprised
faces Constance and her brother
exchanged fleeing glances Alice
pursed her lips. The observation had
Snuudad ratbar bun7ap ntt,+a- SiAar.
ent from the Hedge of the library
He was smiling. 100
You see.' he continued easily.
The first shock was not in the fact
that | arrived on the scene, but in
the fact thai your father didn't
Constance was not wholly sure OF
this.
Il can readily understand your sur
prlsc. SAID mir Hedge 1T Is en-
ilrely natural We are all more or
less creatures Of surprise But sur
prIses are MOI necessarily unpleasant
or attended by any unfortunate con
sequences.
Constance madc 4 note Of The fact
that the stranger thought well Of
himself.
I'm simply your tather.s agent foI
a short time I've no doubt II the
world that you viii all cake d keen
interest IN the experiment. as soon
as the nature Of it Is clear TO GU.
NEXT CHAPTER. n first les
son in efficiency,