Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-02-18
By Dornford Yates

This is all wrong" said the girl sud
denly. utterly wrong. And yet"-she
looked me full In the face-"Tm going to
accept your offer: I'm rather Independent.
you see; and | don't want to get tied up
with a helpful crowd. If you'll come In
good time tomorrow I'll have 9 list"
What a JOY 1t IT," | said thankfully. Ito
meet a sensible child"
hut you mustn't think that | make
a habit OF letting strange men choose my
How said the girl uncertainty. "are
yon going to get money!"
81 shall go to a bank" said I, "and ask
them TO wire to London. IL | show them
my car they'll probably lend me enough to
buy us some clothes. but we shan't be able
to leave before tomorrow. Can you wait
till then 2"
The girl nodded.
II was going to Lyons she said "but
now must go about. l live with my
That's my way" said l. $50 If your
car is out of action I'll drive you home"
"0h, I can go by train"
A you please" said 1. 81 want you to
do what you want"
As we came to the. hotel | was seeking
Tel me. " said the girl. "Why are you
doing all this?"
~ thought for a moment. Then, BE
cause like you'll said.
When. after viewing the car. the man
ager OF the bank | had approached offered
u ienu me TWO 0unnreu ana nfty francs
against 1t, ! told him to go to the devil
and borrowed ten thousand from the pro-
prietor of the garage.
Then | repaired to the hotel at which |
had left the girl. A note was awaiting me.
Dear Mr.. Lacey:
please buy me the things l have writ
ten down. As for my clothes, / think the
best way will be for you to go to some
lingerie shop, explain the situation and ask
them to send a girl here. And then, II you
viii come here later, | will tell you how
much / owe. oh. and a shoe shop, please.
| slept very well and am very comfort
able.
"Yours sincerely,
DIANA LANDFALL."
Attached to the note was a list OF what,
| suppose, may be described as toilet requi-
sites,
| did as was bid. and when l had I'm
ished / purchased such things as | needed
and telegraphed to London for funds.
BY the tim | had bathed and changed 1t
was past midday, and when l returned to
the hotel my lady was In the lounge.
l paid the bills and we went out to look
for her car. This we did not find, for the
roof OF its garage had fallen, and to Judge
from the condition of a big motor which
was protruding from the debris, 1t seemed
likely that what was left Of It's fellows
would not be worth taking up.
1t was a lovely day and we lunched on
a balcony, taking our time, for we had
nothing to do.
Over the meal we seemed on the way to
Friendship, but, though In the main Miss
Landfall was very charming, that that was
a state which she was uneasy to enter
seemed once or twice most clear. When,
therefore, luncheon was over | handed her
: two thousand francs, told her the name of
S the inn at which was staying and, having
sent for q taxi, escorted her back to her
hotel.
4 the door, IF you want me, send for
Il me-" | said.
VERY well, she said. And then, THANK
= you"
lifted my hat and turned away.
t ] spent a most trying afternoon, walking
the streets of Blois and returning to my
inn at least once every half hour to see IL
/ was required.
Yet, to exploit the obligation under which
t she lay to me was not to be thought of,
, and In the end | returned no more to my
inn, but walked out into the country be-
cause | made sure that IL she did not sum-
mon me 1t would be because she felt that,
accepting my hospitality, she must make
some return.
When / YVES six miles out the thought
that she might have need of me cent me
into a sweat. and ] turned and came back
to find ! had betrayed my trust.
Sure enough a note was waiting. / tore
1t open.
Miss Landfall requests the pleasure
Of Mr., Lacey's company at dinner at
eight o'clock.
l replied, bathed and changed, as far as
my wardrobe was permitting. in the excite
'NHN ~ " bttbf ~ ut = b11hukLc w
eight | sent up my name.
All eyes were upon her as she came down
into the lounge, and | remember thinking
that | must be but one of the many that
had fallen In love with so beautiful a thing.
Her features were lovely and her gray
eyes steady and grave. She was tall and
slim and moved easily. Her feet were very
small and she had chosen court slippers.
very small and simple, without any strap
She wore no jewelry, but ! do not think
the finest pearls could have enhanced such
comeliness.
She smiled like a pleased child when she
saw me, and that ] confess did my henrt
? good, for / was Immediately certain that
2 she had asked me to dinner not of polite
? ness but because she did not want to be
E alone.
''Shall we dine where we lunched ?" she
said.
t IF you please" said l..
5 AS we left the taxi, "And now you take
3 over she said, giving me back my notes
E II had to ask you because you didn't ask
me, but now We'll drop the mask and I'll
be the guest"
: They found me some excellent Clicquot
and we dined very well, and ] vas In tne