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held up he knew the handwriting and the extraordinary began to have a definite meaning for him had written to him perhaps under cover of s name but about him at least his uncle was evidently the letter from its owner probably with the intention of its seal for his own purposes the anger he had ever known his brain completely turning his head for the moment and before dreamed of his intention he strode forward and grasped the in his hand the started to his feet but seeing the determined attitude of both the young men he decided that it would be useless to attempt the document by brute force the group made a striking picture the same expressions written on each face you have done a fine day s work you two sneered mr between his shut teeth mr you may go to the for whatever sum is due you and never show yourself in my office again and you he addressed himself now to may go where you please to the devil if you like i shall your letter of credit and you will get nothing more from me let me tell you another thing the poor girl you meant to love at seventy ruin as you have a hundred others will be v from your to her will go the fortune i had meant for you when you are starving in some garret console yourself by remembering how easily you threw a million good dollars away during the delivery of this speech he choked frequently overcome by the vehemence of his feelings as he paused appalled at the extent of the calamity he had helped to bring upon his friend stepped forward i have been wrong entirely wrong he cried must not suffer on my account no the letter is mine but he shall give it to you i withdraw all objections i accept my discharge sir but i entreat you not to punish another for a fault that was wholly my own give it to him he added addressing himself to that young gentleman i am sure he will then what he has said about you and leave me to bear my punishment alone wrought up as he had been would willingly have met even a approach on the part of his nephew he felt a genuine alarm at the extent to which his passionate nature had led him but even than he gave him no opportunity he shall not have it he retorted a letter from such a girl shall not be touched by profane hands do you think he is going to scare me by his threats what do they amount to at the worst why that he will give his miserable money the only thing there is to him the only thing that makes uncle and nephew people their hats when he passes to the one i most love and honor that money of his he has spent too much of it for me already it would have been a thousand times better had he sent me out years ago with twenty dollars in my pocket to fight my way but let me tell you sir lie addressed himself to his uncle you will never steal s love from me i am now free from obligation to you and shall attempt no farther concealment she has promised to marry me and if she will take me as i am she shall be my wife mr s features seemed as he answered these words withered the olive branch he had been ready to stretch out if that young woman should link her life with yours which she never will do if i can prevent it she will not receive a penny of my money don t imagine you are going to mock me and inherit my wealth through that channel when you find that she is we shall see how real your professions are gazed with a pitying look at the old man before him look at him he said he is seventy years of age and the only thing he can think of is money money money during his long life no woman s love has ever warmed his heart no child of his own has ever played about his knees he has not even felt the delights of passion he has known nothing but money and now that his hair is white he of his possessions as children of their toys putting his arm affectionately around his com love at seventy s shoulder drew him out into the main office where he found his hat and coat then the two young men one of them white and dizzy the other serene went out of the building together oh i know some things chapter xvii oh i know some things as soon as he was left alone in his office sank into his chair and for more than an hour did not move from that position he could hardly believe himself awake the scene he had just witnessed was like an exceedingly unpleasant dream it seemed impossible that his nephew could have dared him to his face thrown away all his prospects like and ended by those most insulting words but he was obliged to admit that the crisis had actually occurred the had been passed there was no longer any question of reconciliation he must return to and carry out his threat late that night he reached home and all the next day he remained indoors preparing himself for an interview with tom which he had determined to have that evening he knew that would oppose him at every point but he had no other person in whom he was willing to confide in his present state of mind it would be a relief to himself even to him the collision with made him desperate for the past month he had tried with all his might to bring himself to the

0Arthur Conan Doyle

point where he could effect a love at seventy full reconciliation with the young man he preferred to believe he was not as bad as represented he reflected that something must be allowed for his youth and he had even the possibility of to his nephew all hopes of possessing the sweet girl whose love filled the brightest spot in his lonely existence now all this was over every time he thought of he heard that mocking voice money money money all this old man thinks of is money ah well the boy would learn what money was when he had tried a few weeks to live without it and would come creeping back begging for ever so little of an allowance this fellow without a trade or profession and he would give him nothing no not one cent he was through with him and forever in a short conversation which he had with mrs he gave her a dim impression that his nephew had met with a severe accident did you meet any of your relations in new york she asked anxiously i did not he replied frowning darkly i have no relation there but my brother and i was too busy to see him something serious has happened then to mr something very serious mrs it is a disagreeable subject and i do not care to go into it let it suffice that i have discovered him to be wholly unworthy of my regard and shall neither provide for him hereafter nor leave him anything in my oh i know some things ti f this being the case having already made full provisions for my brother i shall have a handsome sum to to to else within a few days i intend to have a lawyer here and everything when tom came that evening mr put on his very front everything must now depend upon one cast of the die you ve often called me an old fool tom he said quietly you can t say anything much worse when i tell you what i am going to do next tom was engaged at the moment in the important occupation of cutting tobacco for his pipe he nodded his head without looking up i m going to marry raised his eyes just enough to dart a look of contempt at his companion you don t suppose that s any surprise to me he said how many times have i said your housekeeper would pull the wool over eyes and get to be mistress of this place before she had done with you the error was a natural one but mr bit his lip as he heard it well for once you were wrong he replied wrong echoed amazed wrong it is not mrs that i am to wed the was completely for a moment he felt a sensation resembling regret if was bound to marry mrs would do as well as anyone else she was at least used to love at seventy his moods his manner of living and acquainted to a certain degree with his business did not like to contemplate a strange woman there everything to suit her own tastes and his employer had denied the suggestion of so vehemently on a previous occasion that he never once thought of her not your housekeeper laughed a little he was becoming reckless he meant to defy the entire universe in the person of old tom his undoubtedly represented popular opinion on this matter all would have said the same what business had or to pick out mrs for him could he not decide on his own wife without their interference no he said decidedly and not without a tinge of malice it is not mrs that i am thinking of marrying then you are a bigger fool than i took you to be to marry her would prove you short of common sense but to take another woman would show that you had become completely the man of wealth listened with no sign of he was used to this blunt man and expected nothing less from him thanks he responded with polite irony and what would you call me if i were to tell you that the woman i mean to wed is her daughter oh i know some things at this remark the slight control which had retained of his temper gave way entirely a villain he cried s manner changed like lightning at the he lost color and his voice grew stern take care he said was excited he rose to his feet and took a dozen steps up and down the room then he turned to mr and begged him with the utmost earnestness to admit that he did not mean what he said only tell me you were joking he pleaded and i will yes i will even beg your pardon never had mr seen his in such a mood he had not believed that an occasion could arise when would admit under any circumstances that he had been in the wrong i never meant anything more in my life he said coldly and let me add that if the announcement does not please you i cannot help it i am old enough to manage my own business was still struggling with his incredulity old enough he ejaculated god knows you are old enough but this child this school girl she is eighteen interrupted his companion and she has consented paused some seconds before ne answered have not yet proposed to her but do you think she will refuse no did not think so he could see in love at seventy imagination the dangling before her eye the million dollars that would bait the hook what does her mother say he asked like one who catches at a straw her mother is a sensible woman she will not be likely to stand in the way of her daughter s advancement in his wrath

0Arthur Conan Doyle

shook his clenched fist at the air advancement he cried god will you drive me crazy the man addressed vouchsafed no reply to this exclamation he was becoming every minute at the attitude taken an attitude he told himself that the world at large would be sure to copy i ve thought a hundred times continued speaking as if the words choked him that the time would come when you would marry the mother and the girl would get your nephew but he stopped appalled by the savage gleam in his employer s eyes never speak to me of that boy again thundered the latter he has interfered between me and one of my clerks insulted me called me every name he could lay his tongue to abused and threatened me and that is not the greatest offence of which he has been guilty before he left he entered these grounds at night in with a servant and was admitted to miss s apartment stared at the speaker until it seemed as if his eyes were frozen in their who told you that last lie he demanded oh i some things oh i know some things was the retort i saw him enter the house with her maid as his escort and i saw him leave it an hour later then i stopped him in the road on his way back to the village and charged him with it and he had not a word to say for himself there was no questioning this direct evidence and decided to change the manner of his attack and you tell me that you mean to marry a girl like that he exclaimed a girl who admits a young man to her chamber at night had not thought of the matter in this light he had only considered the as his nephew s it now occurred to him that he must have come by s invitation the color left his face and he was quite pale you happened to discover this visit said pushing his advantage like a general at the point where his adversary s line was by some accident you learned of that one call but how can you tell there were not fifty others that escaped your observation was plainly staggered by this suggestion a man should select his wife of different material than this pursued the other your nephew was here at the hotel for three weeks while you were out of town for all you know he may have gone to see her every night if her maid could let him in once she could again don t let your blind your eyes completely mr drew a long breath that was full of pain love at seventy love laughs at continued and every post office holds one of his representatives you have sent the boy away but you can t keep them from corresponding shook as if he had the he knew the correspondence had begun not by his nephew either but by what terrible thing was this pressing upon his brain could it be that had a basis for his was this girl instead of the innocent creature she appeared a of character it was true he had seen enter the house but once but was it at all likely this was his only call there no he could not bear it anything was better than these horrible suspicions and he burst out that he would know the truth that he would go that instant to seek the girl and force her to tell him the facts with her own lips but this was the last thing that wanted him to do at that time as mr rose to leave the room he stopped him don t be foolish he said there is but one way in which you can preserve the honor of your establishment in the first place you must give up your senseless plan of marrying this child and next you must compel your nephew to right the wrong he has done but lost his temper at this and swore that s name must never again be mentioned in his presence if that boy had done anything criminal anything reflecting on miss s good name he would see that he was oh i know some things not rewarded but he did not believe it and he was going to see her at once and satisfy himself that it was you will probably make a mess of it growled you had better let me go with you this offer was refused sharply then i will wait here said the man you can do as you please went into the parlor and summoned a servant whom he despatched for when the maid arrived he inquired if her mistress was to be found in her apartment yes sir said the maid but she added not liking the strange look on the master s face she is about to retire i am going to see her was the brief statement mr made in her room exclaimed the maid with vivid color mr bent toward her and spoke with a volume of meaning it will not be the first time she has received a man there as you know well she is not i suppose n o sir replied frightened at his words then i shall go you need not accompany me and unless you wish to leave this house to morrow you will say nothing to anyone love at seventy chapter xviii beginning all over when and walked out of the office of the company neither was in a very comfortable frame of mind was by far the most distressed he could not help feeling that he had wrecked the prospects of his benefactor it grieved him to the utmost that his proffered sacrifice had not been accepted as the best solution of the unhappy business his own loss that of his situation seemed trivial beside his friend

0Arthur Conan Doyle

s misfortune it was a terrible thing that such a should have happened between mr and his nephew on the contrary was too indignant to think his uncle s conduct appeared to him entirely proposing to open a letter directed to another person was in his opinion the depth of meanness as to her mother s employer had no right to interfere with her actions in the way he had attempted to do she was not his child nor was he in a legal sense her guardian the young man was stung again at the recollection of the manner in which he had been driven from he had persuaded himself that his consent to obey his uncle s order was obtained quite as much from fear of as from care for his own interests as beginning all they walked along toward his rooms he lashed himself into a rage over his injuries confound the man did he take me for a fool he cried i should think by the way he talked he considered me about five years old the deuce take him and his money i m heartily glad to be rid of both i will get work and eat the bread of independence yes and when i can earn enough for two i will bring that charming girl from and divide the loaf with her who had been through the experience of looking for a situation was not so confident but he did not mean to his companion whom he believed much wiser and than himself accordingly he concealed his apprehensions and said they must sit down as soon as possible and form a regular plan of action we ll do it said briskly come into the house with me and let us study out our problem together seated in the parlor of the they soon set themselves to the task before them to begin with said i shall have to give notice that i m going to move they have the assurance to charge me a hundred dollars a month for this little box which will certainly be beyond my means now i don t know exactly where i shall dispose of my time and talents but it s very unlikely the will justify this rate of expense at present i shall have to pack these traps away somewhere hire a furnished bedroom and around in boarding houses for my meals it makes its love at seventy me shiver what do you suppose i m fit for never mind i ve a lot of pluck and they say the world owes every man a living wait a minute now till i send a letter to my landlord he went to a handsome desk and took out some elegant upon which he began to write it must be awfully dreary in a furnished room he said pausing in the midst of his labor i shall never stay in it except when i m a bed or getting in or out is there anything to let over on tenth avenue by george he exclaimed springing gaily to his feet i have an idea was the picture of interest it is the nature of drowning men to catch at why not take a cheap flat said putting down his pen i have things enough to furnish all but the kitchen then if we could get a housekeeper we should at least have the satisfaction of knowing how our food was cooked with two of us to divide the cost it wouldn t be so expensive besides if we got nervous there would be several rooms to in and it would be a kind of home which a mere lodging never is what do you say it would be very nice if the cost was low enough responded doubtfully scratched the top of his head for a few minutes with the handle of a paper all at once he uttered a war la la la la have it don t say a word nothing could be finer she is working for hardly enough to pay for her board and room and she beginning all over would certainly come yes there is no question about it shook his head in a puzzled way wondering if his companion s troubles had unsettled his reason of whom are you talking he asked why how stupid you can be when you like of course she s living a miserable life between that shop and her poorly furnished chamber she has been in a hotel and ought to make a famous housekeeper we could hire the harder things done by those women who go around by the day but as the genius of our flat she would be she d come wouldn t she colored as was his wont when women were the subject of discussion but he rallied presently and replied that he believed miss might consider the matter consider it laughed she ll jump at it if only for the chance of seeing you oftener i believe you have quite fascinated her by this time honor bright between us isn t she in love with you did not give an answering smile to the one on the face of his friend but he replied very calmly that he thought liked him think cried hang it don t you know yes said the other in his straightforward way i know gazed at him with intense curiosity he love at seventy wondered how far things had gone he knew they were in the habit of meeting almost every evening the pretty how shy she had been at hardly daring to sit at the table with him blushing when he addressed her ready to faint when he hinted that he would like to touch her cheek with his lips sweet innocent little then that is settled he said rousing himself what a nice party we three will make we shall have a common purse there s not

0Arthur Conan Doyle

likely to be too much in it but we ll share all there is do you consent to that shall we divide everything all but the kisses of miss which it is understood belong exclusively to you felt distressed as he heard these words what would be s attitude toward if they became one family if he should make advances nothing could prevent a not even the recollection of old obligations i m afraid he replied the unpleasant part of his friend s remarks that i shall get the best of the bargain if we have one you ll be sure to bring in much more than i you have a number of acquaintances in the city while i have absolutely none laughed lightly we are equal on that score said he i would starve to death before i would ask for help no we must depend on ourselves entirely but my rent is going on at a fearful rate and i must send this letter to my landlord after that we can take an account of stock all ringing a bell he placed the letter in the hands of a servant a fortnight from to day he said smiling when the man had disappeared we shall have to do our own errands these electric with a messenger on the end are really too luxurious and now let us see what we have on which to begin our independent existence we will empty our pockets and learn the worst in spite of the sober thoughts that afflicted him could not help being affected by his friend s gaiety he found on investigation that he had the sum of while had the latter counted the money in great glee and remarked that is was much better than nothing you are quite rich compared with me remarked ah but my are greater i shall have to pay fifty dollars on these rooms before i can get out of them give up your chamber on the shortest possible notice and come here that will save a little i have a few rings a gold watch and a diamond pin that will bring something as we are to be so very economical might come here also he added with a laugh if she could content herself with a sofa rose uneasy at this turn in the conversation i will go home now and prepare to move he said i will speak to miss about the housekeeping matter when i meet her to night for dinner i am very very sorry to have been the means of making trouble between you and your uncle he love at seventy continued with a tremor in his voice perhaps when you have slept over it you will feel like trying to make up with him d n him was the reply i am only too glad to be rid of him to be able to do as i please but what a crazy pair we are you have not read i your letter yet the one that made all the row it was true the letter was still in s pocket where he had placed it when first handed to him he took it out now and offered it to his companion but insisted that as it was directed to him he must read it persuaded by this logic opened the envelope and found its contents to be as follows dear sir are you able to inform me of the present address of mr if so you will confer a great favor please send your reply to w e care of mrs yours sincerely not very touching is it laughed as he the letter well with your permission i will answer it myself she shall know the little scrape she has got me into my uncle can t keep her from writing as i see if continues true i ll send a reply in time for the evening mail and she ll get it by noon to morrow mrs s name shows that she does not dare to have anything sent direct to the house to avoid interference at this end of the road i will give her my new street and number don t forget to call to morrow morning au men ami ik s chamber chapter xix in s chamber s letter reached as he expected on the noon of the day following the one on which it was written it was composed in his best vein and divided between a of what had happened in his uncle s office and a series of solemn that he meant to make himself worthy of the only girl he had ever cared for felt a great as she read it how noble it was of him to make such a sacrifice he had given up fortune comfort ease everything for her dear sake how different this from the picture his uncle had drawn now that you are able to communicate with me through the assistance of your friend mrs he wrote we shall be able to nerve each other for every trial that enemies may put in our way have mrs m write on your and send your letters to the address and name which i that will make all perfectly safe both at and here my uncle has evidently determined to keep you from me if he can he may try to fill your head with the most awful stories but don t believe him i have not always been a saint which i lament sincerely but i shall be true to you whatever happens keep me informed of all that i shall await your replies with the utmost eagerness af love at seventy soon as fate smiles on my rest assured i shall come for you read this first to herself and then to she could not resist the inclination to share her secret with some feminine breast and she had the most perfect confidence in

0Arthur Conan Doyle

her maid oh it is so sweet to be loved she cried this is what i wanted all the time instead of those dreadful and see how much better my complexion is how much more color i have i hope he will not make me wait too long i want very little only a piece of bread and a roof to cover me but in his arms i should forget even hunger and cold the next hour was taken up in discussing the matter looking on the bright side like her mistress and that all would come out right in the end then took her pen and poured out her soul to her lover in the innocent freedom of her heart she kept back nothing she did not hesitate to declare that she had never known happiness till now to vow eternal fidelity even to admit that she longed for the hour when he would be her own in deed and truth sneer not at her my dear young lady reader she had not acquired your power of concealing her feelings she did not understand why she should be less frank than the man she had promised to wed when her letter was finished and crowded into its envelope she two knowing that it must be over weight took the to s chamber her relation mrs who wrote the address as requested and put it in the mail box the rest of the afternoon was passed by in a delirium of bliss she played for more than an hour on the piano a love song that she found among her music the words had meant nothing to her when the piece first came into the house now each fond expression referred distinctly to and she sang it over and over again at supper she noticed that mr said little but for a long time he had not talked as much as he used at the table mrs was not equal to carrying the burden of a conversation and as had nothing to say the meal was passed in almost total silence when it was ended went back to her sitting room herself in a comfortable chair and after reading s letter through again and kissing it many times plunged into the pages of a love story that had found for her in the library the book was so suited to her frame of mind that she read a long time she was accustomed to require the services of her maid at frequent intervals for in that house she had grown accustomed to all the attentions usually given to a young lady of wealth but this evening falling into a reverie that she did not wish disturbed she removed her clothing without assistance then a white night dress and slipping over it a chamber gown she put a pair of slippers on her feet and curled up in the easy chair again love at seventy her hair floated about her shoulders like a she meant to have it before she went to sleep but for the present the novel filled all her thoughts there was a young man in it that made her think of and wonder of wonders a cruel uncle who threatened to him if he married against his will but the young man exactly like again declared on every third page that nothing should win him from the girl he loved there came a tap at the door what a nuisance should know better than to appear when she was not rung for was at the most entertaining part of the story come in she called without lifting her eyes from the page as the door swung slowly open she added sit down and don t speak till i finish this chapter i never read anything so interesting it seems exactly like my own case it was not but he had come straight from his conference with tom resolved to take this girl to task for her conduct in reference to his nephew and to from her a confession as to its extent he was not going to be made a fool of by this child any longer she should not aid his nephew to insult him he would soon decide whether his fortune should go to her or whether she was as unworthy as the one he had he had loved this girl he had been mad over her he had been very near to bringing on himself the derision of the world as an old man who had sue va s chamber to the charms of a child for three years he had seen nothing but her beauty he had cared for nothing so much as her smile it was tom who had revealed to him the extent of his devotion the fact that he loved her so dearly that he wanted to clasp her in his arms as his wedded wife but there are to what even love can endure if the last guess had made was correct if she had been more to his nephew than a virtuous girl should be he would find it out if she was determined to correspond with that young scoundrel she had only to say so and he would have done with her very likely he had been on the verge of over her charms but that was ended he would know before he left her room whether she was still worthy his affection and esteem or whether he must cast her out of his heart these were the thoughts that traversed his mind as he came through the and ascended the stairs but as he opened the door in response to her voice his resolutions weakened he knew when his glance rested upon her that she had not intended to admit anyone but her mother or the floating hair the costume the pose all told him this still he did not retreat nor did he inform her

0Arthur Conan Doyle

of her error he was glad to have a minute in which to recover himself they had been such intimate friends that he did not believe the condition of her dress would disturb her when she discovered her mistake he must talk to her now he could not wait another hour so he love at seventy closed the door softly behind him and took his chair near it awaiting her pleasure the first glance decided one great point he could not look at that sweet face and think anything but innocence rested there she had been guilty of no graver fault than was a wretch to suggest such a possibility mr s harsh thoughts began to fade away he knew he could not say half he had meant to nor could he assume the tone he had intended to use before she raised her eyes from the book he wished heartily that he had taken more time before rushing so into her presence a low sigh escaped the girl s lips as she finished the chapter her hero had not yet had the happiness of pressing the pretty heroine to his breast a hundred rose before them at every turn intensely to the fair young reader who would have preferred to have them married in the first chapter and to a life of bliss forever after well she began when she saw who her visitor was she rose from her chair with a look that was far from mr she said i am surprised that you should come into my room in this manner if you wished to see me you could have sent me word he was not pleased at the extreme with which she spoke she need not wholly forget he thought what she owed to his his h s chamber per had been severely tried during the past two days and again it mastered him why this distinction he answered coldly i knew you were in the habit of receiving gentlemen here the attack was begun almost before he knew it he had entered on a campaign from which there was no retreat with one great flash of flame he had burned his bridges behind him the girlish face lit up with indignation gentlemen she repeated he knew that she questioned the but he seized his opportunity i beg your pardon he said the term was too complimentary the girl s bosom rose and fell rapidly if a person ever came here she replied it was not without an invitation nor was i compelled to receive him in such attire as this he may or may not be a gentleman according to the interpretation put upon that word to day thanks to you he is a after work with which to support himself but it requires something more than money to make a true gentleman and i feel justified in adding that your present conduct does not stamp you as one she had heard from her words proved that she was resolved to remain his friend this was by her manner your words are he replied his heart growing harder it matters little whether you wear one dress or another whether my at seventy is announced or not what i have to say to you is of the utmost moment and must not be delayed an instant longer she shrugged her shoulders as if to intimate that he might go on if he was willing to do so after the protest she had made her closer around her and making sure that her feet were invisible she turned a face toward him you have lived in my house continued mr for three years you have had everything that i could give you there has been nothing let us consider that understood she interrupted and let me remind you that it greatly from the value of a gift when the is reminded of it the old man s brows contracted i have never alluded to it before he retorted and i only do so now because it is a necessary to what i intend to say if the rest is not more agreeable than the i hope it will be brief was her calm reply at that he broke forth hotly that he had a right to speak to her that he was in effect the guardian of her reputation that he should be in his duty when he found her making a serious mistake if he did not inform her of it he then went on not giving her time to interrupt him to speak of miss whom he said he had sent away from to save her from he alluded to the collection of photographs which his nephew had brought home from europe of his hundred in foreign ik s chamber lands white black yellow and brown he declared that no good girl was safe in his company was capable of making love until her head was turned and then her without mercy lately he had conducted himself in such a manner that his uncle felt obliged to cast him off then he referred to the visit his nephew had made her he said knew acquainted with the world as he was that he had committed a most breach of good morals and the speaker that no man could do less than such an act though the were one of his nearest blood relations listened to all this without changing her position and with no evidence of special surprise when mr paused for breath she kept perfect silence what have you to say he demanded nothing you do not object to these things i do not believe them he had expected anything but this cool response it was almost as if she had called him a liar in set terms he has you he cried a smile came over her pretty mouth i think you are right she replied i lore too much to credit anything

0Arthur Conan Doyle

against him what a wall of she was supposing i showed you proofs i would not look at them u if i brought you witnesses love at seventy i would not listen these answers made him quite beside himself with rage you shall never lower yourself by marrying that boy he exclaimed and i will tell you another thing i have arranged to have my will re drawn so that you should inherit my wealth which he has by his conduct if you persist in this insane folly i will give you nothing laughed actually laughed at him when is ready he will come for me she said he will come for me and i shall go with him he is under no obligations to you now you cannot frighten him any more yes you may as well understand mr stared at the girl would you give up a million dollars for him he asked indeed yes a hundred millions it rose to his lips to tell her that she might go from under his roof at once that he would harbor such an ungrateful thing no longer but he restrained himself before proceeding to such an extremity he wanted to talk with mrs he rose hesitated a moment tried to speak and then left the chamber he had accomplished nothing and less than nothing and tom knew as much before a word was spoken when his employer re entered the library and found him there smoking his pipe in his chapter xx confound his money when met on the evening following the troubles in mr s office he gave her a rather full account of what had occurred there besides as much as was necessary of the circumstances which had led up to the final catastrophe the girl listened silently as he told the story of of s wild for her of his uncle s wrath of the letter sent to his care and of the complete between the relations she hardly tasted the food set before her though her appetite for the french dinner which they were now in the habit of taking together was generally good was flattered by the close attention she gave him and rattled on for fully ten minutes pausing only long enough to take an occasional of the soup or fish i was so sorry that i didn t know what to do he said after describing the manner in which and he had left the office he says i m not the least bit to blame but i can t help thinking i am he looked at as if he wanted her opinion on the subject and she replied in a low voice that she could not see how he could have acted differently i am glad to hear you say so said he as if re at he has done so much for me that i shall always feel indebted to him but now i have something to tell you that will it is possible interest you even more than the recital i have already made it concerns yourself roused herself from the into which she had fallen and inquired what meant when we found ourselves both together thrown out upon the world he answered we went down to his rooms and held a council of war the agreement that we reached was to share everything we had and all we could earn for he is going to look for work as well as i our greatest necessarily being economy we began to consider what was the most way of living outside of a cheap boarding house which would not think of for a moment we finally decided to rent a low flat and to engage a housekeeper the girl s eyes opened wider as she heard this statement noticed their peculiar expression and stopped to inquire whether she saw any objections to the plan i am afraid a good housekeeper such as you would require is not the easiest thing to find she said you need an experienced woman to begin with one who would look out for your interests and you could not afford i suppose to pay very high wages was obliged to laugh at her description i think we know just where the right person can be found he replied she certainly has had experience for she was employed several months in a his country hotel she would look out for our interests because she knows us intimately and would share our home on equal terms as for compensation she is not at the present time earning much more than her living she would be much better off managing a home of her own for such it really would be besides doing a genuine kindness to two young men it was more than a minute before spoke again she could not fail to understand that he referred to her and at first she shrank from the proposition with a vague dread more than this she did not know as she had a right to live under the same roof with mr s nephew it was hardly keeping faith with his uncle however since their the latter would have little further interest in him so far as she was concerned she remembered also very vividly the nervous at which had kept her when she as his at but if he was as deeply in love with miss as his actions implied he would not be likely to trouble her much to tell the truth she was very tired of her s shop where the promised advance in wages had not her solitary room when was not there was excessively lonely the only bright spot in her existence was the dinners they took together and these would be lost if he adopted his housekeeping plan and she did not share it it would be delightful after the she had suffered to have a home no matter how poor or

0Arthur Conan Doyle

humble love at you mean me she said looking up at companion yes he replied earnestly that is just what i mean was the one who first thought of you but i saw in an instant what a fine thing it would be neither of us has anything to of in the way of expectations but we shall do our best if you say it is settled we will look for immediately and begin to pick out the and for your new kitchen wanted to think of the matter for another day but was so persistent and represented the scheme in such bright colors that before he left her that night she had given her full consent within a week the flat was secured a set of rooms up three flights of stairs on sixth street overlooking some picturesque if not over clean back yards of the neighborhood when s furniture was moved in and the necessary purchases made the place looked remarkably there was a striking between some of the expensive things he brought and some of the very cheap ones they had to purchase but all three of the new tenants were in too good humor to find anything but amusement in this fact a diamond pin had been sacrificed at the first start to the and it was announced with positive glee that a balance of was in the treasury with everything paid for including an advance month s rent of the premises it was admitted on all sides that developed wonderful capacity declared with his p that he had never dined better even in the days when he made the grand tour the coffee she prepared in the morning was decidedly superior he solemnly to that served by any de in dear he liked to sit in the kitchen and watch her with her sleeves rolled up at the dish pan or the bread board when was out the town in search of something to do and his manners were so good and his temper so that he became as agreeable a companion as could be asked he had a shrewd way of seeming to admit s in though he never actually made any allusion to it believing that they enjoyed themselves better alone he got into the habit when the six o clock dinner was over of going out to see a friend and seldom returning before ten at the earliest but if he heard that intended to walk out with he would take a book or magazine and settle himself in their of a parlor announcing that he would spend the evening at home the apprehensions that had felt were soon into perfect repose by the admirable conduct of his friend though did not apply in person for any situation he wrote a number of letters in response to newspaper one of the reasons he gave for remaining at home so much during the day was that he wanted to be in when the mail arrived if he were sent for in haste he wished to be ready to respond but the letters he deposited in the box over the way were much more numerous love at seventy than those which the brought the only one he was sure of came three times a week from and was answered as regularly in one of these letters he learned of the visit that mr made to though she did not give a full account of all that passed between them he assured me she wrote that you were a very naughty fellow but i refused to listen though i fear he had some basis of truth for what he wanted to say i told him to his face that i loved you that nothing would ever make me change and that as soon as you were ready for me i should marry you then he threatened saying that he had intended to leave me all his money but that now i shall get nothing as if that would make any difference i fear he will be unpleasant to mamma and perhaps she will join forces with him people used to say he meant to marry her i wish he would for she me very much she is so afraid of poverty that she lies awake nights thinking of it keep up good courage darling all will come out right in time in a subsequent letter she made the interesting statement that tom had asked for s address and that the girl suspecting some trick of mr s had given him an reply pretending that she did not know it this set to thinking he had known tom from they had been unusually good friends and he did not believe anything would persuade the old man to injure him if wanted his address it must be for some good reason at dinner that evening he talked the matter over with his he is a shrewd old fellow said he and there is a possibility that he has something of importance to tell me he s a poor hand at letter writing and the best way to get at the bottom of the matter would be to see him personally but the trouble is he s not much of a traveller he would consider a journey to new york as serious a matter as i should one to i don t think he s been ten miles from in thirty years for me to go to him has its difficulties and dangers so you see i really don t know what to do looked as if the problem was too deep for him while on the other side of the table expressed sympathy in her sober face i say couldn t you run up there for a day or two exclaimed suddenly i said to be sure you would not run the slightest risk may have something to say that we ought to hear and then i

0Arthur Conan Doyle

could even arrange an interview for you with they will not watch her so closely when they know i m out of town was much confused at these it was not at all clear that he could accomplish anything by the journey but he wanted to please and he responded at once that he would go i shall be only too happy he said tell me what you wish me to do miss moved her chair back a little from the table and waited for the conversation to proceed the young men had no secrets from her here is the case said in a business love at like tone my uncle has threatened me with when i told him to go to the with his money and give it to whom he pleased he replied that he meant to will it all to miss that did not sound so terribly for in the course of time i felt pretty certain to get it back again to prevent this possibility he has informed the young lady that if she ever becomes my wife lie will cut her off also now proceeded placing both his elbows on the table and looking from one to the other of his talk as ve may under the excitement of outraged pride a million dollars is worth preserving if it can be done without too great a sacrifice it appears that tom has some communication to make to me tom has an immense influence over mr my uncle would do nothing so important as the making of a new will without consulting tom in my opinion that is exactly what the wants to see me about i will send him a note by you asking him to the whole affair then if it turns out to be anything requiring my presence i shall go at once was rather surprised to see s anxiety about his uncle s fortune remembering the haughty way in which he had flung the at his s feet it was true however as he said that one might get over excited and think better of things when time had cooled him off the ill luck in finding a situation where he could earn something had no doubt affected his views his do you wish me to indicate in what way you would your position asked my position yes in order to save the money struck his fist heavily on the dining table confound his money i don t want that old man to make a fool of himself that s all when he threw me up i didn t say a word it s a different thing when the loss is s if i m not to have the property i want her to get it so that you can share it with her later said could not help laughing like one detected in a sly game well that s not so criminal is it he said my uncle is growing aged i don t understand what has set him so severely against me if he hadn t acquired a prejudice from some unknown source he would never have been so violent knows him like a book and may have a key to the riddle indicated his belief that this might prove true and the pair then proceeded to plan a way by which he could meet miss what shall i say to her if i m able to get within speaking distance asked oh i leave that to you was the reply you know the entire situation she will ask you a hundred questions which you must use your judgment in answering touch lightly on the fact that i am still a distinguished member of the knights of rest if she don t think that any too creditable of me and believes it s easy to fall into a position in love at seventy this town let her come here and try now the sooner you go the better i am impatient to hear what has to say why can t you start to morrow i can replied and will you i will takes a chapter xxi takes a journey the proprietor of was ill at ease though the and himself were thrown completely off the true scent by the plan which had been adopted he felt certain that was sending letters to his nephew and receiving replies the girl s cheerfulness at the table the only place where he now saw her convinced him that he was being since the night when he went to her chamber she had only spoken to him in the manner and the in the dining room at meal time was oppressive mrs though she did her best could not add anything to her employer s stock of information was uniformly courteous to her mother but managed to a direct answer to all questions what an idea she would exclaim when the matter of letter writing was mentioned doesn t all the mail for the house pass through your hands mr could not help talking occasionally his troubles with old tom he did not receive much sympathy from that eccentric person but it was better even to be abused than to be without any whatever thanks to tom the threatened changes in the will had not j s at seventy been made insisted that the present was no time for alterations mr he said should at least wait until he had made up his mind whom to sacrifice and whom to benefit before he set his lawyers at work there was so much sense in this suggestion that the could not help acting upon it though he remarked with a that it would not be agreeable if some complaint should carry him off leaving all his property to be handed over to his of a nephew to which replied that he did not look like a man liable to sudden death and that he was

0Arthur Conan Doyle

quite as likely to both his former intended as to them to the other world while laboring to secure the longest delay possible in the interest of for whom he had always entertained a warm liking grew uneasy over the present financial condition of the young man he thought it a great hardship to be deprived of his income after the way he had been brought up with no alternative but work or some method of getting a living if found the former plan too difficult it was not impossible that he would be driven to the latter it was with this in mind that tried to get s address from s maid he had lived a and had a snug little sum laid by he wanted to offer assistance out of his own funds to enable to tide over the emergency which he could not help believing would be only temporary to effect this result it was necessary to move with out takes a journey caution would not be likely to fancy a direct interference in his affairs did not like well enough to confide too much in her and when his attempt failed with he was at a total loss which way to turn but one very dark night just as he was about to retire the of his house was rung on being called he found awaiting him with a letter from the young master in his hand and so he sent you clear from new york said when he had read the brief note of introduction come in and sit down it s almost nine o clock and i was going to bed how did you get here so late i suppose you came on the six o clock and have been to supper at the hotel no sir replied i did not wish anyone at to set me so i left the train at where i got a lunch and then walked over eyed him intently he looked a great deal better than he used when he was employed in the works life in the city evidently agreed with him it was a long walk from walked over repeated why it s seven miles it didn t seem so long the walking is good i didn t mind it at all i expect to go over the same road again to night when i leave you protested that a walk of fourteen mile was altogether too long for anyone but smiled confidently saying that he was quite used to it and in fact enjoyed the prospect he then in response love at seventy to inquiries told the whole story of s life since he left the village including with particular detail an account of the trouble in his uncle s office and doesn t he show the least desire to make up demanded the no but you must remember mr has made no either they are the biggest pair of fools ever born replied the old man is the worst one of course but the boy is not far behind him when he knew what a his uncle was why couldn t he agree to anything no matter what until the wind took another direction a million dollars doesn t grow on every bush i ve had all i could do to stop the destruction of the will by which left his property to his nephew which would leave in force an old one everything to some remarked as an explanation of his friend s conduct that he was attached to miss and could not bear to see anyone insult a communication that she had written stuff ejaculated nothing but stuff there are a thousand better girls if he would only look about him he s exactly like his uncle always wanting what he can t have because he can t have it i ve a good notion to tell you something for your own information mind you not his can you keep a secret replied that he thought he could then keep this one will seventy years old as he is loves that little girl himself he t a ik a would marry her to morrow if she would accept him the listener was plainly shocked are you sure he gasped sure don t i know him soul and body was there ever anything in his head he could keep from me if he tried look at his he brings up his nephew s and makes a great fuss about them but he knew all that long ago and passed them off for what they are the of a young man might have gone on in his own way as long as he lived if he hadn t come between the old man and his sweetheart now this must be a secret between us i don t know what would happen if found it out promised again to say nothing about the matter well continued all this is not to the point what is the boy living on and how does he expect to meet his bills to this inquiry responded with the utmost frankness he told how they had got along thus far but admitted that their funds were steadily running lower and that there were no means in sight for them then he must take a loan from me said with decision i don t ask him to accept a gift but he must borrow what he needs until something better turns up tell him to write me whenever he wants anything and i will see that he gets it the two men went out to the front yard together love at as said he must be going the night was not a clear one and they were unobserved you weren t brought up around these parts i take it remarked the elder man with an inquisitive no said i used to live in ah i was up that way once it

0Arthur Conan Doyle

was a long while ago what town did you come from now loosened his hold of the gate which he had pulled back and the spring it in its place you don t say there s several of them it wasn t east was it yes was the reply it was east the moon peeped out of the clouds just enough to light the faces of the two men was looking at the ground impatient to be off as he had another call to make that evening and it was getting late observed him with renewed interest and your name is he said y e s did you ever hear began slowly of a family up that way by the name of raised his eyes with quick suspicion in their gaze and slowly responded in the affirmative there were two women of that name there once the one of them died a long time ago the other died too takes a journey did she said how long ago was that eight years i should think replied then he took several steps that brought him outside the gate and with a short good by started on the road a village clock was striking ten felt reasonably certain that he had not been seen by any person except mr since entering the of the being of that rural order who have a proverb that no honest person is out of doors after nine at night but though he started on the road to he did not long continue in that direction as soon as he dared he bent his steps by a route to the rear of s estate a letter from her lover had informed that would be in that evening and had asked her to see that kept watch at the familiar door in the wall that had played such an important part before in the meetings of the young couple the girl was more than anxious to communicate with this messenger and no place seemed safer for the purpose than her own rooms now again free from the suspicion of those who had watched her the maid was on the alert and her ears detected the first sound that was made on the the visitor was through the darkness and reached s chamber without the attention of anyone else as s eyes fell on his hostess he thought he had never seen anything so lovely she was arrayed love at seventy entirely in white her favorite her complexion reminding him of a rose tinged with pink set off the bright eyes that glowed with pleasure and anticipation so this is mr had left the room promptly and they were quite alone in a moment they were talking together on the matters in relation to which he had come the girl s perfect self possession made it easy for him to converse with her he felt before he had been in the house ten minutes as if he had known her for years she told him her story in the manner and asked him a thousand questions about and himself everything was nicely when an entirely new phase of the discussion by a slip of the tongue the simple mention of the word in referring to the new household that the young men had set up echoed the girl quickly yes he answered instantly that a new quality had come into her voice our housekeeper and asked is her name stammered that it was she was at the house formerly i believe mused he indicated that she was right in her statement and he wished heartily that he had been more careful out takes a journey how did they come together she inquired suspiciously finding that he had put his foot in it did the best he could by claiming as his own friend he went on to describe her situation in the great city hardly able to earn enough to keep her body and soul together he wanted to work on s sympathies for a sister in distress but only the belief that her lover had no connection with the matter would have her rising resentment then it was you and not who suggested her she said apparently much relieved mr told me their names were coupled in a hateful way while here and though of course i did not believe there was warrant for it i am naturally surprised to hear they were living under the same roof as one might say in one family it is strange she added that he never spoke of her in any of his letters it flashed across s mind at this moment that it was who suggested the engagement of miss and a of doubt took possession of his brain he may not have thought it of enough consequence he replied trying to crush the unpleasant feeling i did not know there was any talk about them here though when i was at the hotel i am sure i heard nothing was suffering under the lash of disappointment that such an interesting bit of news should have come to her in this way had referred to his housekeeper without love at seventy the least intimation that he had ever known her before this is what his uncle said to me she answered she was asked to leave because s influence over her was not good up to this instant had placed not the least in this he had regarded it in the words of his friend as a ridiculous on s part but now a hundred little things occurred to him that pointed in an opposite direction he knew that was no saint he remembered that he had remained at home most of the time since the housekeeping had begun under one pretext or another thus being thrown into the company of the young woman in question as for it was almost impossible to believe anything really wrong of her but

0Arthur Conan Doyle

who could say what influences one so used to charming members of her sex might have brought to bear in the collection of photographs which had shown him there were faces as sweet as hers and yet we have happened to exchange information of mutual interest said with a smile for she saw the frown that covered his brow and wished to it as soon as possible i do not believe however that it is of much account while it is true mr urged mr to send her away and furnished the money and gave the reason i have repeated that proves nothing he has taken a dislike to his nephew that renders him blind to reason as it is evident miss does not share his she would not be where she is we may as well out takes a journey call it a charge and let it pass probably she was not unwilling to exchange the dull life she led here for the brighter prospects of the city and cared little how the exchange was made was silent he detested double dealing from the bottom of his soul while he meant to defend to this girl he doubted him more and more why had he picked out to be their housekeeper and was there anything in this journey on which they had sent him leaving them so many hours alone i can quite with her pursued the musical voice of his companion i often feel that i would accept almost any terms to get away from this place her position is far to mine for she is free while i am under constant if release does not come soon i shall take matters into my own hands and actually run away could hardly answer her if his suspicions were in the least justified he never would speak to again he rose with the remark that it was time he set out on his walk to if he was to catch the early train you were kind to come said sweetly i shall never forget it it seems almost like meeting tell him the sight of you and what you have said to me has given me new strength and patience but tell him also and the pink ran riot over her fair complexion that he must not make me wait too long these words impressed with her perfect innocence more than the most modest love at seventy could have done her nature was evidently wholly and simple pressing his hand warmly gave him into s charge and he escaped without detection by the avenue through which he had entered the grounds he s a splendid fellow was s comment when her maid returned and did you notice how handsome he is his eyes are really poetic and his voice is as gentle as a woman s i hope will send him here again then she added after a momentary pause you used to see who lived at the hotel what kind of a girl should you say she was one kiss too many chapter xxii one kiss too many it was only twenty hours from the time that left new york when he returned to it only twenty hours that and had been together but a great deal can be accomplished in twenty hours did not plan anything either was quite wrong in his that a deep plot had been laid and that he was its victim nevertheless the result was not pleasant to any of them and all on account of the strangest coincidence imaginable to tell the truth intended to behave in the most perfect manner he could not have acted better that first day had been his sister lunch was taken at a and when he returned he suggested a very simple meal for the evening as he had eaten late and was away anything handy would answer he said then as the girl began her preparations he sat down near her talking in the good natured familiar way to which she had grown accustomed as he watched her a sense of her beauty grew upon him how little she depended upon artificial that was the true beauty the kind that dress does not he made her talk about herself and with her the heart love at seventy less guardian who had compelled her to seek her own the moment her little fortune was exhausted the story was a very pathetic one and was moved to compassion and indignation in about equal measure and then he said when you found a shelter my uncle had to interfere and send you away on the ground that i might fall in love with you how absurd blushed to her finger tips he s a queer old fellow continued i d like to know what he does want he must intend me for a bachelor like himself he s just as set against my loving his ward you know as he was against you but ought to do him partial justice i was getting to be a little too fond of you the girl whose hands were in the flour making cast a glance at the speaker it is unkind to say that she remarked in a low voice he rose and took a step toward her with a very sober face unkind i unkind to you do you think i would say a word you did not like if i knew it you think too hard of me for some of the things i said and did at s the fact is i liked you immensely and i do yet he saw that her lip was beginning to quiver not quite in the way of a lover you know he went on desperately only as a friend a very good friend hang it i wish i could make owe kiss too you understand me i m afraid i never shall we d better drop it before we get

0Arthur Conan Doyle

into deep water with this remark he left her abruptly and walked into the next room where he took up a book and busied himself with it until she called him to dinner he was not hungry in the least and only touched the bits washing them down with a half bottle of ordinary the girl s appetite was not much better and soon he retreated to the parlor again and left her to do the dishes when he fancied she must be through with her labors he went out into the dining room and found her sitting there sewing her head was bent low over her work and tears had fallen upon it bring that into the parlor won t y u he asked not noticing particularly what she was doing i m awfully if you don t come i shall have to go and hunt up a theatre to kill the evening she came feeling that he was her employer and had a right to command her a ready handkerchief removed the traces of weeping from her eyes sat silent for some minutes and then exclaimed do you hate me very very much she looked up in intense surprise why should i hate you oh there are reasons enough if i had never insisted on your waiting on me at s you would be there yet do you think i was so entirely happy there she asked smiling in spite of herself love at seventy no but here you are utterly wretched i am an unreasonable fellow i know that very well nobody likes me and nobody ought to i wish i was like i don t wonder you re in love with him when you re his wife you ll be a happy woman indeed she started at the statement and then asked why he thought she would ever be s wife that s a queer question he replied isn t it settled she laid down the sewing in her lap and fixed her fearless eyes upon him if it is it has been without consulting me but you can have no doubt you certainly are lovers you re only trying me you wouldn t say he never mentioned marriage to you she hesitated wondering how far she was justified in answering such inquiries no he never did she replied at last that s strange exclaimed showing his astonishment in his voice and look why you ve been together about all his spare time for weeks and weeks what could he find to talk about if not love the color began to mount to her temples i did not say he had never spoken of love she said what did she mean he looked at the girl but could make nothing of her expression the man who speaks continually to a woman of kiss too love and never of marriage is not one to be encouraged he said earnestly yes i would say the same if he were my brother the helplessness of the girl smote the like a blow in the heat of passion he had made light of such situations in his day but now he felt as if he were the witness of the robbery of a house the of a child he had no whatever he was forced to the attitude he took by the overpowering pressure from within he cried drawing his chair nearer to her tell me is it too late quite startled at his manner she could not answer him and he took her silence for a confession i am so sorry he said taking both her hands in his but you shall be his wife i will make him marry you yes as soon as he returns she did not know the dark suspicion that was haunting him but she could not leave his mind in the condition she found it she begged him to promise that he would not speak to about her and you mean to tell me you are content he exclaimed you do not to marry him is that it i do she replied positively i do not wish to marry anyone the riddle was too deep he looked at her for a long time in silence she took up her sewing again to her mind a little with it and he watched her as she plied the needle how little one could tell about a woman by seeing her face he remembered a time years ago when he had love at seventy met at the entrance of the de paris a beautiful girl dressed in white with the purest face he had ever seen and he had remarked to a friend that should tell that innocent creature of the infamous scenes which would soon her marble cheeks with roses and his friend had laughed and told him that she was mile d of the unable to believe it he had returned to the place where the dancers were giving their and watched view the worst of it unmoved the more he thought of the more it became and he excused himself saying he had an engagement and must go out for an hour or two the cool air of the night revived him he walked far up town and then slowly back again as he his apartments he found it harder and harder to enter the door and he went off for another long walk which lasted until he heard a clock striking twelve then he went deliberately to the house engaged a room and threw himself fully dressed upon the bed he thought of a hundred things in those few hours he was very angry at such affairs were the exclusive privilege of wealth it was outrageous for a to imitate his in this fashion stirred himself up to a genuine rage he would have it out with he would tell him his opinion of his conduct but with daylight after some sleep

0Arthur Conan Doyle

that even his ill temper could not drive away there came a feeling human nature was the same in rich te kiss too many and poor high and low he was himself too now to his equals was handsome if she had been thrown too completely into s company who was more to blame than the man who him rose and after making his toilet walked briskly to his home determined to say no more about it the young housekeeper had also slept badly she knew that something she did not understand what troubled exceedingly and realized that the entire night had passed without his return quite early she arose and went about her household affairs making the coffee and taking in the french rolls that the baker s boy left at her door when came in he greeted her in the old way which reassured her and they sat down to take their coffee together i met a friend and passed the night with him he explained briefly with the temperament which mastered him at all times he soon went to the opposite extreme there was nothing to do but make the best of it was a sly dog laughed and talked with coming into the kitchen every little while and making himself entertaining when her work was done he sat with her in the sitting room and grew more good natured than ever why should he not be free with her if he liked a kiss from those red lips would not be wholly unpleasant and it would be no robbery if he could secure one i wonder what has succeeded in finding love at seventy out he said to keep up the conversation that tom is a shrewd old fellow and i hope he got in and out of the mansion safely he will be here probably this afternoon i can t help thinking of what you told me yesterday i surely thought he was engaged to you he ought to be that s all i ve got to say if i were in his place i d make you so secure nobody else should ever put in a claim and if it hadn t been for the interference of my uncle i m not certain i shouldn t have tried to win you myself rose to get something from the mantel as she passed the young man he caught her in his arms and drew her into his lap the movement was so unexpected that she had no chance to avoid the embrace his lips were on hers in a warm kiss and she was as helpless for the moment as one could well be the time was badly chosen however and as released her they were both startled to see standing by the door turned scarlet but summoned a loud laugh and cried out that they were caught that time how did you find things at he added carelessly i am dying to hear your story he had no idea that would make a serious matter of what he had chanced to witness the obligation that the young fellow was under to him would he reasoned any little feeling he might have he would tell him later that he had acted on the spur of the moment and that was taken wholly by surprise but he soon saw one kiss too many did not intend to take the event in a light manner he stood there as if stunned moment and then without speaking passed into his bedroom miss went to a window that gave on the small and pressed her face against the pane she was trembling called out twice and receiving no answer added in a low tone oh then go to the devil if you want to make such a fuss about it recovering herself the girl withdrew to the kitchen and walked into the parlor and began reading the morning newspaper though very at ease an uncomfortable quarter hour passed and then emerged from his room dragging a trunk which he put into the public hall returning he brought out a and several other things and started to leave the flat don t be a fool cried coming to the doorway if you ll give me half a chance i can explain everything to your satisfaction straightened himself to his full height a dangerous look came into his eyes usually so soft and pleasant stepped aside and the door y have to speak to him he said to r going to the kitchen he ll not listen to me he s gone for a cab i suppose but you can stop him a look of intense suffering was on the girl s face as she lifted her eyes to his i could not she said simply nonsense at seventy not after what he saw was full of lay all the blame on me tell him the truth i ll anything you say he mustn t leave ou like this i don t care for myself but he has no right to condemn you on such slight evidence the girl shook her head slowly and sadly finding that he could do nothing with her went out into the to make one more trial on his own account the baggage was not where he supposed it would be on the lower floor he encountered the who said he had brought it down at mr s request and had assisted in putting it on a carriage that was passing was ever anything accomplished so quickly went out into the street but no carriage was visible in any direction well he s gone said he to miss when he reached his apartment again gone like the wind nobody knows where the girl paused in her work looking on the floor then must go too she said quietly you certainly not he ll get over his fit in a day or so and be back again

0Arthur Conan Doyle

put her fingers in the neck of her dress as if it choked her it will be better that i go he will never be friends with you while i stay here friends with me exclaimed the other excitedly that s of mighty small consequence i must restore him to you will do it mb chapter he will do it for m e the silent anger that rises to white heat is more dangerous than the kind that itself in outward show knew what it was to feel murder in his heart as he stood by the door of his apartment and saw that couple so close together knowing he was not expected on the earliest train he had gone softly up the stairs he was hardly surprised at the sight that met his gaze but he knew no course except to pack up and leave them to have uttered a word in reply to s offer to explain would have been to release the torrent of rage that filled his being was afraid of himself at that moment only a thin veil separated his self control from the revenge to which a loud voice called him he packed his things leisurely like a man in a dream took his baggage into the public hall happened to meet the on the landing and secured his assistance in getting it downstairs saw a cab passing and before could reach him had gone out of sight directing his driver to turn several corners for the purpose of throwing possible off his track he was nearly but at the time he did not think of that he only wanted to get beyond love at the reach of those who had deceived him he directed the to go as far as twenty eighth street and seventh avenue and when that point was reached he stopped and bought a newspaper the columns in which rooms were advertised a little distance from the corner he found a chamber which he engaged and as he appeared honest and respectable the landlady did not require him to pay anything in advance he had eaten no breakfast but he did not care for any he took a chair and sat for hours in a dazed sort of way looking at the adjacent roofs he was in a state that closely resembled at last night came on long after dark he went to bed by the light of the stars in the morning he awoke cold and hungry examining his purse he found less than a dollar in it he sought a cheap in the vicinity and spent twenty cents for a breakfast having nothing else to do he returned to his room and into the attitude of the previous day at night he went out again to a supper the next day he pursued the same course on the second morning he awoke with his thoughts on in his sleep he had seen her sweet face and she had asked him to come to her yes it was his duty to make the journey had committed an wrong to that girl and she ought to know it writing materials at the desk of a where he went for a cup of coffee he a note stating that he would be at either that night or the one hb will do it m following and asking that keep watch for him at the door in the wall this letter he without stopping to think that it required money to purchase a railroad ticket and that the price of the stamp was the last of his resources at noon on starting for dinner he recollected that he was literally his last cent was gone discouraged he tried to think what he could best there was his trunk and his and the thin overcoat that he wore on chilly evenings he hated to part with any of them and he passed the entire day without food in the morning he lay quite late no breakfast awaited him and he was weak and tired at eleven he dressed and descended to the street from sheer growing every minute he walked about looking at the things in the shop windows bills of fare in front of eating houses had a fascination for him dishes that he would have scorned ordinarily took on a positive as he read over their names baked beans how nice they would taste a banquet fit for the gods could be made of that material he eyed the joints of beef and mutton and the fat displayed in the provision stores until his hunger grew so acute that he had to move on a of air from a kitchen with the of cooking made him dizzy at two o clock he found himself in front of his old place of employment the office of the company he as he passed to see if any of his former acquaintances were in sight love at seventy he did not mean to have them detect him but the looked up and beckoned to him with a smile ton shook his head and was moving on when the man came to the door and called to him i wish you would come in a minute he said there is a balance due you and i want to get it off the books the words rang in the hungry man s ear like the whirling of a saw balance due me he repeated vaguely yes twelve dollars for the last week you were here it would be a convenience if you would take it now though wanted that money as bad as he had ever wanted anything he held back he hated to touch a dollar belonging to but after all he had earned it honestly and he was starving how can there be a whole week s pay he asked i left on a friday you were discharged rather suddenly you remember smiled the

0Arthur Conan Doyle

and in such cases it is customary i don t know but you could claim another week as you were entitled to notice but twelve dollars is all i can give you in the absence of instructions satisfied with the explanation entered the office and signed a receipt the other clerks spoke to him in a casual way saying that he was not looking as well as when he left the first thing he did after getting the money was to seek a and eat a hearty meal then he went to his room and he will do it for me paid his landlady a week s rent and after that he took a with some necessary clothing and went to the where he bought a ticket and took a seat in the train as before at he walked briskly toward as he approached the village it was yet too early to think of gaining to the mansion and the young man turned into a by road and paced up and down under the overhanging branches of the tall trees till the lights in the neighboring houses began to be extinguished then he emerged from his concealment sufficiently to gain a good view of the residence he sought and found that it appeared to be in total darkness he crept quietly to the rear of the grounds and knocked gently on the door in the high brick wall without an instant s delay it was opened to him and s well known features were in the dusky light no interference was found between this point and the rooms that miss occupied i received your letter this noon said greeting him in her sweetest manner now let me hear what the latest trouble is as mr has gone to the city i presume it is something in relation to his visit there the excitement which he had undergone during the previous few days had worn very much on he shook his head slowly to imply that her guess was then she noticed that he was very pale and commented upon that fact you are ill i fear she said has something love at seventy so terrible occurred then speak at once and let me know the worst he struggled for a few minutes with the things that rushed into his mind now that he was with her the importance of every move began to force itself upon his mind she had shown a blind faith in her lover on the previous occasion when alluding to his uncle s against him how could he know that she would give a more willing ear to the statements he had come prepared to make i have had troubles serious ones of my own he replied gravely he had counted well on the feminine trait of curiosity for she warmly urged him to confide in her saying she felt the strongest wish to know everything that affected his welfare she said this so kindly and with such a sympathy in her eyes that his voice choked as he began his story when i was last here i told you that we were living in an apartment together and that a young lady was acting as our housekeeper you must have gathered from what i said that she and i were on very friendly terms i was absent from new york less than one complete day when i returned his feelings overcame him at this juncture and he had to pause to recover himself she was gone suggested leaning toward him and speaking no there was a man who professed the greatest regard for me and who knew my feelings toward toward miss i entered our apartment unexpectedly to them and the first sight that k hb will do it for mb met my eyes was my supposed friend with that young woman in his arms his lips pressed to hers miss had begun to tremble as if with a deadly chill the thought of doubting him never entered her head his tale was too evidently true and the name of this man she asked her teeth chattering was she uttered a low cry and covered her eyes what did he say she inquired without looking up he said he would explain everything if i would listen to him responded but i could not bear to hold a conversation then i was too much afraid i might do him a mischief i packed my at once and had them taken away and i have seen neither of them since the revolution that acts the of all is that which takes place in the mind of a woman who the of the man she has learned to love sometimes it takes the form of blind hate and she for a physical weapon with which to strike the object of her wrath sometimes the effect is like the of the page in their lives on which his image is this was the effect in s case if had held another girl in his arms and touched her lips with his he was no more to her and never could be it was painful to learn of it her love and pride were equally injured but the chief impression on her mind was one of a great for months she had thought of little else than this love at seventy man all her plans were made with him as the central figure now the room in which she lived was suddenly stripped of its and nothing but the bare walls confronted her i am so sorry for you she managed to say you must have been very fond of her and her action is incomprehensible it is not that he replied i do not think now that i look back on it that i really cared for her what crushed me was to think that he who professed so much love for me could betray me as soon as

0Arthur Conan Doyle

my back was turned and i cannot tell how long his plan was it was he who suggested her as our housekeeper yes you may as well know it was he who asked me to come here on that errand it makes me feel as if all the world was false as if there was no one whom i could trust she assented with a thoughtful nod and for some time both were silent then she asked what had brought him on to i came to tell you he answered i thought you ought to know and i had nothing else to do left as i am without work without prospects without a home and without a friend the extreme sadness with which he uttered these words touched the girl deeply not without a friend surely she said putting her hand in his with a delightfully graceful motion though i fear there is little that i can do to aid you tell me your entire story if you will be so kind and see if there is anything i can suggest he will do it for me charmed by her manner was led to talk about himself in a way he had never done to any other person she drew out of him the tale of his life from the earliest period he could remember up to the present day when he related his meeting with and the care taken of him in his illness the girl paid the tribute of a tear to the pathos of the narrative i am glad to know is not all bad she said i shall always think of him hereafter as one who is dead and i like to remember all the good things i can of him what do you suppose he will do his uncle is not likely to and he does not seem able to find work that at least is no reflection on him he responded i have tried as hard as he if not harder and there seems to be nothing is it not strange that in a world so vast there should be no one in want of a young man of fair talents willing to labor faithfully agreed with him perfectly then she said brightly that she had an idea she could arrange the matter now mr had been very angry because she wished to become the wife of his nephew and had treated her coldly of late when she told him as she intended to do forthwith that her engagement was at an end he would resume his attitude toward her and she could get anything from him she chose to ask the position in the new york office of the company love at seventy would then be given back to without question or perhaps a much better one he did not answer half pleased at the prospect she held out to him and half inclined to reject it outright because it seemed like charity and from a woman too he will do it for me she repeated confidently when i go to him and call him uncle again there is nothing he can refuse you cannot imagine how fond he used to be of me and only this matter of has ever made any trouble between us stay in a few days till he returns and i can almost to arrange it stay in more easily said than done he thought he had not enough money to pay his board at the hotel aside from his to go there and be subjected to cross as he was thinking this over and wondering whether he might not as well return to new york and wait there for s communication in case she accomplished anything the girl clapped her hands together in like the child she was i have thought of the most romantic thing she exclaimed you can stay here in this house just as well as not in this house he repeated surprised out of himself exactly this wing is never visited except by and me you can take one of the chambers and remain as long as necessary i will see that plenty of food is to you in that way you will be handy at all times for consultation and when he will do it foe me ever you wish to leave you have only to wait for darkness i will even have my meals sent up so that we can dine together you have no idea how thoroughly i am my own mistress that is in everything except the thing i most the right to leave the grounds and see the world by and by perhaps you can help me to that too it was certainly an agreeable that she held out to him and after a reasonable time during which he raised insignificant objections agreed to remain for the night at least and to leave the matter of a longer stay to be discussed the next morning love at seventy chapter xxiv poverty is a weary thing the poet who sang oh poverty is a weary thin g made no mistake had felt its sting many times since the day she was left an orphan to the tender of her guardian she had felt it when turned out the day her small fortune was exhausted and when she had to take a s position in the hotel at then had come with his strange manners so entirely different from anything she had ever experienced and when she had been in his company less than a month the inevitable happened she fell violently in love with the young gentleman at first she would not admit this even to herself and above all things she did not wish him to guess it it was preposterous he was heir to a fortune estimated at hundreds of thousands she had literally nothing but the plain garments she wore he had the of friends that

0Arthur Conan Doyle

wealth always carries in its train she had no one on whom she could make the slightest claim since her to a place in the servant class she had become separated entirely from all she had formerly known only in story books would such a man stoop to lift such a girl to his side as an equal and yet she loved him poverty is a weary thing she had supposed from what miss told her that he would be a very disagreeable person to serve she had made up h mind to endure a great deal of fault finding her meeting with him in the road these fears were succeeded by still stronger ones she dreaded the renewal of such attentions as he had begun had he made the slightest move at that time toward excessive familiarity it would have put her on her guard it was because of his courtesy that the took place in her feelings when mr came to her with his story telling her what the powerful uncle of his guest demanded she was stunned the only thing she had of value her reputation was in danger of being taken from her the landlord said by the village more than this was represented as a most dangerous and foe of honest womanhood she had no choice but to accept the offer to pay her expenses to new york or whatever city she chose and to see that she did not suffer for the necessaries of life while she was engaged in seeking a new situation it was a very dark hour for her when she landed a perfect stranger in the metropolis and sought one of the lodgings she could find work plenty apparently for the million people around her did not seem so easy to obtain as she had been told insult was offered her more frequently than anything else and her life grew as time went by then came the bright face of the face she had resolved not to look upon the face she had been love at seventy told her peace in this world and the next she had been given courage to tell him he must not call again though it nearly tore out her to do it and then when the night was darkest had come liked more than this she trusted him he was as safe to admit to her confidence as a girl friend would have been she walked with him in the summer evenings took dinner opposite to him in the paying her own share something she insisted upon from the first s salary was small and hated to use a penny more than was necessary that came from both lived therefore in the most economical way but economy is no bar to happiness indeed given a of food and clothing to supply actual physical needs i think more real contentment is found among the poor than among the rich liked but never did she dream of loving him removed by the hard hand of fate from the man she still adored her young heart was as true to its idol as if she had worn an engagement ring on her finger and what were s sentiments toward at first they were those of sympathy merely a desire to protect this innocent creature from the rude touch of the thoughtless wicked world as time passed he liked her better and better and perhaps he imagined just before he took that journey that he loved her people get to liking each other so well that in the absence of proof to the contrary they imagine themselves afflicted with the poverty is a weary thing grand passion i have known of cases where marriages followed this state of mind and it was only on awakening some weeks later that the unfortunate parties discovered their mutual error was almost as lonely without as she without him was to both of them something not quite of their own station not exactly a comrade even when he seemed most like one their poverty and their bound them together but that was all when it became apparent that the elder had cast his nephew off and would refuse to aid him in any way had a little flutter in her left breast were to become in reality as poor as she he would not look so far away but there arose between them now the figure of whose praises he never tired of singing to those ears that heard him so patiently though with such pain never dreamed what agonies suffered when he at the table of this beautiful girl and his determination to marry her in spite of all the ever born and then went to see tom and to tell that her lover would always be true to her and that she must not let anything take her from him and in his absence the deplorable event occurred that the little group of three not too happy before but now utterly miserable it was impossible for her to stay there with alone nothing remained but another struggle to support herself she had used up all the money given her by mr and had fore love at seventy borne to ask for more since she had one of his principal that of keeping away from young the life that opened before her was by a single ray of hope she was in such low spirits that she could not resist the friendly that made her on the morning after s departure he expressed such hearty sorrow for what he had done that she was quite overwhelmed how did i ever do such a silly thing he exclaimed twenty times and with each exclamation his lips touched her fair cheek i resisted the temptation at till i thought i had been turned into my sweet girl if you continue to cry i shall take a revolver that i have in the other

0Arthur Conan Doyle

room and spoil your best carpet women are made for affection in times of great mental distress they turn their faces toward the sunlight no matter from which direction it comes continued to talk in a low to set her right again with no matter how great an apology it required he referred to that young man so often that she felt obliged to a word you are quite mistaken about mr she said there never has been anything between us like like what you seem to think we were good friends nothing more but he has been very kind to me and i wish he had not gone away with such suspicions in his mind i have driven him from his home and all i ask is to return it to him he will poverty is a never come while i remain and that is why i must go as soon as i can was much affected go child where can you go he demanded you have no relations in the city as you have often told me your money from my uncle has been stopped let us talk sensibly has run off in a sudden fit of temper soon he will come to his senses and we shall have him back again it will not do for you or me to desert the we must stay here and keep a candle in the window for our wanderer when he gets tired of his and turns his eyes toward home with that he kissed her again and she did not try to stop him though she was by no means ready to accept his plan she did not think it right to keep house for him alone it had been bad enough when three of them were together there were people she felt sure who would look at such an arrangement between young persons of opposite sexes i don t know what to do she mused i have made trouble for you with your uncle and now i have made trouble for him for mr you have both me and received a very poor return not less than three kisses contented after listening to that speech he put his arm around her waist declaring that both he and owed her the most abject apologies for what they had done and that it was a shame for her to accuse herself of anything at seventy you must do nothing he added shall never let you out into this town again hunting for work that would be madness i have a hundred dollars worth of furniture that can be sold without seriously breaking up the and when that is gone if all else fails i have another string to pull i know in spite of what you say that i am wholly to blame for all this row and i shall do my best to it out finally an arrangement was made in this way knew of a girl one of the where she had worked who lived down on island and had to come and go every day on very small wages she thought she could get this girl to come and room with her in the flat as a temporary expedient for the looks of the thing if this succeeded she would remain for the present while tried to make things right with mr she did not like the idea of putting on her hat and walking out into the new york streets without money enough to pay for her trunk to a room the rent of which she could not raise to all this agreed with pleasure though he protested mildly that the feminine addition to the household was a reflection on him that was he also warned her solemnly that in case her friend was handsome she would be more than likely to regret introducing her he was so bright in spite of all his troubles that the girl soon resumed her old manner she set out the lunch and they partook of it together before it was finished he had her actually laughing at hfe is a thing during the afternoon arranged the matter with her friend the maker of dresses who agreed to room at the flat and take her breakfast there getting her other meals outside this suited very well when told him of it at dinner for the next three days hunted for he went to the he had formerly inquired at the house w here he had on tenth avenue dropped in at the office of the company and walked the streets peering into every face that passed in the intervals he tried to pick out the furniture he talked of selling and once brought a of goods to look at it but when the man offered him dollars for what had cost one hundred and seventy five he broke into and frightened the dealer so that he ran away without looking behind him i won t give the stuff to these wolves till i have tried everything else said to i am going to pull that other string i told you of it s a thing i hate but the landlord s agent will be on our necks in a week and there s no help not only is the rent nearly due but the ship is running short of provisions the girl put her hand instinctively on his arm it is perfectly honest of course the way you are going to get this money she said with a deep blush to be sure he retorted also do you think me a my child i m not half as bad dear as they ve made me out to you love at seventy he took her face between his hands and drew it to his own if i had the fortune i have lost he murmured no other man should ever press his lips to yours the girl could not resist him

0Arthur Conan Doyle

he kissed her without the least trace of passion and went out she stood where he had left her pondering on those words of his what did they mean if he were rich no other man should ever touch her lips but he was engaged to that young lady in ah god to be so poor to hold so much love and to hear such an intimation as that a flush of shame that she should have listened to him that she should have permitted him to touch her covered the girl s cheeks and yet he had not looked as if he meant to offer an with the great riddle in her tired brain turned to her household labors tears slowly down her cheeks an hour later she heard a knock at the door supposing it to be the s boy she went to open it mr she gasped it was mr indeed he was even more astonished not to say grieved than she for he had no idea that he would find her in his nephew s apartments but he silently entered and closed the door behind him a old gentleman chapter xxv a old gentleman as walked along the street after leaving he whistled a low tune he had surprised himself by what he said to her but he knew that he meant every word of it and that strange though it might be he cared more for that girl than for any other who breathed in temperament as a he was greatly influenced by the pathetic situation into which his actions had driven this young woman it was clear to him that he had done her a wrong and he wanted to offer if in doing so he proved false to another that was an that he had not yet had time to discuss the errand on which he had started was most disagreeable he would not have believed a month before that he could do it now there was no choice he was going to see his father and ask aid of him in front of a handsome residence on thirty eighth street not far from avenue he stopped courage with an effort he ascended the steps and pulled the bell a man servant in livery responded to the summons is mr at home asked at seventy yes sir but he is very busy is it anything particular i wish to see him j if you ll give me your card sir i ll inquire though he had not been asked to enter either by word or look stepped into the i have not my card case with me he said tell him a gentleman is waiting in the he turned away abruptly but the servant did not seem satisfied he s awful busy sir is it have you anything to sell the young man turned on his savagely he is my father tell him that his son is here at that the servant bowed almost literally in the dust or would have done so had the remarkably clean surroundings contained any of that material he begged mr s pardon and explained that as there were so many agents about and as mr had a horror of them and never under any circumstances bought anything and as he was so very busy to day and as will you tell him i am here shouted the visitor this to cut short the apology that bade fair to be endless looked around the room furnished adorned with works of art on all sides it was a very long time since he had been in that house a time back to the last of his school days he had disliked his father ever since he remember their few had been a old very brief nothing like a war of words had ever arisen but the coolness toward him of his nearest living relation him terribly and now to have to come here like this the serving man returned mr is very sorry but he is an article for a magazine and could you call monday looked so darkly at him that the man a step where is he he demanded in his chamber sir two steps at a time the son mounted the stairs throwing open the door without ceremony he strode into the room where was writing did you send word to me to call again he asked bitterly and did you understand who wanted you the venerable gentleman looked up with a mild but slightly annoyed expression you interrupt my work he said in a low tone his long gray hair swept the turned down collar that was twice the ordinary width he wore a velvet coat and a sailor knot i will interrupt it but a minute replied i want some money it is the only time i have asked you for any since i was old enough to remember give me five hundred dollars and i promise it shall be the last the venerable brows were lifted slightly at the proposition i must decline said the elder man your uncle assumed charge of you many years love at seventy ago there was a perfect understanding that you should look to him for everything if you have lost his you must seek to regain it as i have an important piece of work on hand i hope you will not disturb me further the son s astonishment would hardly let him speak he had known something of the nature of his father but he had not anticipated a refusal one word he said and again the brows were lifted whatever the cause whose ever the fault i and my uncle have quarrelled i am at the end of my resources without money at once i shall be turned into the street i have sought work in vain unless you assist me i shall become either a beggar or a thief the annoyed look deepened on

0Arthur Conan Doyle

the venerable face reaching slowly into his pocket among the bills there and finally drew out ten dollars i ought not to do it it will inconvenience me he murmured but you may have that if you are it will last you till you can communicate with my brother and beg his pardon the father turned to his writing as if he considered the interview finished for several seconds stood there unable to utter one of the indignant things with which his mind was filled i am in doubt he said at last whether to take that money and stuff it down your throat or spend it in poison to end a life disgraced by being drawn from such a wretch you have lived all a old these years as i did on the of your successful relation which having no blood nor heart to cause you to rebel you are able to retain i care not what becomes of me now no greater disgrace can fall to my lot than to have had you for my father with the air of a sovereign ruler left the room and the house a moment later mr summoned the man servant who attended the street door and smiled upon him in his usual benevolent way you know how much i hate to be disturbed he said hereafter if you wish to retain your position be more careful he told me he was your son sir stammered the man here after repeated his employer be more care ful no per son must be al to dis me under any bowed humbly and was glad to escape to the floor below he had served gentlemen in his day who were sometimes violent in their language but never had he felt so uneasy as when in the presence of this pattern of propriety too angry almost to contain himself returned to his home he must tell of the failure of that string which he had believed would save them when worse came to worst there was a half formed idea in his mind of selling everything he had for what it would bring giving her the sum going to the and shipping as a sailor love at seventy the uncle who heard his step to miss not to betray his presence for a few moments and she in great doubt how to act stood physically and between the two men what do you think he cried as soon as he entered the room i went to my father my own father mind you to ask him for a paltry five hundred dollars i told him i had nothing left and that it was either this or starvation or even robbery of course i did not mean the last dear but i had to say something and what did he do he pushed me a ten dollar bill across the table murmured that he was very busy and said that was all he could give i wanted to him where he sat i who had been hidden by an open door leading to another room stepped forward with eyes did my brother do that he exclaimed in a trembling voice looked from one to the other in amazement was gazing at the carpet unable to speak or look at him what did it mean yes your brother did just that retorted the young man when he could command himself does it surprise you did he ever show the slightest interest in me i was a fool to go to him but it was either that or death i can get nothing to do and i am desperate tears came into the old man s eyes tears that changed the manner of his nephew toward him in an instant the tender recollections of childhood a old gentleman returned and blotted out all that had happened pi under he cried in a moment their arms were about other love at seventy chapter xxvi mr s strange would you mind leaving us together for a little while asked mr of when he had again resumed his seat then when the door closed behind the girl he had a long talk with his nephew a very important talk it was too i want to say to begin with said he that i have questioned the young woman who just left the room and am satisfied that i have wronged her seriously she is if i am a judge a pure sweet girl fit to be the companion of any man who lives if i had not something to tell you however that completely fills my mind and heart i should express a doubt whether it is for her lasting happiness to be thrown too much into your society do not me he added as s cheeks began to flush i mean nothing unkind in the hour i have been here i have discovered beyond question that she cares too much for you was not in a mood to comprehend the meaning of this statement and he inquired what his relation meant why stammered mr i believe she you to put it plainly and you can see mb links tie s happy that may make her when she finds that your affections are elsewhere the young man breathed a deep sigh oh uncle he replied i must seem like a very strange fellow to you but you should know the truth within the past few days it has grown clear to me that i have been mistaken all along that the sentiment which i have for miss is the true one and that miss mr sprang to his feet and held out his arms again overcome with joy you do not mean he began yes i do said i regret deeply for her sake that things have gone so far for i will not deny to you he explained that we have in spite of your i began i think by

0Arthur Conan Doyle

pitying who complained of the of her confinement and before i knew it i had asked her to marry me and she had consented i now mean to write again telling my whole story and begging her to release me it looks cowardly but it is the only thing left under the circumstances the fact that his nephew was about to his aspirations to s hand was all that comprehended or wished to know he threw his arms around him once more calling him his dear and assuring him that his affection had endured through everything but now he said when he again became tranquil i have a story of my to tell week i learned a secret that had been kept from me for many years a secret of vital importance at seventy it is extremely probable that i have a living child somewhere in the world who has no idea of its the young man eyed his relation curiously what kind of a statement was this to be made by that venerable man that for forms that of the very you have a child t he repeated yes unless death has taken it from me even before i have found and claimed it came here to tell you the story and to ask you to enter with me at once upon the search that has been quite stunned by the revelation kept perfectly still at the age of thirty five said mr slowly i made a trip through new england on a driving from place to place alone frequently i had to pass the night in villages so small that they did not boast a hotel one night the family with which i stopped contained two daughters one was about twenty five years of age the other sixteen their name was and then he went on with a long story which may as well be put into the words of the author something in the elder daughter interested the guest who had been up to that time wholly to feminine attractions engrossed as he was in his business although he had intended to but one day in the village he stayed a fortnight before he went away a correspondence was arranged a number of years the me strange made visits to his new friends in the meantime the parents of the two girls died leaving them to find their sole reliance on each other ing definite had been spoken upon the subject of marriage but the elder girl whose name was considered this the of the affair she fallen deeply in love and waited patiently for the day when she should be asked the inevitable question in all this time mr had never hinted to the that he was possessed of more than the average fortune his early life had been one of great hardship and when the thought of marriage occurred to him he wanted a wife who would wed him for himself and not for his money on being asked once by a if he were related to the of he replied that he believed he was connected with that family his letters were all dated at new york where it was understood he was clerk in an office but plays strange after going several times each year to visit miss after writing her hundreds of letters mr discovered that the younger sister a child when he first knew her had into one of the prettiest of women his long delay had allowed to reach an age when female charms begin to fade while had just arrived at her full beauty the slow turned almost unconsciously toward the rising sun and the words he had never spoken love at seventy to the elder sister began to come upon his lips when he was alone with the younger one not the extent of the affection which had developed for him none are so blind as those in love he resolved to make his wife if she would accept him it was then that a hundred were sent to to create the most beautiful home in all that region for his future bride but in the whispered confidences which he gave to nothing was intimated of the wealth he possessed he meant to bring her like the bride of the lord of to a mansion more majestic than all those she saw before and to spend there with her the remainder of what bade fair to be a happy and contented life at last the day came when he proposed to the younger sister and was accepted the elder one had seen the drift of matters for some time and though her heart was breaking she bore the pain like a martyr never uttering a word to lessen the happiness of as the home which he intended for his wife was not yet completed mr took her to new york where he kept up the illusion of being in moderate circumstances in order to enjoy her surprise the more when she should see the glories of prospects of an heir to his fortune and house came to the husband and to make him s feel that his cup of joy was soon to be filled to the brim but alas the future is for no man to read as seemed in excellent health mr felt justified in leaving her for seven or eight weeks when invited to join a party of scientific men who were going to one of the pacific islands to view an the young wife urged him to go saying she did not need the least care and that he would return long before the day of her especial trial an for delay occurred however and when he reached san on his return he received a letter from containing the imaginable news the young wife had been taken suddenly ill so the letter said and in spite of every effort had expired with her child

0Arthur Conan Doyle

she had sent for her sister who had done everything possible but all in vain the body had been taken to her former home and in her father s lot mr was so by this news that he felt unable even to visit his sister in law he sent a generous check asking her to accept it for the expense and trouble she had undergone but the larger share was returned to him with the statement that she would take only what she had actually expended the ordered all the work stopped on his elegant residence he never saw again and soon ceased to hear from her the little son of his brother left some time before then began to attract his attention for this boy he had his mansion finished and now comes the strangest part of the story love at seventy when she died was the mother of a old babe which though born before its time was healthy and likely to live the mad idea seized to take this child away and keep the knowledge of its existence from its father she had lost both lover and sister and her heart for some creature on which to lavish the affection that up in her maiden breast she supposed mr what he represented himself a man in ordinary circumstances who would find a child a burden there was plenty of opportunity to carry out her hastily formed plan the death of her father had put her in possession of a little money and she was in want of nothing in the simple way she desired to live taken suddenly ill years after miss had been moved to confide her cherished secret to a clergyman of the town where she resided she a promise from him that he would try to find her adopted child s father if he succeeded the child was to be told of its but if not it was to be kept in ignorance miss only knew of as a clerk in the employ of some house whose name she had never heard and as a distant relation of the famous man whose name he bore the minister did not mean to confide his secret to every person he met it was his object to make inquiries not to answer them he went as far on one occasion as to penetrate the private office of the very man he sought but left it no wiser than he came the instrument maker told him that he had mb s never known of any except himself discouraged at the obstacles he encountered the minister returned to his home feeling that his duty was ended listened to this tale with mixed feelings he was rather disappointed to find that his uncle s life held no scandal after all he had expected from the introduction to hear of an love and the thought of such a thing in connection with that austere man had thrilled him to the utmost however it was interesting enough a short time ago said mr in conclusion the revelation was made in a most peculiar way at a dinner given in honor of a distinguished foreign i was placed next to a prominent physician who long since abandoned the practice of medicine for the more pursuit of knowledge in the course of our conversation he remarked that the name of always brought a sad recollection to his mind the first mother i ever lost in he said was the wife of a gentleman of that name reminded thus of the inquiries that had been made of me by the clergyman i inquired where the lady had resided judge of my surprise when he mentioned the street and number where i had made my temporary home with my young bride before he finished this doctor had said enough to convince me that my wife had given birth to a living child the next morning as you may imagine i was on the train that would take me nearest to the town where had resided love at seventy there i learned that some months after the death of her sister she had adopted as she claimed a child found in an asylum but which i have proved she brought from new york the clergyman has retired from the but by the description i gave of him he was easily identified and i have communicated with him listened without interruption and when his uncle finished he asked have you found your child yet no was the sad reply but i shall move heave and earth until it is accomplished a cool one chapter you are a cool one a more disagreeable situation could easily be conceived than that of mr during the next few days after he became the guest of in the wing of the great mansion that had been practically given up to he was as secure from of an objectionable nature as if in a mountain nobody dreamed of his presence there else it is very certain he would not have been allowed to remain long mrs would have viewed the affair with her frown had it come to her attention on general principles the usually old lady would have been right for this once but with such a good young man as such a of innocence as and such a very wise young maiden as all was sure to go properly was certain that if she could only get an interview with mr and tell him she would no longer oppose his wishes about she could his kind interest in securing for the position he had lost what was to follow she did not exactly know but she believed when the once got acquainted with he would see his good qualities and his subsequent rise in the business as for herself this plan left her love at seventy at it was true but since her experience with she felt more reconciled to her

0Arthur Conan Doyle

quiet home she had dreamed of a happiness that could never have been hers for a lover who would act as he had done would be sure to make a most husband so thought this wise young woman and more than likely she was not far out of the way in her conjectures but there was a certain satisfaction in the very presence of such a fine young fellow as as she partook with him of the coffee and toast and eggs that brought she decided that it was on the whole the most romantic thing she had ever heard of s midnight visits were not to be compared with it in the old novels that she borrowed from the library there were tales of mysterious passages with pass words and known only to the but the were always gloomy and she was certain they must have been damp it was much to have four hero hidden in the upper story of a modern house right over the heads of his natural enemies where he could peep through the closed shutters at his baffled all day long these young people talked together of life and literature and the things they knew and the things they thought it was noon before they supposed it eleven o clock time for dinner long ere they felt hungry the hour for retiring when the evening seemed only begun was their and they obeyed her suggestions tou a cool one by that one blow from it is no wonder that found the society of more than delightful a week may equal a month or a year when two people of their age are thrown into each others exclusive company for almost every one of their waking hours one evening when had been at the mansion for nearly a week he found himself unable to sleep and after trying in vain to the drowsy god he dressed himself took the key to the door in the rear wall by which had admitted him to the estate and went outside the grounds for a stroll it was a most thing to do but he thought it safe enough from what he knew of the character of the villagers in this case however he had made a mistake for he had not been walking ten minutes when he came suddenly upon another and one of the last men he would have cared to meet it was tom there was no escaping the keen eyes of the old man which recognized him instantly in spite of the semi darkness and stopped when he heard his name pronounced well well this is a surprise said how came you here and where are you going at this time of night was happily on the road that led to and apparently coming toward from that direction he replied with alacrity that he had walked over again to have a talk with mr and was just going to his residence said you don t say it s love at seventy lucky i happened to see you for i got and was out trying to walk off the that matter of and his nephew rests on my mind all the time i m afraid the boy is actually suffering for funds and i can t make out why he doesn t write me a word did you give him the message i sent by you that time you came up here somewhat confused not only at the unexpected meeting but at the question suggested that they had best go into the house as soon as possible as his desire not to be seen in was still strong in a few moments the two men were alone in the s parlor then related his falling out with on his return to the city though without giving the cause of the i could not talk to him about anything he said i did not speak a word as soon as i could pack my things i took them away and that is why i never was able to give him your message the deuce said and so for all you know he may be starving to death at this present moment yes said coldly for all i know or care stared at the young man for some seconds there is but one cause that could so two such friends as you were he said at last there was jealousy about some woman no matter what it was replied i will not discuss it our acquaintance is at an end and why then asked have you come to me you ark a cool one poorly prepared for contact with so shrewd a mind had a second of apprehension but by good luck he hit upon an answer that looked reasonable i am still out of work said he and nearly you have great influence with mr i want my old place in his office mr laughed aloud you are a cool one he replied don t you know that i love that boy as much as if he were my own flesh and blood after him without even conveying my message offering assistance you come to ask help for yourself but i m not going to be as cruel as you give me his address and i ll give you he paused noting the gleam in s eyes i should say lend you any sum you need was struck by the position of the old man and touched by the tenderness of his voice i will gladly give you the address he responded you will find him unless he has moved away at no east sixth street as to your offer to lend me money i shall have to subdue my pride enough to accept a little if you can let me have ten dollars i promise to return it at the very earliest possible date the truth is i have not enough to get back to

0Arthur Conan Doyle

the city without walking wrote the address carefully in a little book that he carried in his coat pocket if it will ease your pride any said he i have another proposition to make i would like to employ you for a week or so on a very particular love at seventy and private affair if you succeed in what i wish to accomplish you will be handsomely rewarded if you fail your expenses and a good salary for the time employed will be paid the young man caught eagerly at the proposition while it was very agreeable to stay in the mansion with he knew it was far from being a sensible way to pass any more of his time he wanted the pleasure of again earning something the sensation of having in his purse a few dollars that would enable him to hold his head up among men he told mr that he would willingly undertake any honorable mission i am going to impart a most profound secret said the elder man when this had been arranged you will need to show the greatest judgment in carrying out the i intend to commit to you much impressed inquired why he had been selected for this work for two reasons one is because you are available because you are able to begin at once the other is because it will lead you to a with which you have told me you are familiar that of east started when he heard the concluding statement but he recovered himself and begged his companion to proceed you may remember telling me said that you knew of a family by the name of living in you are a cool owe again there was the slight start that did not escape the watchful eyes of the yes said slowly i remember there were two daughters in this family pursued one of them the younger was named she married and moved away a great many years ago the elder s name was he paused and looked at said exactly she lived during the later years of her life in a village about twenty miles from the name of it escapes me at this moment named it quietly precisely said and this miss miss did not live entirely alone i believe she had adopted a child soon after her sister s death and now comes the secret that you must swear not to reveal without my permission inclined his head in token of assent i believe the child which miss adopted and brought up was the offspring of her sister looked intently at the speaker well he said mr smiled as he was wont to do when he his adversary at a game of were you pretty well acquainted with things in he asked quite well did you ever hear the old man bent forward anxiously the name of the man miss married contracted his brows in thought yes he at said he had heard the name but it had slipped his memory was it demanded triumphantly i think it was said with a nod and was it i don t know but you don t mean you wouldn t wish me to understand rose and rubbed his hands together with glee wouldn t i oh yes i would begins to grow entertaining doesn t it then he told with all the of a about the long past love and marriage of the master of much as detailed by mr himself to and already explained to the reader had known all that his employer knew even in those remote days but upon the latter s return with the sad news of his young wife s death it had been agreed that the matter should never again be mentioned between them upon learning through the new york doctor that his child was born alive the instrument had confided all he learned to his faithful friend by means of the mail after himself visiting and setting a agency to work upon the trail of the lost child had again written to telling him of the latest it was then that the remembered that came from that town and he was making a journey to the metropolis in the hope of you are a cool one finding him when the unexpected meeting took place if he could manage to find this child by his own efforts directed in this way what a crowning glory it would be for him i want you he said to to go to east and learn what became of this adopted child the clue does not seem an easy one from what writes me but perhaps a smart yankee boy who knows the neighborhood may the new york you will see what an important matter this is if you are successful you may be sure not only of your old place in the counting room but of almost anything else you want had been growing very sober during the progress of these arrangements he rose like one who has slept on the bare ground and finds his bones aching you are quite certain that s adopted child was mr s own he asked quite the coincidence is too remarkable to leave much doubt the young man took the money that mr handed to him not counting it as long as it was no charity he did not care what the amount was i will do my best he said simply he went back to the house and crept softly up the stairs writing a note explaining that urgent business called him away and that he would communicate again as soon as possible by mail he slipped it under s door then taking his love at seventy jn his hand he went as he had come carrying the key to the entrance with him before starting on his way to however he stood a long time gazing at the roof that had sheltered him and

0Arthur Conan Doyle

his fine eyes were with the tears he could not restrain chapter and the delight of at being with his uncle was fully shared by miss the old gentleman remained to dinner with them and became more and more impressed with the sweet and modest bearing of his nephew s young housekeeper he refrained by arrangement with from referring in any way to the startling information he had imparted to him while in s presence but after he had departed first assuring his nephew that his former income would be given him and that he had only to present his letter of credit to the correspondent the young man could not help telling something of what he had learned it is the greatest secret he said and i ought not to say a word but then don t she interposed mildly two can keep a secret much better than three i can t help it said i must at least give you an my uncle you won t ever tell will you shook her head with a smile she liked him very much when he was in a mood like this well years ago you see my uncle married he kept it from almost every one except his wife and a at seventy sister of hers and when he was away on a journey mrs l presented him with a child no she didn t that was just the trouble s pretty face exhibited a puzzled look at this statement it was this way said making another start she had a child but she did not present it to her husband she died in fact and a wicked fairy her sister stole the innocent babe and carried it off to her castle in the country sending word to the father that his wife died before the birth you understand and through all these he never heard of the truth till within a week or two the strangeness of this story was admitted by the listener who asked what object the sister had in the deception the greatest in the world replied she was in love with my esteemed relation herself and wanted something to console her for his loss then she supposed him a poor man who would be rather pleased than otherwise to get rid of the care of an infant for he had never told her or his wife that he was a when a woman is in love my dear she will do anything he looked at miss as he said this and she cast down her eyes and in a charming way won t she he asked when a woman is in love won t she do anything said she did not know never having had any experience and you are a story replied you certainly have been in love with the mention of this name made the girl put on a very serious look she replied that she had never been in love with that young gentleman and that knew it well all right then said he we will let the episode pass but at the present moment you are very much in love with and that you dare not dispute to this made a still more vigorous protest but her companion insisted that he was right and greatly enjoyed her discomfiture when she could not in response to his challenge look him straight in the eyes and tell him the contrary the have ordained it he continued when he had succeeded in making her laugh in spite of herself bad as i am wicked as i have been there is mercy in store for me i am to be made a better man by the power of your love she would not admit this but she listened with a high beating heart while he told her that he should never be satisfied until a clergyman had bound her to him for life and she looked still more pensive when he the fact that his uncle had the depth of her feelings even in the short time he was at the house and had spoken in the most complimentary terms of her we are nearer in worldly wealth than we used to be he added if that could make any difference to him what little chance i had of his property is disposed of by the discovery be has just love at seventy related to me if he finds his child i shall never tread the soil of as its owner confound him he exclaimed he acted as if i ought to be excessively pleased at the news why it me out of a clear million then talked with him quietly for a long time of the troubles that came with wealth and the greater happiness that people in moderate means enjoyed before they parted that night he had urged her again and again without result to give him a definite promise to be his wife you are so she said it seems but yesterday that you could only think and talk of miss i know it he admitted i can t understand it in the least it was nothing but pity nothing whatever i was drawn into it before i knew what i was doing the same as you are in my case v she suggested not at all i loved you dear the day i first saw you when that of a sent you after me i can see you now standing there in the snow with your pretty cheeks by the exercise of walking and the cold air and the she bade him hush and said it was time she retired and won t you promise to be mine he pleaded not to night well then he answered pretending to the first thing in the morning at any rate not later than noon i must insist really if you hold me off till dinner time i shall die her head was aching

0Arthur Conan Doyle

as she went to her room and found her friend asleep before her the happiness held out to her was too great she did not believe it could ever come consulted daily with his growing impatient at the of their movements happening to hear the name of mentioned informed his relation that his late friend had once lived in that place this led to a consultation with the chief of the that was managing the search and it was decided that ought to be found and an attempt made to put him upon the case at once but was no easier to find than the long lost child as the reader knows he was during part of this time in the mansion at and later on the errand suggested by mr of which mr had no knowledge have an idea said the at last you remember that miss wrote to him once of course you do perhaps she has his present address it is at least worth trying i am going home to morrow on business and i will try to find out when learned that mr had returned she thought it wisest to appear at dinner she had a curiosity to note whether there was anything unusual in his manner she saw at once that all traces of anger seemed to have disappeared he greeted her with great kindness and when the meal was love at seventy ended he inquired if she would favor him with her presence for a few minutes in the library knowing no reason why she should refuse though wondering greatly at the request the girl complied without comment mr followed her and closed the door behind them some weeks ago he said in an ordinary tone after her to a chair and taking another i spoke to you on a matter very distasteful to me and my manner of alluding to it was hardly i fear less so to you i now wish to say she thought it best to set him right before he had gone any farther in that direction if you are referring to your nephew sir i can save you the necessity i shall never speak or write to him again so i supposed he said in the same voice i have had an interview with him in fact several of them he tells me that for a time he was in the habit of hearing from you several times a week and that it is quite a while since he received any reply to his communications he believes that you must have heard from a certain source of an unpleasant occurrence that took place in his apartment even before he wrote you all claim to your hand there were four letters of s in s possession she had been told never to bring another to her mistress with his on the envelope and she had put these away among her own things i do not like to discuss this matter said and with a sigh i felt justified in all that i did even when it was against your wishes but now it is ended and i hope we shall never have to allude to it again mr bowed profoundly he had feared an outbreak of regret and passion and was much relieved at the manner in which she referred to his nephew it argued he reasoned that she had not been as deeply attached to him as he feared i hope he went on to say you are convinced that whatever i have done has been with an honest regard for your best welfare i am quite glad to let this incident pass without further comment what i now wish to ask you is if you can tell me the address of of mr the question was so unexpected that the girl s cheek flushed brightly she thought at first that this was merely an ingenious way of showing that he knew the concealment of which she had been guilty one glance at the calm face of the dissipated this impression but still she was uncertain what answer to make him she felt that she had no right to reveal s whereabouts until she had consulted with the young man was there any indication of his residence in the letter he wrote you asked mr i have not said that he wrote me any letter she answered mr looked troubled i had hoped you could tell me where to find him he said gravely it is on a matter of much importance i have hired the largest love at seventy a in new york to hunt for him so you can judge for yourself that it is no small affair began to tremble again what offence had committed was there no man whose life was what it should be there could be no prejudice on her account as mr could not know of her relations with him she had accused this man once in her thoughts of his nephew and had found that his charges were only too well founded asked mr after a pause are we good friends again why yes sir i hope so you believe that all i have done has been by a regard for your welfare she assented cordially and do you care as much for me as as you did before any of these things occurred he was bending toward her and there was a depth of emotion in his voice for which she could not account again she answered in the affirmative from the day you came to live here he said you have been very dear to me i love you as well indeed i think far more than most men love their daughters it would break my heart to find anything like a permanent growing up between us dear child i want to say much more to you than i dare and some day i hope to have the

0Arthur Conan Doyle

courage i need you like me you are sure you like me tears stood in his eyes quite innocent of what he had in mind she felt a profound pity for the sentiments that had brought such visible sorrow to this man who had done so much for her rising she put her arms around his neck as she had done a hundred times in younger years and laid her fair cheek to his for a few moments he did not move then he arose and walked with her to the god bless you he said in broken tones as she said good night to him and went slowly up he staircase love at chapter off to green second day after s sudden disappearance from received a letter from him through the agency of mrs in it he told her nothing of the business upon which he had embarked except that it was a secret which he had promised not to but there was something in this letter of more importance to its than any other subject could be page after page was covered with of the most ardent affection i could not speak these words when in your presence said the letter but now that i am able to call pen and paper to my assistance i can no longer repress them within the past week i have learned that life without you would be even my unfortunate condition and without a permanent situation of any kind cannot keep me from telling you the truth it seems to reveal the state of my feelings when i have no home to offer but i may not always be as poor as i am now with the hope of winning you to inspire me i shall yet the obstacles in my path dear dear if so i may call you say i have not offended you for if i have i will never come into your presence or send you another line off to green clasping this letter to her heart felt for the first time the wonderful sensation of true love the sentiment she had conceived for was quite different from that which had been growing up so rapidly in her bosom for was the first young man with whom she had ever come in contact her secluded life left her ready to find perfection in any well appearing person of the opposite sex if sufficiently and attractive but for she had a much more powerful emotion during the hours she had spent in his company she had longed earnestly for some spoken word to indicate that her feeling toward him was returned the least expression telling of his love would have to let loose the full tide of her own affection and now when his su and departure had filled her with alarm and came this sweet proof of all she could ask her happiness was so great that for a few days she did not even communicate the news to three letters came in quick succession from the third one saying he should return on the following evening the maid was told to be on the watch for him and before he arrived had told her all happy at anything that pleased her young mistress rejoiced also as soon as appeared on the premises he was taken into s presence and left alone with her there was a second of hesitation and then the fair girl allowed her lover to take her in his arms you do really forgive me then murmured lots at seventy who wore a haggard look as of one who has passed sleepless nights for answer she gave him her lips to kiss he needed no other have you been doing anything wrong asked as soon as she could speak wrong he repeated with a dazed look yes mr has been here inquiring for you he says are looking for you in all directions then she told him the entire conversation she had had with mr in the library as far as she could recall it give you my word he answered breathing more easily that i have done nothing of which you would not approve don t tell me darling that you lost faith in me the girl embracing him again declared that such a supposition was the farthest possible thing from the truth but even though he were a criminal she protested she could do no less than love him i have thought so much of the dangers we run she added that everything me oh i wish we could be married at once then whatever happened they could not tear us apart the young man gazed at her with tenderness what an innocent flower she was to open her full heart to him i wish it as heartily as you my love he said if i had any money i could call my own i would ask you to run away with me this very night when off to we had found a minister and were made one we could laugh at all their threats and the idea of an completely fascinated the girl to go away with him to stand before a clergyman and hear the words that should make him her husband that was charming indeed when she heard s suggestion she burst into enthusiastic praise of it oh that would be heavenly she cried m and as for money i have enough to last us several weeks i will go with you immediately if you think best doubted the of taking this child from her home with the grave questions of future support that he knew would soon come upon him but how could he resist the pleading eyes and the flushed cheeks with which she offered to throw herself into his arms he found on examining the money she hastened to bring him that there was nearly a hundred and fifty dollars of it it is easier

0Arthur Conan Doyle

to look on the bright side than on the dark one when a young maiden offers to lead the way within an hour the plans for flight began to be it is hardly twelve o clock he said looking at the on the mantel i can go to rouse the stable keeper and get here with a carriage by half past three you can have the things that are absolutely necessary to take packed in by that time and can bring them out to the door in the wall where i entered luckily he added going to a window there is no moon at seventy and the night is dark as pitch you cannot take a great many things and you must select carefully those you will need most you are certain you can rely on laughed merrily she is as sure as my own hand she answered go at once and get your carriage you will have to walk so far i am very sorry for you but i m worth it am i not before the hour announced returned with his vehicle but he did not permit it to come nearer than a hundred yards of the place he had agreed upon he found all ready as indeed she had been for a long time and wearing her outer and an air of mystery is she going with us he whispered in a rather blank tone now my dear laughed isn t that a peculiar question did you imagine i was going to travel alone with a man before i was married to him and what do you think would become of poor if i left her here to bear the blame of my escape he saw the force of both reasons but he felt compelled lest she should think him worse than he was to pretend he had alluded to the extra expense that a third person would that s true mused thoughtfully perhaps if we continue to be very poor i shall have to find a new place for her by and by but now really i couldn t go a step without her you must see thai jt to let me show you the letters i have written to leave behind me he had no more objections to offer and he read the letters with interest the first one was as follows my dearest mamma you could not be my mother and not know what love is a few hours at the latest after you read this i shall be mrs does not that sound strange for little and who is you may inquire he is the sweetest dearest man in the world and i love him that s all i should have confided in you yes that is true but you might have thrown a hundred obstacles in our way and that would not have been agreeable to us is going too as soon as we are settled enough to have a permanent address i shall let you know of it in the meantime dear mother believe me your dutiful daughter and the second one read like this mr dear friend do not think me ungrateful for all your kindness indeed am not i have left your house with him who is to be my husband because love is the strongest feeling in the breast of woman you told me last night that you had searching for mr they need search no longer as soon as we are married and in a home he will tell you where to find him he knows of no crime that should cause him to you love at seventy think of me as gently as you can forgive me as soon as you can and if it is possible come to us and be the same dear uncle you have been to me so long your little treasure rose at his usual early hour that morning ate his breakfast and went mechanically to his office when tom came in they talked of the ill success of the there s one good thing ought to come out of this matter at any rate said now that you know you ve a grown up child you won t think any more of making a fool of yourself an expression of pain flitted across mr s features that is your delicate way of referring to my regard for miss i presume he said exactly the suppressed an inclination to reply in an impatient manner for he knew the good intentions of this old friend so well ah tom he cried the coming on of years does not the heart in a healthy man nor does the springing up of love in his bosom indicate decay of the mental faculties she has promised me to have nothing more to do with i see no reason to change my mind no child will regret to learn that a father s last days are to be brightened by the companionship of a beautiful and loving woman off to green the door opened at this moment and one of the clerks entered mrs has come down sir and says she must see you immediately show her in said mr don t go he added there need be no secrets between us three but when mrs came into the room it was seen that she was laboring under great excitement the traces of tears were on her cheeks and she repressed another outburst with the greatest difficulty both gentlemen rose to her their chairs but she would accept neither oh mr was all she could say and this she repeated not less than a dozen times in rapid succession clasping her hands together in distress what is it asked her employer taking alarm is ill she wrung her hands in pain oh mr how can i tell you read these letters each sentence came with a gasp and then mrs handing him the sank into one

0Arthur Conan Doyle

of the chairs offered her and began to sob violently the took the letters and began to read first the one addressed to himself he had only reached the words with him who is to be my husband when a mist came over his eyes he thought at the moment that had lied to him after all that his pretence of love for was a mere blind to conceal his real intention and love at seventy that it was with him that had gone away he staggered against the desk at which he had been sitting and handed the notes to read them tom i can t he ejaculated in a smothered voice read them distinctly that i may know the worst did as he was listened as one to a voice at the distant end of a he did not understand the situation perfectly until the second letter was read he believed at first that had only been a co with his nephew but when the plain declaration was made i shall be mrs he uttered a stifled cry threw up his arms and fell fainting to th office floor you have her p chapter xxx you have married her was too much in love with to hold out long in the face of his ardent their situation was somewhat to blame for the that speedily took place as he told her with a happy laugh they were already housekeeping and knew each other as well as an couple was ever likely to he had determined to ask his uncle for a place in some department of his business where he could honestly earn the living he received the difference in worldly wealth between him and his hoped for bride had been shown to be a very thin and one it would not be a marriage in high life in any sense now that he was no longer the heir of we are just two ordinary human beings he said in whom the world at large has not the slightest interest don t put me off any longer let me take you to the nearest minister and have it over and this is what was done a few days later the ceremony took place in the parlor with as little fuss as possible the author of this novel is conscious at this point of departing from the rule which belong ago adopted never to lots at the first visitor the newly wedded couple received was old tom the who had only once or twice in his life made a journey of this magnitude had come to new york with a most noisy bee in his bonnet he brought the astonishing news of s flight with and of the effect it had had upon the senior he s a very sick man said in conclusion the doctors don t know yet whether they can save him everything is confusion at the house or they would have sent you word sooner looked at who sat silently listening i shall go at once of course said he nodded his approval of this plan you ought to understand though he went on to say just what the situation is your uncle is violently in love with that girl he confided to me weeks ago his intention to marry her knowing how much you thought of her i the younger man stopped the speaker by a gesture you surprised me so by your unexpected appearance said he that i forgot a very important matter mr let me present to you my wife write anything in the remotest degree he must agree with the conscientious reader that after his life of deserved no such happy fate as to wed a pure virtuous maiden like it looks like vice instead of it which should be the object of all truly moral literature but in this case to do otherwise than as i have would dearly spoil my story and i must choose the lesser of two evils a r you have m i the rose with old fashioned formality and took the hand that the blushing extended he was so confused however that he could not utter a syllable you don t understand it smiled and there is no need that you should my uncle hat been here and fully my choice i d miss very well but is the only woman i ever really loved now you can proceed to finish your story which is not so much of a surprise to me as you might imagine it was probably the knowledge of this feeling on my uncle s part that drove to such a desperate step there was a pause of several minutes during which mr was allowed to recover himself mr and mrs went into the next room and talked over s projected trip to which it did not seem best for her to take with him it was their first parting and was doing her best to appear brave well that s about the whole of your story isn t it said cheerily when he returned to his guest s presence heavens and earth no exclaimed you say you were not astonished at what i ve already told you but i ll you will be before i get through with the rest of it and surveyed the speaker with new interest you have heard said that mi formerly lived at yes assented love at and that your uncle had looking for him in the hope that he would be of valuable service in the recovery of his lost child yes and you knew i suppose that the name of the child s adopted mother was bowed again well what would you think asked if you heard that this same mr s real name is too the wedded pair looked at each other in how do you know this asked i ll tell you i came to the conclusion some days ago that

0Arthur Conan Doyle

if anything was to be accomplished in finding that child besides the city would have to take a hand without saying a word to your uncle i sent to to hunt up a son that had been raised by miss now deceased and whose present whereabouts is a matter of pressing interest i burst into a loud laugh and you think he went off to hunt for himself he cried it looks like it said gravely i happened to ask him once before if he knew the of and he admitted that he did he knew the date of miss s death too when i found him the last time and asked him to go on this errand he had the strangest look in his eyes you ever saw and you know how proud he always was money well he took over a hundred dollars have married her s s that i handed him without even counting it he must have known that he would soon be able to pay it back shook his head as if to say it was ous truly where was it you found him he asked right in the middle of the road at after ten o clock at night answered look at the of the fellow he was undoubtedly hanging around there and communicating with miss and when he learned through my story to him that he was the lost heir he arranged this match for fear he would encounter his father s opposition if he waited until his identity was established oh he s deep enough i tell you it looked like a sure case but another question came to s lips you haven t told me he said how you discovered his true name it was this way replied as i said before i got tired waiting for these slow i went to and found a conductor who remembered taking miss and her maid whom he knew to the city on his train the young fellow kept out of the way and the conductor supposed the girls were travelling alone for some good reason inquiring among the i discovered the driver who took the entire party to the hotel there i learned the name of the minister who was called to perform the marriage love at seventy and when i went to him he said he had not married any person by the name of the listeners looked with admiration upon the amateur goodness exclaimed you should apply for the position of chief at once the minister told me pursued the now that he had married a mr to a miss at the day before yesterday the description of the party with that of our acquaintances as this seemed the end of the s tale mrs inquired why mr had not looked on the hotel register i did was the reply and i found that the young fellow had written there joseph and party he did not mean to be so easily smiled softly to himself just tell us where this mr is now said he and your remarkable history will do for the foundation of a romance i wish i could said the morning after their marriage they left the and no one remembers anything indicating the direction they took the hotel folks supposed it an ordinary wedding trip and paid no attention to the carriage in which they left the of the conversation that now followed was a decision that the most vigorous search must be for mr and mrs as it seemed most absurd to call them mr must be as soon as possible of the m tou hate married her condition of his father s health if all else failed a newspaper personal must be used mr to being nearly exhausted from lack of sleep a bedroom was assigned him in which to and went out upon the street to begin his search alone by one of those strange for which no one can account he had not gone a dozen blocks when he met the object of his hunt on the flushing rosy red or as he may now be called made a stiff bow and attempted to pass without further recognition but planted himself directly in front of him and spoke with determination you are the very man i want he said with earnestness come don t be the first to reject advances whatever harm i may have done to you was and should be forgotten now that you have married another woman i have a most important message to give you my uncle has been taken very ill and your presence is consequently wanted at s face bore no sign of excuse me he said i have no desire or intention of returning to that village if you know of marriage you understand why m i do not understand at all retorted the other after taking the liberty of the estate that was to have been mine you can afford to treat me with politeness if i committed any fault toward you can hardly reproach me with it now that she is my wife love at seventy s manner changed with lightning speed you have married her he cried more than a week ago the extended hand was grasped and shaken heartily and the two young men were again friends well asked as they walked along how do you like the prospects of becoming a i do not know what you mean answered do you tell me asked that you have learned nothing about your you are unaware that your father is living and very rich some one has deceived you was the reply my father died twenty years ago shook his head with decision you are the one who is mistaken he said your father is certainly living unless he has died within a few hours in short you are the son of the owner of why you must know that what i say

0Arthur Conan Doyle

is true then smiled for the first time i know it is not said he and for the best of reasons i was sent by mr to out the whereabouts of that child and i have done so before many days i will prove to you what i say overcome with astonishment invited home with him and the invitation was accepted everything explained chapter everything explained some days later nearly all the characters in our story were gathered at the mansion of the instrument maker of seated in the large were with his wife with his tom mrs and a mr the latter representing the agency that had undertaken to restore the missing child of the between all of these people there appeared to be the greatest cordiality in marked contrast with the divisions that had separated some of them so long indeed there was on each face a good natured smile as if the present had a happiness that completely for the troubles of the past it was evident that mrs had entirely forgiven the of her daughter for she sat with that young lady s hands in hers while the proud young husband not listened with brightening eyes to the conversation between them and well might he be pleased for the burden of s remarks delivered in a tone just loud enough for him to hear was that no other girl had ever possessed such a wonderful treasure in the form of a mate the mother s critical eye had no fault to love at seventy find with her daughter s choice and she was a witness to the old that all s well that ends well mrs if possible seemed happier even than her newly made friend her husband was talking in a low key with the mr and her sweet face was completely in smiles at the remarks he was making occasionally interposed some word that sent the rosy blood to her fair cheek making her still more beautiful she had to touch his arm very often to keep him within proper bounds lest the attention of the should be called to the stolen given to her hand that lay nearest the contented fellow the experiences of the bride had not caused her to lose but rather had the modesty so charming in her as a maiden old tom of all that group sat alone but his face was not a sad one either he was pretending to look over a book that lay on a table at his elbow and glancing about three times a minute at the tall clock in the corner as if impatient at some delay finally a door opened and a tall figure was seen at the threshold every one present rose with the greatest politeness to welcome tom crossing the room took the arm of his employer who was evidently still weak from his sudden illness in response to a whispered direction mr was to a seat by his nephew and the old gentleman walked slowly but otherwise he looked remarkably well everything explained considering everything whispered to her husband isn t he handsome as he passed her and the tired face of her foster father lit up as the faint sound reached his ear when mr and the others were seated mr rose and asked if he should proceed to which an answer was given in the affirmative ladies and gentlemen began the not so formal protested the weak voice of mr talk it right out put in tom you can t tell many of us much that we don t know this remark raised a laugh just the thing that was needed mr was as glad as the others to have the icy air of the room melted you all know this at least he proceeded i am the head of the of co new york some weeks since mr came to me and said he had found evidence that a child of his in relation to whose birth he had been deceived had been brought up by a certain its aunt near the town of the woman had died some time previous and the child had disappeared he wanted us to find it and restore it to him which you never would have done if it had not been for me interposed at which sally everybody laughed again the could not resist the general though he felt injured in his professional feelings by the observation i would not say too much if i were you he love at seventy responded you made about the worst mistake in the entire business as i shall show then the laugh turned upon who was restrained with difficulty from defending himself then and there only the protesting hand of mr with its warning finger raised prevented him i undertook the job myself continued mr when quiet was restored i went to with mr and found that all the points he had been able to give me were correctly made i found also that miss had left her small fortune to her adopted child committing its interests to a guardian who lived some distance away in another state and i discovered that this guardian had proved quite unworthy of his trust if not actually as i believe i shall yet tom had uneasily in his chair for several seconds and at this stage in the proceedings he could contain himself no longer i must protest he ejaculated against this continual speaking of miss s adopted child as when we all understand the matter it is simply that confounded has me enough and i don t want to hear it again another laugh this time a very hearty one passed around the circle you will have to humor him spoke up the voice of mr tom is a privileged character in mr everything explained what shall i call the child asked the shall i say he f no that would be worse yet

0Arthur Conan Doyle

the all eyes were now turned on whose face was with her husband s uncle had her to his side and his shaking arm was clasped about her form strangely enough did not seem to object in the least to the proceeding very well said mr we will use the right this time and call the child she the girl then that miss brought up and which i have absolutely proved to be the daughter of was left in the care of a man named with the sum of seven thousand dollars he was believed to be a most honorable man who would her well and give her whatever balance was left when she reached the age of twenty one on her miss s conscience overcame her and she asked her religious adviser to make an effort to find the child s i should say the girl s father which we all know he failed to do if he could not make this discovery according to miss s desire the girl was not to be told of her origin as it would only add to her distress of mind in that case she was to continue to bear through life the name by which she had been known but here interposed not through life mr f he protested until her marriage then corrected the love at miss had pretended that the was taken from an asylum and that her right name was the man kept this girl till she was of age and then coolly informed her that the amount left with him for her care was exhausted and that she would have to shift for herself i have learned and i hope the lady in question will not prevent my repeating it that his course was influenced by her refusal of his offer of marriage he being at that time a and much fascinated by his ward s beauty it is also said s distress was so evident at this point that the of his own accord while with a dark look declared that he would go that very day to find this and punch his head at any rate resumed mr when the pretty object of his remarks had succeeded in partially her this guardian turned miss out without a penny she obtained work at the hotel here in and from that time her story need not be repeated she is now acknowledged as the daughter of the father she lost so long and as the story books say they ought to live happily ever after congratulations to mrs followed lasting several minutes and mrs kissed her several times and so did her husband and mr while tom and mr looked as if they had as follow suit and now i wish mr would explain pre everything explained the hand he had in this matter said the elder with his feeble voice blushed like a school girl i had very little part in it i assure you he replied i knew miss quite well and she had told me considerable of her early history it interested me when i learned where she came from for i recognized her adopted mother s name as that of a distant relation of my own whom i had never happened to meet after this search was begun mr who had heard me speak of engaged me to go there to pick up evidence in the course of what he told me i learned enough to make me feel sure that miss would prove to be the lost child i traced her to the town where she had lived with her guardian and satisfied myself beyond doubt then i returned to he paused more than ever but mr encouraged him to proceed and then i went to new york on my on my wedding trip stammered i was so full of my own happiness that i could think of nothing else for a few days i meant to write the full text of my discoveries to mr but before i reached that point i met in the street he told me of his marriage and i saw that everything would be clear a glance of gratification was exchanged between mrs and her father one thing more said how did it happen that you took the name of i will tell you when i left my home in love at seventy gate i believed i should succeed in making a fortune for myself and return crowned with success my experience was far otherwise bad luck seemed to follow me everywhere and at the time i came into the counting room here i was so reduced as to be ashamed to own my true name when you asked it i gave the first one that came to my lips mr called all present to witness that the speaker should never have a like tale to tell after that day he would give him one of the most important positions at his new york office at this rose and went over to press a warm kiss on her foster father s cheek the only thing wanting now said mr with a smile is to have mr tell us how near he came to convincing mr that our friend was his long lost daughter the merriment that followed was terrific out of it all tom came resolute and defiant if some of you had known enough to describe a female child as l she instead of if there would have been no trouble he retorted oh you needn t join in the laugh at my expense he cried to his employer it s the first time i ve been wrong in over thirty years as you ll have to admit dinner was announced at this juncture and all proceeded to the dining room walked with a much stronger step than when he entered the parlor for the of good cheer had had its effect on him as

0Arthur Conan Doyle

well as the others he was placed at the head of the board with on everything explained his right and on his left their husbands next to them of course when the champagne was brought he rose and in a steady voice asked all present to drink the health of my darling daughter the of love at seventy chapter a peep at the stars although our story can now be said to be fairly finished the reader may if he desires witness a scene or two that took place in six months after the events in the last chapter the and their most intimate friends and relations were gathered in the mansion for a it was evening and while and old tom were playing their game of in the library mr and mrs and mr and mrs were engaged in a merry talk over old times i never shall forget said how picturesque s husband looked that day he came into the counting room if i had been an artist would have given him a hundred dollars to sit for his portrait and what a fuss he did make because the door had let in a little cold air i expected his stay at the works would be cut short when the new order of things went into effect oh no responded who had a little under his friend s compliment is too valuable a man to turn off he came to me and offered his resignation and i told him to tear it up it won t do to remember old when the time for them has passed a peep at the the ladies applauded this statement though declared that she could not see how anyone could have had the heart to speak to a poor fellow looking for work on a winter s day especially such a nice fellow as there were some terribly narrow escapes besides that one smiled it really looked for some time as if i were destined to occupy the eligible position of being your husband there must be a kind fate that watches over girls or you never would have escaped and we would have made a very poor match wouldn t we mrs shook her head as if she had not the least doubt of it i was shut up here you remember she said with nothing to get my ideas from but a lot of ancient novels so i naturally fell in love with the first man i saw and then he was such a persistent one and so used to affairs of the heart a more experienced girl might have been all laughed at the manner of the speaker which was grimly sarcastic but replied that if there was anything in this world it was a woman why he said i had letters by the dozen from your wife eternal fidelity to me what can one expect of a girl like that you need not say too much or i will expose some of your retorted i have not forgotten when you told me was in new york and advised me to call on her saying i could have all your right title and interest at looked her husband in the eyes did you say that she asked sweetly i am afraid i did he replied with mock sorrow but if he was enough not to accept the offer he needn t bring it up at this late day this satisfied everybody and the conversation turned upon the question of mrs s health i have been well enough ever since i got out of that everlasting routine of my early life she said i believe half the illness in the world is caused by of the mind it begins often in some slight affection and the patient is confined so closely that it grows you don t think me much of an invalid now do you she asked her husband his answer was eminently satisfactory on this point had it not been s rich color and the bright gleam in her eyes would have proved her far from the state of an invalid ought to be the happiest one of you all put in when there was a pause not only have i found a husband but a father and you cannot imagine how dear he has grown to me i never dreamed that anything could be so tender his only desire seems to be to ascertain my wishes and with them in every respect how quickly he has recovered too the doctors never come to see him now and his step is as light as a young man s he tells me that i ought not to sacrifice myself for him as he calls living here in this beautiful house but nothing would induce me to leave him since went into the firm it is the best place for us both a at the her husband admitted this but said he could not understand why he had found so dull when he first returned from europe it was now he actually believed the most delightful place in three or four times a month he and would take runs down to the city to enjoy the theatre or opera and stay a night or two but for the rest of the time there was something wonderfully attractive in that little village in the hills do you hear anything lately from asked of yes and she is perfectly contented it is odd to think that all the time i was confiding to her my own heart troubles she was having an affair of her own i was when she told me she was engaged and that the day was set for her wedding he is a nice fellow i judge from his and all she says of him they were overwhelmed with the check you sent them and are going to put the amount into a cottage i have promised to

0Arthur Conan Doyle

that follows such a meal was upwards of seventy years of age not over strong and yet not done with by any means as far as the natural eye could judge his rather tall and slender form was his gray eye clear his hair liberally with white still retained much of its original dark color and his cheek though pale showed the effects of a life of right living he was dressed in dark clothes carefully and neatly in short a clean old gentleman who evidently believed he knew what he was about he s as honest a lad as breathes i ve had him with c l io a sugar princess me long enough to know him thoroughly i really think an own son couldn t be dearer to me than is the last expressions were uttered very slowly with long pauses between them it was as if the speaker expected to be interrupted by some remark from his friend mr who was like his companion of german stock was somewhat shorter and and perhaps ten years younger the carelessness of his apparel formed a vivid contrast to that of the other and his face wore an expression much less open and by one of those so often seen these men had become closely attached to each other years and years before the opening of our story though there was almost nothing apparently which they had in common unless it was their mutual liking for a good dinner a of and a clay pipe to endure a great deal of each other s company without having any serious falling out and this also without ever agreeing wholly on any subject whatever in fact mr made it a point never to agree with anybody if he could possibly help it if he had heard say that the sun would rise on the following morning he would probably have entered at once into an argument to prove that it would do nothing of the kind still he was not a bad follow at heart and though knew him as well as one man can know another after forty years acquaintance he endured this and usually managed to laugh it off when obstinacy into a sugar princess it you have no blood relations said in a sort of as if this was merely a preliminary to what he intended to say simple as was the question scented a only some distant cousins who are well enough off to need no aid from me calls me uncle but that is as you know merely a matter of form his affection for his dead father is a sacred thing and though he really the place of a son to me i could not ask him to give me a nearer and dearer title knew as the subject of this conversation was now called by nearly everybody though his original name was he had no more reason to doubt that the young fellow deserved the confidence and affection of his adopted parent than he had that he sat there by that table but as he blew the off a fresh of beer that the waiter had just brought his love of was too strong to be overcome of course knows of your intention that you mean to leave him your property he began well supposing he does said peter shifting his long legs uneasily he wondered what could be coming next it s natural that a lad who has nothing of his own should do the best he can to secure himself a fortune answered with an expression of pain not with anger crossed s wrinkled face you do like to mean motives to people was his reply la a sugar princess i know human nature but you don t seem to know replied the other with rising i ll he has never thought of money in that connection from the day i took him in charge till this minute shook his head with an incredulous smile one of those smiles that can be almost as insulting as a slap in the face then with the freedom of an old acquaintance he ejaculated he s not a fool peter he added he saw through you from the start he knows as well as if you said it to him in so many words that if he does as you wish he ll get your money when you re through with it and that s nothing against him as i see in this world every man has got to look out for his own interests peter struck the table with the flat of his hard hand and the beer in the two jumped if i had as low an idea of as you i d send him packing tomorrow and leave what i ve got to an orphan asylum he cried sharply and break your old heart over it afterwards no he wouldn t be worth another thought why after i ve taken him to my breast like a father like a mother when i ve treated him as tenderly as a could treat a lamb you know all about it that boy and i have been more than companions we ve been with nearly fifty years between us we ve met on equal ground the relation couldn t have been dearer if he d been part and parcel of my a sugar princess flesh an you the speaker paused his voice shaking as if it could hardly utter the words would have me believe that all this time he s been counting the hours before his fingers d handle my cash and i be under ground a tear gathered in the grey eye and rolled down the cheek the man had been hurt in his tenderest place already regretted the effect of his but his innate kept him to the argument oh he may be all right he admitted but have you ever tested him

0Arthur Conan Doyle

a hard headed business man like you shouldn t trust altogether to appearances if the boy is really the creature you think you can leave him your fortune if you want to if the case was mine though i d prove that before i did so finished the beer in his and rang to have it his gaze wandered over the walls of the room from the portrait of the old emperor william on one side to that of on the other his mind was not however occupied with thoughts of either of those he was too much distressed over the matter under consideration the entrance of the waiter aroused him from his prove it he repeated vaguely certainly in a way that would settle my lor good and all go ahead go ahead was the impatient you ve got some notion out with it a sugar princess well before i d risk making a young beggar too glad at my death i d be convinced that he was the sort i wanted to with my property or the contrary how how rose from his chair in excitement there are a hundred ways for instance you might disappear for awhile and leave him to his own devices make him think you are dead be dead as far as he is concerned that wouldn t be difficult you ve made a will i suppose let him secure temporary possession of the property and then judge by his actions how deep his grief is if he should turn out the fellow you ve settled it in your mind he is of course he d be delighted to have you return and take possession again if on the contrary he is a he d show that pretty plainly too and if he is one of these fellows who make ducks and of an inheritance you ll not be long in discovering it there s your chance roughly said as sank again into his seat but he added you won t take advantage of it not you you d rather shut your eyes and ruin any risk than to learn the truth for you re afraid it t suit you when you got it the old gentleman at his beer and then muttered that the idea advanced was contemptible mean and need never know there was any trick if he turned out the dear broken hearted son you think he would all you ve got to do is to take a journey a sugar princess and neglect your correspondence with him reasons are easy to give afterwards distance illness and of sudden death in a foreign land are not hard to set in circulation but returned again to the strain that s the use you ll do nothing of the kind you d rather be although knew to the core the mental of the man he was dazed for a moment at the apparent strength of his argument he muttered weakly that he could trust that it was unnecessary to try any such miserable game but all the time he was thinking thinking suppose he had really taken an to his heart what if the kind manner the filial attitude the affectionate expressions had all been influenced by sordid motives oh it was i m too old to go on a long journey alone he muttered at last when the had swung in both directions many times and at last stood still for the sake of preventing your being i d go you this is a serious matter arose to his fe and took his overcoat from its hook leaving half the beer in his no single act could better have shown the extent of his he twisted a long about his neck and drew his hat well down on his head i won t he said in so low a tone that words were scarcely audible he was talking rather to himself than to his companion it s the most outrageous thing i ever heard of then he looked full in the eyes and shot the next words at him i a sugar princess n t have as suspicious a mind as you for all the gold in remarking that if preferred being made a fool of he would have nobody but himself to blame drank the rest of his own beer and prepared to accompany his companion to the street they walked along the chilly way for it was in silence for some time in spite of all he could do the was working in peter s brain when his residence was reached the men went in together for years they had been in the habit whenever they were both in st louis of dining in the same room in which we found them walking together to s house and of spending an hour or two afterwards in the there soon they were seated before a bright fire of logs in a chimney after the of long ago with a singing hanging from a hook and implements for smoking the mantel it was a thoroughly comfortable old place one of the kind more common half a century since than now when fashion has got in its deadly work in every corner of the modern home two old chairs that had been brought originally from germany received the host and his guest lighting their long clay pipes the old men puffed away silently for some time you knew said peter at last for but one thought had occupied his mind during this can you imagine that such a father could have a son who was a scoundrel a sugar princess i was ready his reply he asked if had forgotten what the play actor said the other night in the old may be all right in horses and cattle but it don t count much with human beings you knew too before married her persisted peter refusing to be convinced by the illustration

0Arthur Conan Doyle

i can only give you the same answer but was the impatient has there been anything in what you ve seen of that makes you distrust him a moment before replying that second or two which is always more eloquent than words to a troubled or doubting mind i haven t said there was anything he answered but consider a moment peter matters that involve money should be treated in a business fashion you wouldn t hire a without knowing more about him than that he had a good mother and a respectable father why you wouldn t even buy a horse until you d had him tried around steam trains and electric cars and yet you d leave the of a lifetime to a boy that you really know very little about the host sat with both elbows on his knees leaning over toward the fire the ashes in his long pipe were cold you ve heard some jealous talking about he muttered no i assure you a sugar princess what do you want to annoy for then i don t want you to make a mistake was the impressive reply apparently somewhat relieved took a coal and his tobacco the pipes sent out their smoke together after that without interruption till a grandfather s clock in the corner rang the strokes of ten at which sound arose according to his usual custom knocked the ashes out of his pipe laid it on the mantel stretched himself and said he must go i won t do it i tell you peter repeated three or four times as he bade his friend at the door i won t do it and i won t even think of it again it s too silly as you like responded the other with a disagreeable laugh i shall always be glad to know i did my duty did not go to bed at once he sat before the fireplace for an hour alone peering into the coals as if he might gain from them some indication regarding the matter that troubled his mind the next morning he arose far from rested all the long night he had tumbled and tossed the current of a life that had seemed to flow on most pleasantly was stirred to its at the bottom of what had looked like a stream he thought he could discern a darker the little stir which pole had made had caused a decided peter met at the breakfast table at the usual hour the latter had retired early and enjoyed the un a sugar princess disturbed rest of youth and health he was years of age of medium height with a well knit frame straight well poised he had german hair german blue eyes and a complexion in which the red blood showed naturally not over he merely said good morning to his adopted uncle and devoted himself with a fine appetite to the meal which the housekeeper had set out peter from across the table glanced at him from time to time eating little on account of a lump that to fill his throat he was still revolving in his mind the he had heard on the previous evening if what had hinted were true life had for him lasted too long the sooner he could his testament and leave this earth the better all the affection of his old heart fought against the monstrous proposition that his adopted boy was in every move by the motive of personal gain and with his grief came also the conviction that if was really such a wretch as this would make him it would not satisfy justice merely to turn him out to earn his living he deserved where he sat for in that case he had robbed an old man of his happiness murdered the love given him so freely destroyed as by fire a structure built to shelter and sustain the closing years of a lonely life oh it was you are not eating said the bright young voice s attention being attracted at last to the silent figure t a sugar princess iso i m not feeling just right this morning i think perhaps i d better take a little journey i believe i need a change all right was the immediate reply we can pack up in an hour or two as we ve done before where do you think of going i don t know yet looked at his benefactor more intently struck by something peculiar in his tone you are pale he said anxiously at the same time rising from the table let me call the doctor but peter indicated a negative saying it was nothing and would soon pass away was not satisfied however he went behind his companion s chair took the gray head between his broad hands and smoothed the thin hair away from the temples this may make you feel better he said gently it does sometimes you know the health of the youth seemed to enter veins of the other from between those broad palms witli the touch found the lurking fears vanishing and indignation taking their place it was not now who deserved it was i wish you would let me call the doctor said after a little while your head is hot he might give you something to afford relief no no i am much better the old man roused himself and smiled up into the anxious face putting his trembling hands above his head he took the strong young palms in them pressing the fingers with ail his a sugar princess strength he was better indeed he had regained a great treasure he had feared was lost i am much better he repeated go out now and take your exercise and please stop at mr rooms and say i would like to have him call here this morning it required a little further persuasion to induce the young

0Arthur Conan Doyle

man to obey the request to leave the house before he was quite convinced peter had to ring for to bring him a fresh breakfast which he attacked with an appetite that was not i m all right now ask to come as soon as he can i have some business to do with him the old gentleman was impatient for the moment when he could throw the evil prophecy back in the face of that bird of ill omen he could only wonder as he devoured his chop and drank his coffee that he had let it worry him for a moment a sugar princess chapter ii half dutch half md now if the reader has no and who was ever known to object to a trip of that kind we will ask him or her to accompany us for a little while to in the capital of the group of islands now commonly called the the beautiful town lay in the sun on an april morning following the events in the preceding chapter while all the plain that stretches from diamond head to pearl harbor and from the mountain to the sea was as ever clothed in luxuriant tropical vegetation the on king street half hidden in of gigantic palms presented perhaps the most perfect appearance and on this famous avenue no home had more than that of the far sugar king van if we pass under the massive and the thirty or forty yards between the and the house we may ascend the stone steps and enter the central hall of this mansion if we inquire for its owner a courteous chinese servant dressed in the costume of his country will inform us that mr van has not yet left his breakfast table if however we avail ourselves of the privilege which is ours as and reader we may penetrate with our vision the a sugar princess walls that separate us from him we shall find a man of fifty years or so rather large with a face that his dutch origin a beard carefully trimmed and an upper lip clean shaved we shall notice he wears a business suit of mixed an collar and stock and at this precise moment a very disturbed expression opposite to him the only figure in the room is mrs van a lady some five years younger clad in a gorgeous morning gown and having on her fat fingers even at this early hour of the day a very large of rings that cost a great deal of money and look as if they were worth it i really think the richer you get the you grow was the remark which caused the expression on her husband s face just referred to with all your money you d like to have your only daughter return in a and a fifty cent straw hat she s been three years now at that school in and she s got to look decent when she comes off the you may as well make up your mind to it first as last all right my dear have your way was the feeble response cover the child with and jewels till there s nothing left of the little darling i used to know teach her to look down on the girls she with along the beach at tell her her father is an old fashioned fellow she should be ashamed of since her mother has got her head full of high notions perhaps he added you can make people forget that i came here as a on a that a sugar princess mother was a and that we were married on a hundred dollars a month of course they ll do it if you hold your high enough mrs van an exclamation of impatience it was a disagreeable habit of her husband whenever he got to bring up the fact that they were once in a much lower grade of society what is the use of your having made four or five million dollars if your child is not to have some advantage from it she demanded with flushed face i don t know was the sharp retort i didn t mean to i m sure i remember when we had been married a year and came our one ambition was to own a little house on a bit of land something that would cost with the furniture perhaps a couple of thousand how we used to talk about it in the evenings when i came home from work you thought you d be perfectly happy if we could ever accomplish that wonderful thing well we did it and i don t know as you re any happier now than you were then i m sure i m not i wish i d never bought a share of sugar stock that s what s made all the trouble it was idle to talk with a man who could advance such views as these and mrs van returned wearily to the main question i want ten thousand dollars to go to san with she said you may as well give me the money first as last i suppose so he sighed when are you going next week i ve got to be there early to see about s dress and attend to lots of little a sugar princess things she s the girl at that school and has got to make a decent show you know you don t want her to look like a fright and you only talk for the sake of it you ll be as pleased as anyone when she home to have the s and the and the find her looking so well and perhaps a little better than any of their own tribe mr van went silently to his desk and drew out his book slowly and carefully he wrote the demanded filling in the with many a suppressed groan he

0Arthur Conan Doyle

did not care at all for the money he was honest in the wish he had expressed that fortune had been less lavish in her gifts to him the oppressive thought in his mind was that this instrument would be used to help destroy what was left of the sweet little girl who had climbed on his knees and called him papa for three years he had not seen his idol though he exchanged weekly letters with her he could not bear the sea his experience on the in which he rounded the horn had given him a dread of the ocean that time did not lessen that voyage had been for him one long horror and the smell of a bit of rope brought fresh to his stomach after nearly forty years he had hidden himself on board the craft at boston with a boy s idea that he wanted to be a sailor and had been given the usual experience of a detected arriving at he managed to escape and hid in the hut of a friendly till the hateful sails of the were out of sight then a sugar princess from the lowest of positions he had crept upwards until he was now justly reckoned among the richest half dozen the comfortable of many lines between the island and his native country he could never bring himself to take passage in one of them when his business interests made it imperative that he visit the other islands in the group he suffered all he felt he could endure although the only occupied a few hours his daughter deeply loved as she was seemed while in in a land almost as inaccessible as the moon from his he could only await her return s letters had as yet given no indication that she had experienced any serious change she still began with my darling and closed with yours still the father had hours of fear lest the little girl who had around his ultimately be replaced by a fashionable young lady who would not to his mind fill her place at all he had listened pained to some of her mother s careful instructions had been told never to forget for one instant that she was the daughter of a she was urged to imitate carefully the manners of the young ladies with whom she would be brought in contact in short she was directed by mrs van to repress all and as fast as possible the unaffected ways she had learned in her happy childhood before the great rise in sugar stocks gave her the position of an all this went sadly through the father s mind as a sugar princess he filled out the for which his wife was waiting we shall never feel the same way about this he remarked as he handed her the piece of paper i only hope you ll leave a little of the natural girl in judge by her latest photograph she is pretty enough without being out in all the finery you can buy you ve begun he continued with a sigh and i suppose you ll have to finish but i wish you would give her time to enjoy her before you push her into that fashionable swim you re always talking about the lady uttered another groan you d like to see her running along the beach at again i suppose she exclaimed wouldn t i though murmured her husband closing his eyes in that light print dress she used to wear with her hat hanging down her back by its red ribbons and her hair blowing in the wind i used to looked at her and say god never made anything else so sweet he turned toward his wife don t utterly spoil her if there was anything that mrs van hated more than another it was having her husband her name of to this affectionate it was all right enough when he came a to her father s lowly cottage but the time when it pleased her ears was long past it did not fit with her new and you talk as if i didn t have as much interest in a sugar princess as you she answered and yet you d have left her here in to get no education beyond a term in and a few piano lessons and for all of you she might marry a plantation mr van at this remark marry marry he repeated half blindly he had never thought of his daughter in that connection of course she ll marry do you want her to be an old maid now that she s somebody she can get a husband worth having i really think you d be satisfied to have her marry a clerk at s like i was when you thought me a pretty good catch he asked desperately whenever mrs van got excited she was quite apt to forget the of language which had come to her late in life i guess you was as warm to get me as i was to get you don t be silly you know you d be willing as anybody to have a great man s son in your family when the right time comes a great man s son he wandered what was the extent of this woman s ambition neither of us have any family to of he replied and great men s sorts of such things when they get my father was a dutch and your mother a woman whose father came out here as a the wife began to rub her eyes her allusions to her humble always annoy a sugar princess ed her and mr van was brutal this time she thought i pity the poor child with such a father she sobbed nobody will think of these things now you ve got your money unless you force it on em half the big families

0Arthur Conan Doyle

in new york came from dutch men who landed with on their backs i ve heard that a from is descended from a french baby rescued from a vessel and brought up in the my mother used to say her folks were big people in europe before her father lost his property i m going to make a lady of in spite of you so there with the money she ll have when you when i m dead eh spit it out you don t expect to be an exception to the rule do you i say with s fortune she can get the kind of husband you d want for your daughter if you had the least speck of feeling in your heart you re looking for a duke or something of that sort i suppose he said it being the most sarcastic idea he could think of well i don t think a duke would be any toe good for her a duke or a or a count replied the lady stoutly s daughter married a duke and he came of a dutch family as well as you had a hundred millions retorted the husband overcome at the discovery that his wife was really speaking in a serious vein and you ve got five and growing richer every day there s only and to share o a sugar princess mr van uttered a deep sigh i wish to the lord i hadn t fifty thousand he said earnestly if it s going to put you into any such race as this my money will be simply a curse well go after and bring her home we ll see if the child has got any more sense than her mother he added after a pause during which his wife had left the room half dutch and half and looking for a duke mighty chapter iii was there no between you had his way at last from the day when peter hurled his back in his face he determined there should be no doubt about that he played with his friend as a does with a fish that has been enough to at his hook he let peter have all the line he wanted for a time and then slowly but surely wound up his might be just the sort of young man his uncle believed him very likely he was he repeated over and over in that case it would not only do no harm to prove it but would feel all the better when last trace of doubt was removed and thus it came to pass that the adopted parent was into putting to a test which he had pronounced mean contemptible and but of which he had never quite the idea under the shrewd of its keen when was told that mr was going to take a journey without him he was surprised for he had come to think himself indispensable on such occasions he was not however in the habit of questioning his benefactor s it was represented that he ought to devote some time to study his college career having been broken up by his s a sugar princess tion to s welfare a special to coach him in such branches as he had left unfinished was secured and he was advised to make the best of his time which he promised to do was to go along with peter which seemed to assure him of necessary companionship and assistance in case of possible illness while nothing was said definitely about the length of time they would be absent got the idea that a tour of only a few months was contemplated i shall leave a balance at the bank for you to draw upon said peter the day before his departure in a voice he did his utmost to keep from trembling if anything happens to me yon understand has my will which leaves you fully provided for i have given you nearly everything i own and in addition to my estate i have as you know an for in the of threw out this statement in the expectation that some reply would be given by which he could form an opinion from the words and tone used but merely pressed the hand held out to him he was not as a rule and his action in this matter was entirely in keeping with his ordinary conduct as was instantly obliged to admit to himself another fellow might have cried oh my dear uncle you are too kind or i hope you will live long years yet sir neither action was what had any reason to expect from his boy as a matter of fact would have parted from a sugar princess him with the same warm grasp of the hand had he said instead i have made a will leaving all my money to a public institution the young man was thinking of what he already owed his kind friend rather than of what he might expect in the future and more than anything else that he must keep a bright face to the end come we must get aboard said who stood at their elbows at the moment of their final parting he feared to leave them together too long lest peter should betray the depth of his feeling good bye said patting mr on the shoulder you re in good hands if anything should happen that you need me even if you are taken with only a slight illness just telegraph and i ll come at once you know i understand you a little better than anyone else take care of yourself and i ll make the very best progress i can at my studies the train had hardly pulled out of the station when confided to his companion as he wiped the moisture from his glasses that he felt like a villain he had half a mind he said to

0Arthur Conan Doyle

leave at the next station return and confess the whole plot to knew his friend was not the man to do this having once started on his road and only smiled he was sorry to find him so utterly and began to talk of the probability the almost certainty that the young man would justify his highest hopes he also pictured the great satisfaction that would follow w hen all doubts had been set at rest i never had any until you put them in mv head said reproachfully a sugar princess they d have been sure to come sooner or later it won t hurt you or him when it s over it hurts me now though said the shaking voice you ll be happy enough to make up for it if he proves all right and supposing mind i only say supposing he should prove the other way there was such agony in the trembling tones that felt a touch of in his heart he had little doubt of at any rate it was too late now to back out he had got into this thing and he must see it through during the first month two letters were received from by his ward both were very brief and contained little besides the information that he had reached and san later a third came from mr and contained the news that mr was acting a physician who had been called in feared that his brain was affected but was not yet certain of it said he had suggested that be sent for but his uncle did not wish him to leave his studies then another month went by without a word from either of the though much remained at his post like the boy on the burning deck as he had been instructed to do he continued to write to his friend directing to the last address he had received that of the palace hotel in san until at last his were returned to him marked not called for much distressed he now a sugar princess began to have fears that something extraordinary had mr surely must be able to write in ordinary circumstances if mr was not he could not understand how both of them could be silent then a crisis which had to be met the bank from which had been told to draw funds sent word that the balance was nearly extinguished and requested mr s present address went immediately to the officers of the institution and explained why he could not give the information they desired he asked if they would not honor his until he could obtain news of the absent one but this on consideration they felt obliged to decline to do he next went to lawyer s and asked that gentleman for advice but attorney offered nothing of value he did however mention that s will was locked up in his safe and that it left practically the whole of the old gentleman s fortune if peter should prove to be dead the lawyer said his course of action would be simple in that case he would submit the will to the court and turn over the estate to the he added as if to anticipate the question that until there was no doubt of s he had no authority to a of the funds in his hands was there any between you before he went away he asked oh no it s a strange affair have you got letter in your pocket a sugar princess produced the document and the lawyer read h through several times i don t wish to alarm you young man he said after a pause but don t you think it rather queer that peter didn t want you sent for when he was feeling ill doesn t it seem as if he had changed his mind about you he may have decided to make a new will his property in some other way yes said trying to make out the connection but i don t see as that would be any reason for not sending for me nobody understands him as well as i of course he added slowly if there s any trouble with his brain don t you think i ought to go to him anyway mr that he would be glad to have me come even if he didn t feel like sending for me the lawyer was silent for some seconds you don t know where he is he said finally and if you did it costs money to travel i could raise enough to get to san if he is very sick he can t have gone far from there i m going and roused himself and put on a look of determination mr grew thoughtful again if he has made a new will or decided to which i suspect you ll have to be pretty quick if you expect to influence him he said the young man flashed a look of indignation at the speaker twice he opened his mouth but could not find words deep enough to utter the thoughts in his mind he arose instead and turned abruptly to the door a sugar princess i suppose i could lend you a ot two on my own account called after him shook his head without glancing back he would have accepted the offer gladly a moment earlier but now that the lawyer had practically accused him of wishing to a fortune from mr on his he could not touch his money it would burn his fingers the same evening to the palace hotel asking if they could give him the present address of peter one of the hotel people responded that it was supposed the gentleman had gone to the islands but they were not sure about it the anxious waited two weeks longer hoping each day a letter would arrive to relieve his suspense but none

0Arthur Conan Doyle

came in the meantime he dismissed his and reduced his living expenses to the limit he had acquaintances to whom he might have applied for a loan but with such uncertain prospects of payment he hesitated to ask aid of any of them at last he resolved to set out on a personal tour of investigation the continued silence of the absent men was susceptible of the most alarming interpretation if he could reach san he felt that he should be able to trace their movements in some way and the telegraph and mail had proved unsatisfactory he his watch and chain with what other things he could spare and drew out the last cent of the small balance remaining to his credit in the bank leaving word where a or letter would reach him he then began his journey to the pacific slope a sugar princess as it was imperative that he should travel he did not secure either for day or night he even packed a basket with instead of dining at on the way it was a hard experience used as he was to regardless of cost but he bore it bravely the hope that he would find his lost friend him up through everything arriving at san lost no time in visiting the agents of the lines that run to but the sought for names were not found on any of their lists as late passengers sometimes get their tickets from the this did not absolutely prove that the men had not taken passage in one of boats all the other lines that leave san by sea were next with the same result the clerk at the palace who thought he had heard mr and his friend talking of going to was found but was unable to swear that he was correct in his recollection he remembered mr very well and recalled the fact that had been there with him on two previous occasions all he was sure of was that the old gentleman was in very feeble health the books showing that his meals were sent to his room frequently during his stay at the mr and he left the house together in a carriage after their bill was paid but the utmost efforts failed to the who took them grown quite over condition of things wandered about the city for a sugar princess several days peering into every face he met in vain hope that it might be one of the lost ones finding his nerves getting it to him one afternoon to take a row in the bay as an economical method of pulling himself and a boat together perhaps but for the incident which accompanied this decision you might not have found this story although the day was cloudy and rather cold s attention was soon attracted by a party of pleasure who were the waters in a small and of only one seemed to find cause for fear in the occasional of wind that bent the mast and caused the little vessel to the boats passing and on their to and from and as well as occasional other steam craft took up more of the attention of the party on account of the rocking motion caused by the wake each left behind it there were two young men and a young lady who seemed to be enjoying themselves they had as a more mature woman who uttered little screams from time to time which it was evident she did her best to suppress the elder of the young men who was managing the boat took a quiet delight in her alarm though he was heard to assure her that there was not the slightest danger as the up and down the bay it passed close to s and the voices of those on board could be heard distinctly mr knows how to manage a boat as well a sugar princess as a sailor said the young lady a slight but with very large and expressive black eyes you needn t give yourself the least uneasiness miss besides we are going ashore now in a few moments can can you swim asked the lady addressed anxiously a little and mr can and can t you if we get tipped over there are people all about who would rush to our rescue a little adventure would only add to the romance of the sail don t joke about it was the nervous i think none of us wants to risk death why aren t you prepared asked the young man who had been as at which miss only looked more worried than ever so occupied was the party with this debate that none of them saw until it was too late an actual danger that threatened them a which had been hidden by a large vessel was bearing down upon them with even who had been listening with some amusement to the conversation did not notice the until it liad become a source of peril to the little he perceived it however a second before the party did and uttered a cry at the top of his voice which was heard by the of the and the of the at the same moment it was now too late to prevent the impending crash mr thoroughly aroused to his danger did his utmost to keep his slight craft out of the path of the coming monster but to no purpose though a direct x sugar princess collision was avoided the struck the side of the just at the and threw it violently over in a second all of its passengers were in the water and none of them found it quite as amusing as the recent discussion might have led them to suppose probably there never was much danger that any of the wrecked people would actually drown the men on the hastened to bring it into position to assist them another that was

0Arthur Conan Doyle

but a few hundred feet away and had thought a sufficient distance for safety allowed between the and the bore down toward the struggling ones quicker than any of the others as good a as ever traversed the blue waters of san bay pulled his with rapid movements to where the beauty had sunk and springing over the side he caught her as she came up after going down but once the young lady had not lost her presence of mind although she was naturally much startled she caught a long breath as she felt a strong arm her waist and then let her head rest peacefully on a broad shoulder to which the arm belonged feeling the strength with which she was supported she speedily came to the conclusion that she was as safe as if on land though it must be admitted she was hardly as dry something which may best be described as a species of prevented her struggling to escape the clasp of this total stranger or even of making the least inquiry as to her late fellow passengers presently she a a sugar princess felt herself lifted aboard the steam where to her partly senses there came words which showed that her friends were also safe and it was then when there was no longer the slightest danger to anybody that she did the distinctly feminine thing and lost consciousness as soon as had his pretty burden to the outstretched hands awaiting her he took up his oars and pulled hastily for the shore he wanted to escape the of thanks which he supposed would be upon him for doing a simple act of duty in the excitement his escape was not noticed at first and then the rescued people were too busy themselves on the safe ending of their to dwell long on his part in the affair i wish that fellow had waited was the only remark about him at the time and this by brother i would have liked to give him something handsome a sugar princess chapter iv mr the as he rowed back to the place where he had hired his thought of little in connection with this adventure except that he was very wet and rather chilly or at least if he had other thoughts he was not at first conscious of them the of special interest in the fair creature he had rescued did not make itself immediately apparent to his somewhat slow intellect he had a habit of doing things in a regular order of when he saw a young lady sinking in the water it was the natural thing to after and bring her to a place of safety this finished it was equally natural to row without delay in the direction of dry clothing and a hot bath his landlord was much surprised when he saw his guest alight from a cab which by some miracle had discovered near the boat landing as a general thing are not in san during the without ordering them from a stable the young man s condition aroused the landlord s curiosity but passed him with a mere nod and went to his room as if he was in the habit of swimming in the bay fully dressed every afternoon of his life a sugar princess as speedily as possible he got into a tub of hot water then he rubbed himself briskly with a rough to bring back the full measure of his natural circulation and himself in dry garments throughout calling a servant he sent his wet clothing to be dried and pressed after which he lit a pipe and puffed naturally the experience through which he had just passed was the theme that filled his brain the young lady he had rescued was decidedly pretty his mind lingered over the lines of her face as he remembered them he saw again her dark eyes filled with innocent fun as she over the possibility of a danger she little thought so near then charged with a wild alarm as the bore down upon the frail craft on which she rode then closed as her head lay quite still on he shoulder of her s breath came more quickly as he scented again the of the mouth that had been pressed against his cheek the of her heart had struck through to the hand that clasped her gown and he felt it still for some seconds he had held her as closely as she were his accepted sweetheart then other hands had snatched her from him and he had awakened roughly from his di earn not even half f j and that was and was to be the end of it all it came into his mind that it was not merely because he was cold and wet that he had made h s exit from the scene of his that there were stronger reasons why he had wished to es a sugar princess cape unnoticed without giving his name or inquiring hers a few months ago when his prospects were widely different when he had a rich adopted father and could hold up his head in any society he would certainly have introduced himself to the friends of the girl he had saved and begged them to send him word how she came out of the accident today he was a those people were of another rank had he overheard the suggestion of one of the party that he could have something in a pecuniary way he would not have been surprised it was a perfectly natural thought slowly he pulled away at his tobacco can yield some comfort in most disagreeable situations a knock on his door aroused him that it was one of the hotel people he called come in but arose with an apology when he discovered his error the was a fellow of about his own age who in the house and with

0Arthur Conan Doyle

whom he had passed a few words at the dinner table they had exchanged cards and he knew that the name of his visitor was i hope i don t interrupt you said but i heard you came home soaked and my curiosity got the better of me would you mind telling how it happened not at all rather glad to have to talk to related th particulars of the incident while the other listened with interest a sugar princess what was the young lady s name asked when the brief tale came to an end i haven t the least idea you didn t ask no i was glad enough to hurry home and get into something dry her friends were abundantly able to take care of her the visitor whistled send me a kiss by wire baby my heart s on fire and then paused abruptly you re not very romantic he said with a laugh but to tell the truth your adventure wasn t original the story papers wouldn t give a for it young and pretty girls she was pretty of course s disturbed face was his only answer young and pretty girls have been rescued from drowning in half the novels ever written why couldn t you have dragged her from in front of an even are done to death i m trying to make a hit in the short story line and had great hopes this was something i could use just pulling a beauty out of the bay wouldn t buy the ink it would cost to write it up the of the idea finally forced itself through the young german s brain and a smile came to his features i am sorry it wasn t an for your sake said he besides that would have been more comfortable for me than i only hope the lady won t get an illness from the effects of her mr reluctantly bade farewell to his hopes of a romance and resumed his operations in another direction a sugar princess i suppose you re looking for a business opening he suggested no i m looking for a friend who has disappeared ah brightened up again that s more in my line a mystery eh he got out a is it anything i could use for a magazine i beg your pardon i hope i don t seem inquisitive have you tried the no i m well acquainted with the best people around here and i will introduce you to them with pleasure this interested but at the very moment he started to catch at the straw held out he remembered that he lacked the first essential to make use of it funds no i thank you he answered i m afraid they couldn t help me i ve got no money to use in that way let s hear the story exclaimed the mr i might use it in one of the evening papers i mean perhaps i might be of service to you in some way you may command me i m sure he rattled on i ve lots of time on my hands and i d be glad to put it at your disposal slowly the main points came out it seemed to that there could be no harm in setting another brain to work on his problem where help was so necessary and so hard to obtain the strange of correspondence and the disappearance of mr and his friend interested very much he murmured several times that it was most extraordinary and at the close of the a sugar princess recital declared with enthusiasm that he would start a on it at once if he only knew how it would end have you tried the people he asked as if thinking hard every one you re sure he hasn t gone back to st louis i left word to have a sent in case they received any news and i ve heard nothing you ve the police here why no said astonished at the suggestion then you must do so at once cried excitedly it s more than likely your friend is being held for a mr was with him and in that case would have appealed to the authorities long ago but supposing a gang of had got them both suggested as if with the idea perhaps they ve been murdered he added cheerfully did they carry much money about them the idea of which brought to merely the prospect of a striking plot sent a cold shiver down his companion s he could hardly speak for emotion as he contemplated the terrible possibility it was clear to him now that he ought to communicate with the police that he should have done so long before he regretted bitterly his lack of means to this search and began to dread the discoveries that such an investigation might reveal however he agreed at once to the suggestion of his new ac a sugar princess an d as was the of the idea put himself in his hands the first thing we d better do said is to go to s office i ll have a talk with one of the firm and see if they ll undertake the job on chances you say you ve got no money to spare but if mr is found they ll come out all right they re worth all the police in the state your man will be discovered if he s above ground as sure as you put these fellows on the scent how can i thank you asked as they took their way toward the office in question i don t want any thanks all i ask is that you let me use the plot why it will be a regular mr was in his office though the evening shadows had fallen and his usual hour for closing had passed he nodded familiarly to and

0Arthur Conan Doyle

bowed with more dignity to in the sober attitude of the latter he scented a case and when mr scented a case his every faculty was roused to the utmost without delay the history of s disappearance from st louis as he had just learned it before he paused for breath he had presented the situation the of the who accompanied him and the certainty that sufficient means to pay for the work would follow its successful completion mr kept his eyes fixed on a sheet of paper that lay on his desk and never moved a muscle till the came to a full stop o a sugar princess he was going to the police but i persuaded him to come to you were s closing words then mr looked up he was a man of forty with a clean cut face and particularly bright eyes what is the name of the missing gentleman he asked and with that word gentleman mr knew he had succeeded otherwise would have referred to the missing man peter said his voice shaking a little the fear that some of s might come true were troubling him pe ter er repeated mr writing the name slowly on the paper before him of st louis yes sir describe him as accurately as you can the description was given to the detail mr made careful notes using iii which he was you may return tomorrow morning he said quietly when this task was ended and he added in a tone that was meant especially to impress mr alone i trust you will begin your search without delay said anxiously i must study the case first it does not do to leap before we look in such a matter as this you don t think he has been murdered asked no i think we shall find him and his friend alive make your mind as easy as you can we may need your assistance and you must keep a cool head a sugar princess s head was anything but cool he had half expected that the would produce mr from some mysterious hidden recess s calm manner disconcerted and distressed him there was nothing to be done however and after uttering his thanks for the interview took his leave with mr you see he means to me out were s first words when they were again upon the street i ve got to rely on you to let me dish the thing up when it s over it ought to make a full sized romance i intended at first to offer it to short stories but nothing less than the century will do if it comes out as i expect say you ll deal square with me he added anxiously hastened to assure him on that point you heard mr say he didn t believe he was dead he added joyfully neither do i he s held for you may be sure forty chapters at least ta ra ra of course i shan t use real names but the plot will be splendid de ay old rich feeble held by i wish you d do something about that pretty girl though it wasn t exactly new the way you rescued her but it might work in with the history of the crime by jove he added you must hunt her up if only out of gratitude to me a sugar princess chapter v mr has a n the sleep which came that to the eyes of our young hero as we might as well begin to call him was much disturbed now that he had begun to entertain apprehensions regarding a real danger to his friend and patron he wanted each move made as quickly as possible he felt a sort of guilt because he had delayed to start inquiries by trained a month ago news of the lost ones might have been obtained before this and who could say how important a single hour might be nothing in s previous career fitted him in the least to meet such an emergency he knew of course that mr was old and feeble and that he often carried money enough on his person to tempt die of thieves but such things as and murder belonged to of life about which he had only a very remote conception when he had puzzled over his uncle s strange silence the fact that the stronger and well contained was with him had prevented all fears of that nature he even began to hope sadly enough that the real explanation would be found in mr s hint that peter intended to abandon him and had taken this strange method of doing it even that would be better x sugar princess t han these horrible possibilities regarding the old gentleman s personal safety there were several facts that could not be had not written to or any other of his friends for six or seven weeks he had disappeared as if my magic it was the duty of one who had been treated so long like an adopted son to follow every clue until he learned the truth the introduction to the firm of seemed like a piece of special providence those wise of tangled would surely find some solution to the puzzle while preserving his exterior mr great deal of thinking during the evening following s call at his office it was often said of his firm that s part of the business called for the most thought while s demanded the most action s friends often asserted that he could study out a case in his sleep and it did frequently happen that an affair which puzzled him when he dropped off to slumber came out clear and plain when he awoke from a rest that had been absolutely undisturbed it was while dressing on the morning following his introduction to the reader that remarked to himself in the solitude of

0Arthur Conan Doyle

his chamber that his agency was in a fair way to make a good thing and when got this far he generally had a pretty clear idea of what he was talking about while his coffee in dressing gown and slippers he had the morning paper brought to him he glanced over its columns rapidly with the trained eye a sugar princess of an expert pausing occasionally for a second or two at some piece of news suddenly he chanced upon one which caused even his steady head to he caught his breath several times as he read and re read the that his attention putting down the paper at last he rang for hot water and proceeded leisurely to himself when this was done he wrote a brief note to his partner asking him to call on him before going to the office mr had never known the test to fail he did not wish mr to see that he had undergone the least trace of excitement the of the showed that he could appear as calm as an notwithstanding the temptation to show the reason why he had sent for his partner was that he wished to consult with him alone and knew that would be certain to put in an early appearance at the office when mr appeared he did not look in the least like the dear to the readers of fiction he was on the contrary apparently an sort of who might have been a or dealer he seemed a combination of earnestness and the of force but of the kind when he was admitted he did not the least curiosity as to why he had been summoned he merely uttered a conventional good morning and took a seat it s affair of peter s said speaking with the nephew was in to see me last night a sugar princess mr listened but made no remark he s been hunting for the old man in the natural channels and had an idea that he d been or murdered i m going to take the case on speculation have you seen the morning papers mr shook his head well listen to this he read aloud an occurred in the bay yesterday afternoon which happily resulted in worse than a scare and for a party of people a containing mr william van miss van miss and mr s was run not far from house by the lucky through what seems to been criminal carelessness all the people mentioned were thrown water but were luckily rescued by the and a young man whose name has not been ascertained the van are of the family well known in and miss van recently from miss s school on the heights mr listened attentively enough but his face gave no sign that he found the paragraph particularly exciting well he remarked at last just this the young man s name has been me and he is the nephew of his uncle queer was the quiet remark of the other man it would be in any business but ours now i should say this young man had best be left to me to manage a sugar princess as you please how is he off for funds pretty short and you ll let him get a little shorter naturally mr s face softened into something almost like a smile is there anything else asked mr no i only suggest that the boy had better not see you around the office if you can come an hour or two late for the present i will get rid of him before you arrive no reply was needed to this and mr took his leave as silently as he had made his appearance an hour later when mr entered his business rooms he found there as he expected the young man looked the eager inquiry that was in his mind you had quite an adventure yesterday said a very slight one but about mr have you learned anything i think i can assure you that he is alive and safe where asked breathless it may several days before i can answer that positively a dis look filled the anxious eyes have you formed any theory as to his strange ence other than the spoke hoarsely the one you advanced yesterday mr nodded like a man to whom all secrets were that t i have done though i can bring as yet n absolute proof i think he has gone insane uttered a quick exclamation of dismay a sugar princess that would not account for mr disappearing also he suggested yes it would at present i do not care to say too much in relation to the matter i have set on foot which will reveal something in a few days till then i must ask you to have patience a few days may not seem long in ordinary matters but the time was likely to be wearisome enough at that juncture s funds were nearly exhausted he had nothing left that would bring if with the uncertainty that hung over him he could not engage himself at any occupation he was on a barren rock from which he did not even dare depart should any friendly sail come hi sight except the one he most longed for come in any morning at this hour continued mr not later as i am very busy i have your address if anything important occurs i will send for you good day nothing could be gained by confiding to this man of steel the extreme of his resources and left the office much arriving at his room his heart gave a bound to find that a letter had arrived bearing his name and also the printed address of the lawyer of st louis eagerly he tore open the envelope but the contents were merely formal no news of mr or his companion had been received wrote principally to say this

0Arthur Conan Doyle

and to add that if it d be shown that the worst had happened the will in his safe left the bulk of the old gentleman s a sugar princess fortune in the circumstances a sent to the lawyer would be promptly met with whatever funds he need for immediate use s spirits which had risen at sight of the envelope fell with equal rapidity he had no idea of accepting anything from the lawyer he believed if everything else failed he had acquaintances who would respond to an appeal he could not receive any sum upon the death of his old one of the first things he did was to have a talk with his landlord in which he asked for credit for a few weeks and the good natured reading in his eyes readily to his request then he wrote to one of his st louis friends the of a hundred dollars with no doubt whatever that the answer would be favorable a fortnight passed during which nothing of value was imparted to him by the to whom he had his cause to make matters worse no reply was received from the person whom he had asked for a s frequent calls were the only breaks in the terrible monotony and even they served to the of the situation was impatient over the slow development of the mystery declaring that he could not even begin his romance until he had an of the he did however aid in keeping up s faith in the ultimate success of mr whom he described as the man of his profession j america he s working the thing all right he used to say can t hurry such matters a sugar princess g when things are at their worst says the proverb they sometimes mend three weeks from the day on which had first seen mr he received a note from gentleman asking him to call that af at five o clock punctual to the moment he was at the place appointed i have heard from your friend were the cheering words that greeted him where is he the young man almost shouted he was recently in though he have left now can t you cable no there is no communication the day after i first saw you i found that passengers answering the description of those you seek had the just before one of her last month from a correspondent i now learn that two men whom i feel reasonably certain are the ones were recently at the royal hotel s excitement did not the strange thing the matter continued is that both under different names from those we suppose them to own the one i take to be your friend has attracted notice by the of his conduct which my belief that his mind is but why not mr written perhaps because he has some purpose of his own in connection with mr s estate mind i only say perhaps my advice to you is to take the next s and satisfy yourself that your uncle is being fairly dealt with o a sugar princess there was no help for it now was obliged to reveal the fact that his purse was empty that he owed quite a sum for board and that a friend to whom he had written for aid had not replied to his communication it was a bitter but he had to swallow it mr listened and looked thoughtful who has charge of mr s affairs he asked a lawyer named wouldn t he advance you what you need i would not permit him to do so i do not feel justified in using any funds of mr s mr said this was unfortunate much might depend on quick action at the present moment his firm had gone on thus far at its own expense but it would not be justified in continuing without having its costs he told to call again on the following morning and in the meantime he would study the problem he earnestly advised the young man however to think over his list of acquaintances and try some of the others for a loan little can be done in this world without money was the very sagacious and very true remark which he made in closing the next evening called at s room to see why he had not come down to dinner he had waited for him half an hour already he said responded that he had no appetite but finally consented to try to eat something at the table the latest in the case were related and discussed i can t think of any way out of my was a sugar princess s exclamation when he had finished the recital the soup and fish had been removed untouched the young men were too much engaged to attend to either i ve got it exclaimed at last so loud that several in the vicinity turned their heads you must go to without a dollar to pay my fare if that could be arranged you d jump at the chance eh indeed i would but what is your plan studied a moment before he replied is a he said at last when he s got started with a thing he don t like to give up beaten he may hate to put his hand in his pocket but i think he ll do it if he s approached in the right way go around there in the morning and tell him if he ll furnish the tickets you ll make the trip giving him a note for the amount they cost i d bet my head that ll fetch him hold on he added it won t do to wait the sails tomorrow we must see him tonight come never mind the dinner i ll go right over with you although it occurred to that mr s influence was not likely to

0Arthur Conan Doyle

have much effect he could not resist the only person who held out a chance to him with quick steps they reached the house they sought and presently were with the who listened to the plan mr was in the habit of thinking rapidly and a sugar princess as soon as the scheme was duly unfolded he lifted a finger to indicate that he wished to be undisturbed after awhile he went to a desk took out writing materials and drew up a document which first reading over several times slowly he passed to it was an agreement for a loan of two hundred and fifty dollars to be repaid within nine months with interest or within two months of any previous date at which he might receive his inheritance as peter s heir i decline to sign that sir was s exclamation as he handed the paper back unless you the second provision mr swallowed hard and seemed in doubt for an instant what to do all right it he said finally and you re to go on the tomorrow a sugar princess chapter vi i scenes on the wharf the scene at the wharf when the was about to depart on her pacific trip was the one common on such occasions and yet full of interest to all who witnessed it for die first time the steamer s deck was crowded with passengers and with friends who had come to bid t hem good bye the decks and were so with people that was well nigh impossible when the signal was given all ashore who are going of people went down the plank where an officer was stationed to see that none returned unless provided with passage tickets the pier remained to the last crowded with those who had left the steamer most of them occupied in shouting farewell messages many of the ladies on board the vessel had their arms full of flowers one newly wedded couple was almost buried in gifts of that description the were the last thing to arrive but finally the whistle was heard the began to and the boat moved slowly from her position as the were loosened and drawn on board as the vessel s turned toward the wide waters frantic efforts were made by scores of people on a sugar princess and still waving handkerchiefs and to get the best position s for a final look at their departing friends when the last form had faded from sight the passengers began to make themselves comfortable in what was to be their home and prison for at least six days the time which must before they could set foot on land again who had in the passenger list by the name of leaned on the guard rail and watched the scenes described the first thing that aroused him to special interest was a general murmur that a party of unusual importance had come on board this consisted of the wife son and daughter of a sugar king to see whom every neck around him was strained eagerly s breath came quicker as he recognized one of the figures in the group to which everybody s attention was drawn a handsome young woman with dark features dressed in a most becoming tailor made costume the last time he had seen that face salt water it and around that slender form his arm had been thrown he trembled at the recollection of that head on his shoulder of that heart beating against his protecting hand he started sharply as the girl s quick gaze searched the group in w he stood wondering what he should do if she identified him and when he passed unnoticed among the others he turned away much relieved a young man at his elbow in the confidential manner common among spoke to him do you see that stout lady in black and white silk a sugar princess that s mrs van wife of the sugar king that s her son in the checked suit with the light hat and the pretty girl just in front of them is her daughter except old man i suppose van has made more money out of sugar than any of the crowd she ll be a catch in the matrimonial way that girl and they say she s bright as she s pretty had heard of van as who has not had indeed had him pointed out in a year or two before he knew of the man s wealth and of his homely ways which money had never spoiled he had heard of mrs van too of her ambition to shine in society of her diamonds and paris of her turn the best that the paradise of the pacific could boast the van were part and parcel of the stock gossip of their city where gossip as nowhere else hardly exceeded in interest by the family of the oriental who left thirteen daughters of very much mixed blood giving a fortune to each when he returned to the eyed wife of his youth in china it came slowly back to that he had heard miss s beauty praised by an enthusiastic admirer she being at the time absent in the states quite a number of friends had come to the wharf to bid this party good bye and as the moved slowly from her on the upper deck all waved adieu to their acquaintances on shore miss carried several immense which she kissed from time to time and extended toward her a sugar princess young lady s the exercises by applying a lace handkerchief to her eyes in mock of weeping her mother stood by her side her in tones apparently intended to escape the ears of others but quite clearly heard by all about her that s quite enough she said when the boat had moved its length away from the wharf you must not be too dear remember we

0Arthur Conan Doyle

are the observed of all there wave them a last good bye for we must go down to our cabin and dress for where is asked a most melodious voice or at least one that sounded melodious to a certain pair of ears i t know i m sure he s old enough to take care of himself he may be old enough but as they turned the eyes of miss van looked straight into those of who was standing a few feet from her he was much pleased to note that not the faintest sign of recognition their depths it was evident that so far as she knew she now saw the haired young man for the first time the test was a good one felt that he need have no further fears as far as she was concerned the next test would be that of the brother though so far as he could judge had not observed him at all during the adventure of the bay he was thrown into the water at precisely the same moment as his sister and had seemed quite sufficiently engaged with a sugar princess out studying the individual countenances about him neither of the other persons in the sailing party were among the passengers though thought he discerned the features of miss among those on shore as he walked slowly from the place where he had been standing a appearing gentleman called his attention to the pair who were just disappearing through a doorway you know who they are i suppose he said mrs van of and her daughter was a little proud that he could impart information on so interesting a subject or at least show he was not ignorant at what seemed to have excited general remark yes assented the gentleman the daughter has been in for several years acquiring her education she has a brother on board also william replied apparently crushed by finding that the young man knew as much on the subject as he did himself the gentleman moved on but the presence of the van seemed to set everybody to talking the most absolute strangers found the matter sufficient to justify remarks to each other before the bell rang half the passengers had exchanged information about it incidentally giving their names or exchanging cards with the freedom that exists among americans on an ocean my name is i am from in the business who are you was the usual for a sugar princess with variations one remarked to see that fellow in the brown they say that s general s son father in the regular army you know going out to the islands to buy coffee lands or i heard that man by the door say he s lived for twenty years at do you know his name there was a wild anxiety for the information as to their fellow passengers most of the people in the smoking room made feel in the race the steward aided and to some extent by the had arranged the seats in the dining saloon and when each descended he found a little card bearing his name on the plate assigned him some of these were assigned by request so that friends might be seated near together many of those least used to travel had asked specially to be placed at the captain s table under the impression that it would give them an air of importance in the eyes of their less fortunate fellows wiser ones had put in a claim for the s but in both cases some were necessarily doomed to disappointment having no particular choice among a party of people with whom he had no previous acquaintance waited to take any seat that might be given him he was rather surprised therefore when the steward the list in his hand for the time to hear him say mr at the left hand of the the table was not a large one and the majority of those seated there were ladies on the s right was a mrs going out to meet her husband a sugar princess in next to her was a married couple mr and mrs who turned out to be thy people for pleasure next to was the rev love joy the gentleman to whom he had already spoken on deck a mrs colonel with two grown daughters completed the list the soup was hardly served before mrs began to whisper question to the in relation to the van whose backs were toward the party as they sat in a row at the captain s table the great subject was too important to drop even in the midst of a meal you ve heard about that terrible accident of course wasn t it a narrow escape i was talking with mrs she s a great friend of the van and she said it was simply awful s got over it well hasn t she you can t see any trace of it those girls are so strong they say she didn t mind the at all and never once lost her presence of mind before the could open his mouth to reply mrs broke in there never was any real danger miss van learned to swim when she was a child and with the little has ridden a in the at many a time but she had no here said mrs determined to maintain her and it s not so easy swimming with a woman s clothing around you is it mr she appealed to the clergyman to whom she had been introduced but five minutes before having a general idea that whatever side a took would be henceforth a sugar princess i i really have had no personal experience was the reply but i should suppose not it is generally understood said the springing into the breach through the first opening that women float longer than men i ve heard that where a

0Arthur Conan Doyle

husband and wife were lost together at sea the jury disposed of the estate on the theory that the wife probably lived some seconds the longer and therefore inherited her legal share of her husband s property which thus went to her the two daughters of mrs exclaimed how dreadful but exactly what they meant by it has never at any rate said their mother a man in a boat sprang after miss and held her up till she was pulled aboard the i got that straight and it was in the newspaper too and then not even waiting to be thanked he rowed away in these times it does one good to hear of an honorable and brave action without hope of pecuniary reward she turned toward mrs as much as to say will you dispute that now i d like to see you do it the lady would undoubtedly have entered the lists again if mrs had not uttered the very thought that was in her mind probably the man didn t know her father was a she said with a little laugh no indeed agreed mrs and both of mrs s daughters cried in one breath oh isn t that funny a sugar princess i felt the flush mounting to his cheeks his color did not lessen as the turned to him and said everybody has given his opinion but you mr do you think about it knives that had begun work were laid half poised in the air waited in expectation the hostile of the and the lay on their arms anxiously i i m sure i don t know was all could manage to answer the opinion of the table was unanimous as far as he was concerned he was not going to be much of an addition to their set both of the felt that he had better have gone over to her opponent than that lame and impotent position the talk about the van came to a sudden end all at once it was discovered that the steamer was rolling a little the probability of rough weather during the next twenty four hours was discussed with vigor mr who had made this voyage several times before talked wisely of his previous mrs having been twice across the pacific added her to the stock of information mr a few useless and all talked of and its disagreeable qualities the two miss exclaimed oh my not less than twenty times the only ones who said nothing were the and mr the former because he wanted to make the women happy and knew they could not be so if their tongues were idle and because he was still worried by the talk about miss van and the accident in which he had figured x sugar princess a sudden thrill passed through the dining saloon miss van had risen and was making her way toward the stairs she s giving up already said mrs in a surprised tone who would have thought a girl would get sick is this little swell do you want me to go with you inquired the voice of mrs van oh no mother something possessed with the idea that he ought to go on deck who could tell but a of the vessel might throw that young form violently against a railing perhaps into the sea itself her brother sat at the table dividing his attention between a plate of nuts and a bottle of something liquid mrs van resumed the conversation she had broken off for the moment i have finished remarked to the and nobody seemed to mind it when he took his departure instead they took the opportunity to agree on one thing the only one on which they could probably have been unanimous that he was very dull i gave him this seat because he was alone and there was just one remaining explained the in a half apology sugar princess chapter vii that s the whole story girls most men who are by sea without ladies in their party as well as many who have that pleasant addition to their baggage find the smoking room a convenient place in which to spend a portion of their time tobacco is consumed there at ble t he rate it would be on shore and the boy who takes orders for liquid refreshment finds his position no a game or two of cards is generally in progress the story is in great demand learn that they have been to the same places in distant lands and compare notes to the great of listeners others discover somebody who is acquainted with a place to which they intend to go and pump him dry for information the decks afford a better view of the waters and more air but people who stay there are longer in getting acquainted it is in the smoking room that they to other comfortably on the or although was the passenger on board the he managed without effort to pick up a good deal of information concerning others by the third day he knew most of the male by name and was also aware which of them a sugar princess were accompanied by ladies or children there were about a dozen detached females of various degrees whose he was longer in getting familiar but even these were revealed one by one there were two or three maiden ladies a widow alone several women going out to meet husbands who had preceded them and one who admitted that her journey was undertaken with a ceremony at the other end of the road as its object two women were on their way to india on sunday morning religious services were held in the dining saloon was to play the cottage organ for the singing it appearing that he was the only passenger able to the instrument rev mr love joy proved to be the only clergyman on board and

0Arthur Conan Doyle

was impressed by the captain into reading the lesson it seemed as if the simple act which had performed for miss van would never cease to be a topic of conversation when everything else failed this always served to interest a group not only was it referred to in the smoking room and at the table but it interested many parties gathered on the deck once when was buried in a book out of sight of the van around the corner he heard the members of that family urged to relate particulars of the incident do td l us how it was said a young miss one of the i ve heard so many stories why there wasn t much to it responded miss a boat ran us down and we were thrown a sugar princess overboard when i came to the surface i felt a strong arm around my waist don t dwell on the point interposed the distressed voice of her mother it is quite dreadful i don t see why or mr couldn t have seen to you and let that attend to miss was rather busy attending to himself laughed her daughter i think he was more scared than any of the others mr naturally attended to the lady nearest him and can be excused because she threw her arms around his neck the minute she came to the surface i must protest well i can t see what difference it made replied the girl my life was saved and even if my had been a negro i should have been grateful when as a matter of fact for which information i am indebted to the captain of the he was white and young and rather handsome please cried the mother again shutting her eyes both the miss drew long as if thoughts were too deep for utterance miss van laughed merrily that s the whole story girls except that i made put a notice in the papers that the lady was nearly drowned in the bay would be glad to her handsomely and nobody ever answered it mrs van looked relieved now that her had got into safer waters at last a sugar princess i am very sorry he did not respond tb the offer she remarked i should feel much better to have paid him for the service did you your name to the advertisement asked mrs gracious no you can t tell what the man might have done mr van is known by reputation i may say everywhere i should have feared or something equally dreadful but the accident was related in all the papers mamma protested the man probably knew the next day who we were i don t see why you need be unfair to him possibly he was not a fellow but a gentleman out for amusement quite unlikely my love in that case he would certainly have handed you his card his card case must have been soaked with the rest of him i don t think people as a rule present their cards under such conditions it is a very painful subject replied the mother shaking her head i hope we shall hear no more about it people in our position are obliged be so careful the elder miss inquired if it were true that miss van was a good and have saved herself oh i don t think i should have drowned was s response but when a girl finds a strong manly arm around her mamma let me finish it is much easier as well as more graceful to rely on it than to splash and and besides the white caps a sugar princess j and that nasty complicated thing s i rather wish the young man had made his appearance in answer to the advertisement though if he wanted i would have been glad to accommodate him and if not a few words of gratitude would have been easy to say long before the conversation reached this point had found it and had moved his to a point out of hearing his book had suddenly grown dull to him and he sought the smoking room where among the other occupants he found brother the boy as everybody considered him though he was quite twenty years of age was an object of interest to everybody on his father s account he was full of life and spirits dressed with much style good looking and agreeable there was a strong family resemblance between him and his sister when any of the passengers tried to draw him out about his father s affairs he to one side like a with oh i don t know anything about that in a way that the path entirely even when the of lands or the system of contract labor was on the he declined to interest himself haven t the least a he would answer with the suspicion of a i tell you it s the same thing as slavery said a passenger named from those and are brought out under what is called a three years contract and during that time they are driven into the field black snake sick or well and treated like dog s although they can be made to work but ten hours a day jt a sugar princess the are kept to please their masters and the often put in more than twelve as soon as the country is fully to the united states there ll be an end to this business i should have the people would have foreseen that and fought suggested a young man from if we hadn t taken them pretty soon the government would said they would have attacked the place to secure justice for the abused there and held on just as england germany have done in similar cases the interrupted a gentleman from new york city what do they amount to amount to repeated indignantly do you ask

0Arthur Conan Doyle

what a nation of forty million people to with one of the biggest in the world they d have taken the island so quick it would make your head swim if uncle sam hadn t them the government didn t own a ship a fort or a full regiment of soldiers the new to reply it is often as effective to assume that air in the eyes of those who listen as to bring the most arguments the passengers were led to believe that the new could have mr if he had been willing to enter into a with that person rev mr love joy did not disdain to spend a part of his time in the smoking room or to indulge in an occasional cigar there he smoked solemnly and slowly a sugar princess as his cloth and his presence certainly had a influence on the things said around him if you will permit me a word he ventured tc mr i think you do an injustice to the sugar i have spent some time there and have found no such condition as you describe in what respect demanded fiercely about the men being driven to work with for one thing was the mild reply i do not say it is never done but i saw no evidence of it and as to the hours the work most of them carry watches and are very quick to notice when their day has expired to this mr responded warmly he had his information from good sources and believed it to be true i think if you will look thoroughly into the matter said mr love joy gently you will find that these heathen are brought to a christian land by gentlemen of character who their passage out of their own pockets that they receive several times as much pay as they would earn at home at the same work i that nothing is required of them except to keep an agreement which they fully understood before ing r own country and that most of them manage during the time they remain to lay up a goodly amount of money with which many go into business and small fortunes the conversation was interesting all who sat about the room and every eye was turned toward mr when turn came to speak a sugar princess what is done with a who refuses to he demanded tell me that i he is taken before a judge and given his choice of carrying out the agreement he made when his fare was paid from or of going to jail exactly ex i said mr now if that don t make a slave of him i d like to know wliat would it is contrary to the laws of the united states to enforce labor by contract and the moment we get full possession of the country every will be free to quit his employment if he pleases mr asked quietly if mr thought would be honest for a man who had accepted money to cross the pacific to refuse to carry out his agree ment and for a christian nation to him in the act christian nation repeated with scorn who says america is a christian nation what is a christian nation anyway one that helps a lot of money to out of the value oi their labor the came to and stole the land from the and now sons are making themselves by bringing poor and chinese over to work for half the wages a white man would require i ve no patience to talk with you the indignant speaker out of the room with his concluding words as if he required the entire width of the deck to contain himself the clergyman puffed his cigar peacefully in silence not appearing in the least disturbed mr who had remained silent till now leaned over to ask if the reverend chain a sugar princess l of the sugar had any knowledge of the various and of the best place to invest capital i couldn t say really was the answer he received what is the best purchase just now but i think the never is paying about five per cent only five per cent mr s jaw dropped that s sixty per cent a year they reckon these plantation stocks by their monthly you will have to pay about four hundred dollars or so a share which will reduce your net returns to fifteen per cent per it s not quite what they ought to pay but we shouldn t think of this matter from the pecuniary side altogether what me is the glorious opportunity these poor heathen have to learn true religion and see it in the lives of their who can doubt that the time they spend among such influences will ultimately have a great effect in destroying the and of and china a young man named who was secretary of the y m c a in his town in inquired if much attention was given to the in religious matters why was the somewhat hesitating reply there are churches which they can attend and some they can learn the true path if they wish to i trust there are no or anything of that sort there are i am sorry to say a very few in some of the larger places high license in a sugar princess for instance it is a serious question where so many sailors come ashore men from the and that sort of thing there s not much though as a rule and the places have to close early mr resumed a book he had been reading and another passenger to furnish mr with a little more information i would advise to the new that are being put on the market he said the average is two dollars a month on each share even house servants and have become rich by for these shares and selling out

0Arthur Conan Doyle

again you see the have several advantages over other countries not only is their soil fertile but their product is admitted to the united states free of duty thus putting two cents a pound into the pockets of the i ve heard of that are good for eight hundred dollars worth of sugar per acre in a single crop with that s pretty sure to hold old van the speaker looked cautiously around to note that had left the room again came to a beggar boy and now he s worth the lord only knows how much and there s and and the and the all made the last five years the y m c a secretary from walked out on the deck somewhat troubled in his mind a text of scripture kept in his brain seek ye first the kingdom of god and his he hoped these had done that before they realized so a sugar princess fully the succeeding words and all these things shall be added unto you it comforted him however to know that rev mr the benevolent looking clergyman had d into the matter and was quite satisfied with the treatment accorded to the in these remarkably productive a sugar princess chapter meets mr van each arrival of the at is celebrated by the inhabitants as an occasion of great rejoicing her departure is also the signal for special ceremonies the like of which are observed for no other vessel though many of a much superior class are now constantly coming and going from that port the s are faithful to their old love they greet the precisely as they did when she was their only mail packet and was obliged to rely on her for passage to or from the united states who had grown nervously anxious was disappointed to find that the first land in sight was not that of at his previous visit he had approached from the west and paid little attention to the geography of the coast as hour after hour passed before he could discern the familiar face of diamond head he paced the deck hope and fear in his bosom it was nearly night when the strains of the ment band met his ear that excellent organization of forty pieces which is invariably sent to welcome the coming and speed the parting a throng of people covered the wharf embracing every hue from nearly black to pure white the native race v a sugar princess ing for like children the latter invariably to see the landing and hear the music just as if the same event did not occur many times each year of their lives half the crowd were women dressed in the loose flowing robe which the natives call a h and which is known in the states by the more title of mother all of them were but their luxuriant afforded a sufficiently ample covering around many necks were hung wreaths of bright flowers called while other bits of color set off their faces the men who were less interesting about in a way clad in a mixture of half civilized half garments the few looked by contrast and those who happened to have light hair appeared the of their class a few dressed children showed in the throng and the members of the band in their of white added to the of the scene without troubling himself about baggage further than to leave it addressed with his name so that it could be sent for hastened down the plank and made his way as rapidly as possible to the royal hotel as he entered the grounds beautifully tropical with palms and brilliant flowers he took in with one quick glance everybody on the hoping to discover among them the one for whom he was searching all the faces were however and springing up the high steps he sought the manager it his office a sugar princess is mr peter one of your guests he asked the manager shook his head you are young mr i believe he said it was clear that the manager remembered him he must also then remember his uncle and would know if he had seen him but peter and they surely have been here within a short time sit down said the manager yes peter was here a few weeks ago and another gentleman with him that is to say i have no doubt whatever about the matter though when i called him by name he denied it positively and said he had never been in before where are they now inquired distressed it was all he could do to contain himself they went to one of the other islands in the group and have not returned what is the matter with mr his actions here were certainly very peculiar the hotel man talked of the matter at length he said had under the name of while his companion had called himself jacob they had tried to avoid dining in their room and holding little converse with anyone had been addressed as by several people who recognized him but invariably replied i do not know you sir and refused to be drawn into conversation to add to the strangeness of the affair letters addressed to were opened and a sugar princess read by him and he even carried a letter of credit in the same name he almost convinced me that i was mistaken said the manager but although he created a doubt among many of us there was one man who had been very intimate with him on his previous visit who never had the slightest question of his identity that was van caught his breath and closed his tired eyes for a moment van told me that as mr had evidently some reason for to remain i had best humor him and i took his advice i always called him when we had any business but people

0Arthur Conan Doyle

kept coming in and claiming a recognition and after a week or so he and his friend moved up to s villa at where they stayed until they went off to the young man asked if it were possible his two friends had left the group could passage be taken from any other port except it was possible but very improbable none of the ocean touched anywhere else sometimes people embarked from in on sailing vessels the hotel man having communicated so information now set about acquiring some for himself he plied with questions to which only answers were returned who was with him asked the manager an old friend but i must go at to the villa and see what i can learn there about a sugar princess s villa is situated four miles from the royal hotel and the street car line in the world runs or did at that time up king street and past that not only was the line exceedingly slow but the cars ran at doubtful and intervals each was by a pair of animals ordinarily a mule and horse abreast though why this strange mixture was preferred to two beasts of a kind together is a mystery there being but a single track turn were numerous and waits at each of them prolonged enough to who had need of haste the cars were specimens wholly in a pushing and in many respects modern town like and seldom by above the grade of a native or white car l did not fed however like paying the two dollars which a would charge when ten cents would answer the purpose and as he reached king street he looked anxiously for the cheaper conveyance none being in sight he started to walk hoping that a car would overtake him eventually this was by no means sure after going something like half a mile the young man came opposite to a handsome residence in tropical foliage at which some special event was evidently taking place carriages bearing the marks of private stood along the to the number of forty or fifty the residence was with light many voices blended with the music of an as he reached ihe massive a x sugar princess q carriage passed in containing a gentleman who bowed to him for a moment so was with his thoughts he did not recognize the as rev mr love joy whom he had met on the steamer instead of entering the house the clergyman hastened to the and extended his hand aren t you coming in he asked i do not understand you why the van are having a reception on account of their daughter s return from america were you not invited i do not know the family was the rather cold response i was not presented to them during the voyage what a pity exclaimed mr are such delightful people i met mr van when i was here before miss is a dear girl whom you would find it a pleasure to know ah he continued as a gentleman approached from the house here is mr van now you must let ms present you there is still time to go to the hotel and get into your evening clothes everybody who came on i he will be here though not having any idea of this summary arrangement reflected that a to mr van was something he could not afford to refuse just then he had no idea of course of accepting an invitation to the party if it was obtained in this manner undoubtedly mr meant well in his simplicity when he called out mr van o a sugar princess i want to introduce a fellow passenger young man murmured the usual come right in said the sugar in his unaffected way i ll show you where to put your things excuse me it is quite impossible i am going to but added in a lower tone relieved that the minister had been taken in charge by a servant i would like to speak to you just a moment on another matter mr van bowed i am looking for mr peter an adopted uncle of mine whom i understand you have seen recently in the lifted his eyes and took a careful survey of his companion s features so you are that young man he said thoughtfully let us walk into the garden there is less confusion there too anxious to decline followed immediately what have you done to m r s good opinion was van s sober when they found themselves alone nothing that i am aware of said looking at his it is very strange pardon my mr came here under an assumed name with his chief object as i gather that of you while here i learned from the attorney who did the work he executed a will you who had previously been his principal and his estate to and you say you can no reason for these proceedings a sugar princess not only do i say that was the impatient answer but i care nothing about the matter in itself mr has already done more for me than i had any right to expect though he had formerly executed a will in my favor he did it without consulting me at all it was not to talk of his property but of himself i accepted mr love joy s offer to present me to you i want to find my friend the mystery is a painful one he left st louis several months ago promising to write often and i have received but two letter s if in either of them he had intimated that hie wished our friendship to end and had given the slightest reason for such a wish i would have resigned myself to his desire i am sorry to annoy you with this matter when you have duties so important tonight but the sudden close

0Arthur Conan Doyle

of years of kindness me beyond expression i only ask one minute in mr s presence one word from him that he means what his silence leads me to fear the gaze that was fixed on speaker seemed to pierce him through and through if there was one trait which van believed he possessed it was to read his fellow men he saw into s mind as if with the rays what he discovered there the reader must be content to learn some chapters further on there are no going to tomorrow where i believe he is now he said slowly if you will call at my office between nine and noon i will talk with you in the meantime you had best spend the evening here x sugar princess the invitation to call at the office declined that to join in the reception he wanted t get to s villa as quickly as possible and see if any clue could be obtained there to the mystery that troubled him a sugar princess the burial of a queen although it was earlier than the night was nearly as bright as day and the fascination of the tropical air was at its height walked with long strides up the road he knew so well breathing the perfume of shrubs and trees with which the way was lined catching occasionally also the breath of the sea from across the meadows when the street car finally overtook him he let it pass he was rather glad of the chance to stretch his legs after the confinement of six days on at s villa there was little to learn he asked for his uncle in the name of inquiring as as possible whether anything special in his manner had attracted attention mr the landlord met the question with a prompt affirmative he didn t seem more than half in his right mind he said he was quiet enough perfectly polite but sort of wandering in his thoughts uneasy and queer has he had a fit of illness lately several of the stand among the regular were on the when this conversation took place joined in if you want my opinion i think the fellow s said a dark eyed and rather slender young man in a a sugar princess tone he wouldn t know enough to come in when it rains only for that chap with him i said so the first time i saw him didn t i appealing tc the others you certainly did said a second who wore glasses and was in the lumber trade i heard down street too that wasn t his right name a mr from joined in the talk agree ing with the others that had seemed decidedly strange as there was nothing more to learn took his leave with thanks and happening tc catch a car rode back to his hotel the next morning at the hour he found mr van ready to receive him the conversation between them though it lasted for several hours need not be repeated here at length suffice it to say that the drew from the young man his entire history and seemed impressed by the answers to his numerous questions peter s conduct during the past few months the admitted could be reconciled with no theory except that of a confused brain or a determination to rid himself forever of his to the latter s suggestion car gave a melancholy assent he was coming tc fee that this offered the only solution of s strange conduct but he need not have put himself to all this trouble said he with a clouded brow i have no claim upon him a few words or a brief note if he did not like to tell me directly would have been sufficient it is true i should have asked an explanation not as a right but to satisfy myself as to the cause ol a sugar his changed attitude and still he could have declined to answer i wish i knew what to do if he is acting under a mental delusion it is my duty as well as pleasure to give him any assistance in my power as he certainly executed a new will while here w hich you is it not wiser to face the inevitable and look about for some means of earning your from your own statements you cannot much longer put off that necessity i think i will try a little longer to settle the main question mr is somewhere in this group of islands it cannot be long now before i shall either find him or convince myself that he does not wish to see me very well was the reply as a friend of mr s you may apply to me for any financial aid you find necessary the amount to be repaid when convenient showing the he could not shake off thanked the merchant in his usual quiet way and took leave respectfully the first steamer which arrived from a tour of the islands brought some information about the the identified by the names of and had recently left for with the expressed intention of visiting the district at once for feeling that he was at last on the right track the next morning an event occurred served to his attention and may be said to have put the entire population in mourning the queen a sugar princess the much esteemed widow of who had lived in retirement since the death of her husband breathed her last to the native it was as if the death of a dearly beloved relation had occurred more than this it was another to this rapidly vanishing people that the last of their old rulers were going with themselves the way of all the earth the of these islands seem to many a theme for but they certainty fitted with their surroundings the gave color and beauty to life

0Arthur Conan Doyle

in the most picturesque of countries with very limited means at their disposal the entire line from i to have shown a liberality toward objects of public welfare which royal house of europe has ever approached that this tendency has affected even the white of their the magnificent of the public schools by mr bishop well no queen among the great abroad has a memorial tc her generosity to queen s hospital standing in the most beautiful grounds in all park the broad ground open to all to which the band thousands on sundays and holidays was the free gift of t he lady for whom it was named the generosity of these sovereigns to old and was as as there are many people of pure in who openly express regret at the passing ol the old order and find their eyes filled with tears when a sugar princess ever the band sends out upon the air the tender strains of every man and woman whom met that morning as he strolled slowly toward the dead queen s late home showed traces of weeping the women wore without exception black of them were marching and towards sure that no would bar their way to the side of the queen they had adored as soon as the body could be placed on its bed of state all visitors were freely admitted and from that time until the end of the funeral ceremonies some days later the grounds around the residence were filled with hundreds of people day and night liberal provision for supplying food freely to all comers was made by the two princes s adopted sons and the soft and warm air made no other shelter necessary than the star studded vault of heaven the moon happened to be full and the scene when the numerous groups were seated on the ground around old men and women who the of the race was one never to be forgotten the writer of these lines was there also and found few things more interesting in the travels which took him around the globe this is not the place to detail the strange mixture of ceremonies half half christian that accompanied the funeral others have told how the but recently raised american flags on the public buildings were lowered to half mast how the american troops in the outskirts in the procession including four hundred who drew a sugar princess the while minute guns announced the fact that a former ruler was being borne to her grave but will never forget the tall figures of the numerous chiefs who came from all quarters of the realm with their feather of ancient make and that had waved over lines of dead princes whose very names are now forgotten from the balcony of the native he heard the words of the english burial service read before an audience composed of many colors races and representatives of foreign were there some in gorgeous of rank but few could have seen in their own land a pomp more fitting or a grief more real the of a hundred tall of nearly every color waved from poles of immense height and seemed to bend in sympathy toward the throng where every person was a real a few days later as if like the music of a returning drum corps at a military burial the first fourth of july under which had been an american colony was ushered in with noise and excitement the natives with citizens and visitors born elsewhere made the best they could of the occasion while eyed and lined the streets and looked on with wonder the pretty town was en but while the mass were joining in the there were others hidden behind closed doors and shaded windows with hearts our young friend stood on the till the parade had passed but the shouts and music on his brain it was over he walked a sugar princess slowly up to and took a long swim among the beach was a scene of gaiety interesting to behold hundreds were there besides himself occasional groups of native boys and girls were to be seen as much at home in the water as a school of fishes and in many cases clad in hardly more elaborate the of the people are not very seriously in their old habits by white their brown skins apparently of the texture of velvet answers very well for a covering and wliich custom has prescribed for the races are stretched good for them this is so shallow that can walk three or four hundred yards from shore without finding the water above their necks if they are careful to avoid a few spots where the sand takes a sudden and deep descent far out from the land are over which the waves break and there the native is a delight both to the and when he had been in the waiter nearly an hour became aware that among the near him were young van and his sister recognized him and nodded pleasantly while stole a in his direction as if she remembered seeing him before splendid surf isn t it said when he got nearer we ve known this beach ever since we were babies and it s grand to get back to ft again you re making quite a stay i hope you ll find our lime island interesting a sugar princess answered with some uneasiness that it was a very beautiful place the of miss who was but a hundred feet away confused him he could not quite get over the fear that she would address him suddenly with aren t you the man who rescued me at san miss van was not of the build which is considered true type of a water by artists and in general she was too slender to fill picture usually drawn but to the eyes that now watched her she was very lovely

0Arthur Conan Doyle

in those clinging garments with her dark hair half hidden under the cap her face lost nothing of its with the exercise and her laugh rang out like music when he placed her before her and let a huge wave carry her with the speed of a toward the land she can swim like a laughed the brother as he caught a nervous look on s countenance she learned that playing with the little girls when she was a mere baby yes i m coming he shouted as to him realized perfectly that he was desperately in love with this but he realized still more that his passion must be a hopeless one he was not only the life he had led as the companion of peter had left him without any profession by which money could be obtained he was even in debt for the amount of his fare to the island and the price of his board at the hotel he felt a sharp pang as he reflected on the wide distance that must henceforth separate him from every ambition but the sole one of earning an honest a sugar princess he turned his face resolutely away from his and returning to the pulled off his bathing suit and stood for some moments under the water of the shower bath when he was dressed he slowly strolled back to town street cars passed him crowded with merry passengers chinese and the population which is growing out of their when it comes to matrimony the girls prefer any race apparently to their own and the reason is not far to seek few lads have either commercial instinct or industrious habits to become the wife of one of them promises little but the necessity of earning the family s support on the part of the woman the native girls who have white fathers form a very pretty type with their no darker on an average than a s their luxuriant black hair and soft brown eyes they are generally successful in the desire of their hearts to marry a white man those who cannot secure so high a prize usually accept a or who as a rule provide well for them and treat them kindly it being a general holiday every public carriage was in and every person who owned a of any description had it out the national band was sweet music at park to which point most of the merry makers were tending saddle animals were also numerous many of them surmounted by native women riding in flowing garments io a sugar princess which reached nearly to the ground and in full force it has doubtless been noticed by most readers that a low condition of spirit is by the gaiety of others s were at a very low ebb indeed that july afternoon peter and van struggled for first place in his worried brain though he knew he must devote all his energies to the former and blot out the image of the latter entirely nature would have her way for the present as he approached the mansion where she lived a carriage in which the brother and sister were seated drove past him to s cheery lifted his hat and bowed and miss apparently from pure bowed in return as if he had saluted her also the throb which his heart gave contained a mixture of pain and pleasure she knew at least that he existed it was something he straightened up and walked on with just a shade less of depression on his mind a sugar princess chapter x going over to anxiously impatient to reach the island where he had last heard of peter was early at the wharf on the morning following his swim and the steamer there were quite a large number of passengers in the first cabin and many in the as was leaning on the rail and watching these latter below him engaged in their interminable games of chance he heard a familiar voice at his elbow and turned to see the smiling face of young van going over to he cried heartily so am i and my mother and sister that s jolly he called before could an objection let me introduce you to mr of i don t know where bursting into a laugh but it makes no difference he came with us on the and he s going to a weight as of tons of lead pressed on the young man s breast as he heard the silvery voice murmur the and he breathed easier when miss excused herself saying she must go to her mother look here cried i do believe you re the fellow my father was talking about at the table last night aren t you hunting for a friend or relation or a sugar princess something who s acting queer yes i thought the way the old made it out he s treating you mighty mean i something that in the blue eyes caused the speaker to pause suddenly it was quite as well for had no notion of standing by and listening to harsh of mr at the same time he realized that an with her brother was something to be avoided if possible do you think the voyage is likely to be rough he asked to change the subject oh i don t know you never can tell it s not generally any too smooth sometimes i ve seen old sailors laid out going through the channel then again it s like a what about the weather george he called familiarly to a dark man in semi uniform we ll have to wait and see was the non reply and then explained that george s other name was and that he was a half white of of considerable importance on the line h holding a minor position he was often for being a very large he could give orders on occasion

0Arthur Conan Doyle

even to the captain as various passengers passed near most of them spoke to and were presented by him to the most noticeable was a certain col park also a half a an especial distinction in that fast fading race an ex member of s cabinet and perhaps take him all in all the finest living specimen of his type another was john x sugar princess of the island of under the om a jolly man of middle age with infinite capacity for fun between each introduction young van would exclaim as if he had been struck with an entirely original idea i say come down and have a drink and when after accepting a couple of bottles of beer begged to be excused he took the so much to heart that his guest was seriously disturbed the afternoon passed without special incident the vessel took her course along the shore which presented a beautiful appearance with its lofty hills and tropical vegetation miles of sugar cane skirted the and most of the conversation among the passengers had reference to that industry in some form or other one who had recently been appointed of an immense plantation that was yet was plied with questions as to the value of shares recently placed on the market stories of the wonderful yield of particular acres in various places were and the general feeling was what a would term what effect the war in the the possible action of the growing importance of the industry and a dozen other might have kept the busy listened silently for even if he had felt like joining in he could have contributed nothing to the discussion i d be glad to present you to my mother remarked at the dinner table but she s regularly knocked out and s taking care of her she s the worst sailor i know is mother except my father and it s o a sugar princess strange too for one who s travelled as much by water bis she has though it can hardly be said that was glad to hear of mrs van s discomfort he was not sorry to miss the proposed introduction he was also relieved at the non appearance of miss whom he had feared he might have to carry on a conversation if he and that charming girl should be by any accident left together for half an hour the secret he wanted to keep from her might come out in some way fortune favored him for with the exception of a short walk on deck just before retiring did not make her appearance and seized even that opportunity to absent himself he accepted an invitation of john to try two of the national dishes of which he had heard much raw fish and now that of all native tables is simply a preparation of the root a perfectly healthy and harmless vegetable of which many and americans grow fond the young man was able to eat a fair sized dish of it without a face though he insisted on making his meal by the aid of a spoon rather than with the first two fingers as following the native custom did the raw fish gave him more trouble though to tell the truth the fish did not seem to deserve the more than salt would having been specially prepared with the favorite native way is to alternate a of the fish with one of and the does not object if these are a sugar princess a drink of la a fiery extracted from the root of the ti plant s laugh and a number of songs which he accompanied with the entertained many of his fellow passengers till nearly morning but shortly after midnight excused himself and went to cabin if you get anywhere near my house while you re in were s last words to him make yourself at home there as long as you like and then he added go off like the rest of them and say i m nothing but a blank a healthy and hearty laugh shook his and somewhat figure a frame it was hard to believe had been some years before the model for that perfection of the bronze of which the square before the government building just before retiring had his attention attracted to a strange light in the sky for which nobody had been able to account some thought it was a large building on shore consumption by fire others believed it a bit of phenomena the young man was early on deck the next morning and learned that the cause of the illumination had been ascertained the great of na had suddenly burst into activity there were those among the passengers who connected the outburst at once with the death of the queen and stories began to of strange incidents which had always followed misfortunes to native sovereigns others said that the mountain was merely the first io sugar princess fourth of july it had spent under the american as was waiting for an opportunity to go ashore hoping for information about his beloved friend brought him some interesting news you re anxious to meet a man named aren t you he said well i learn that he was at the club in a few days ago you could from here in a few hours while if you stay on the as far as it will take you several days here is a man who saw him day before yesterday the man referred to who was introduced under the name of and who had just come aboard this story he was a bright appearing person dressed like a but with a face of unusual intelligence a brief talk with him convinced that he had really seen both and after inquiring as to the means of was not long in deciding to at once he took his grip the only article of baggage he had

0Arthur Conan Doyle

brought over arid after thanking went at once to a little train of cars that stood a few rods away looking as if they had come out of some ark neither of the van were in sight and there was no other passengers to whom felt obliged to say good by it seemed as if the engine would never be set in motion nor would get anywhere when its wheels did begin slowly to a time table is not important in a country with only one short piece of track s nervous anxiety was intense but there was nothing to do but await the deliberate movements of the a sugar princess concern when it arrived eventually a place called union mills though why it bore that name was not apparent a crazy old carriage was found in readiness to take people to the club a mile and a half further on the club being it appeared the name of a hotel kept by a named but more generally called jim a was to at the club for a few weeks with the intention of pulling the teeth and the legs of the inhabitants simultaneously to use cheerful phrase of one of the men on the entered the carriage with although almost sure he would find mr and mr at s had been disappointed too often to feel much surprise when he learned that they had departed on the previous day the at the had interested them and they had announced their intention of starting immediately for the house jim said there was a commercial in the neighborhood who was going on the following day to and could doubtless make arrangements with him for the journey the turned up in the evening and readily agreed to share his vehicle and expenses to the point suggested but when they reached found he was again too late the sought for had spent a night at s and driven on early the next morning as the team with which had made the journey had been hired by the commercial man and no could be easily obtained he was obliged to content himself with the latter s slow movements he was given a a princess room in a small cottage some distance up the street which was using as an to his hotel and which was very comfortable and inviting most of the cottage was reserved on this particular night for some court officials who were to pass through on their way to the opening of a some distance further on when the party arrived experienced honor of dining with a live judge though he might easily have been mistaken in his clothes for a the of the court a young of bright wit and musical tastes usually referred to by his companions as the bird for some reason clerk and one or two lawyers completed the party they proved on the whole very agreeable and had not been oppressed by his troubles he could have passed a delightful evening with them a sugar princess iii chapter xi you left him there to die much of the conversation at the cottage had reference to the outbreak of the it seemed that the inhabitants of the island were much excited over the all sorts of were in circulation as to its direction and the distance it had covered one story indicated that the flow had already traversed t he distance between mountain and sea and cut off all communication with by a river of liquid fire there was nothing for it but to push on next morning and find out at noon where he had the good fortune to meet a w ho had just come from and told him road was still open in that direction at he exchanged his seat in the carriage for a saddle horse and after a difficult ride reached late at night at hotel he was not surprised to learn that and had gone already to the house as had almost everybody else who was able to do so another restless night followed for our young friend he drew consolation however from the belief that another day would surely bring him to the end of his journey at eight o clock in the morning he mounted to his place on the stage wagon and tried to take an interest in the beautiful road that led slowly rising to a sugar princess the heights beyond it was a remarkable highway in many respects being so perfectly that a of average powers could climb the entire distance of thirty five miles without and ride without touching back to at a rapid and not dangerous pace the views of mountain and sea were delightful and the air straight from the hills most refreshing all the other were in a state of high glee exchanging witty remarks in which for obvious reasons did not join it was evening when they arrived at their destination a long stop having been made at noon springing from the vehicle lost no time in asking for the proprietor and the question that trembled on his lips it turned out that the proprietor knew rather less about his guests than one of the wooden posts on the but his wife a half white woman of intelligent appearance said the gentlemen had departed very early that morning with a party for the scene of the flow she in response to further inquiries that mr seemed quite weak she had done her best to him from going but he had paid no attention to her advice felt now that he had the men and that if he remained at this post they could not pass without his knowledge he ate a light dinner which was not difficult at that table and retired to a dark corner of the to it was nearly ten o clock when he heard a step approaching looked up to meet the eyes of a sugar princess

0Arthur Conan Doyle

there was something in the expression of those eyes that the words sprang to the younger man s lips was haggard as if from a severe mental strain for some seconds he did not speak then throwing himself on the floor he ejaculated oh in a way that sent terror into breast of his astounded listener ro se his lips set his teeth grinding he did not know what to fear but his heart violently where is peter he demanded oh he wouldn t have gone if it hadn t been for me groaned the strong young hands grasped the coat collar of he kneeling figure and the trembling form was pulled to its feet as if it had been of a feather s where is peter repeated answer a shiver passed over body he had no strength to keep his erect position now that he had been raised to it he dead he whispered in a horror stricken voice and entirely released the man so suddenly that he fell to his knees stepping back he raised his clenched fist and had half allowed it to descend when he controlled himself before he struck this man into he must hear some explanation of his dreadful message a word at a time it came out the party that had gone to the had its destination peter insisted on being among the foremost to inspect the great wonder old and weak though he was bo one could restrain him all the tied their animals and moved forward in small parties sudden a sugar princess ly a gust of rose about and for some moments the ht for his life covering his mouth and nostrils with his handkerchief and trying to blindly toward a place of safety the of the was so great that he could see nothing nor could he call out without danger of immediate hi s hope was to reach a spot of comparative safety and then get his companions to go to peter s assistance last wind changed the smoke lifted he could see for a short distance about him and breathe with more freedom but though he looked in all directions and cried loudly had entirely disappeared and you left him to die while you saved your worthless self muttered between his teeth the others came we searched in every direction but it was of no use the crust was thin oh i cannot bear it he was my friend of forty years and brought him to this i i i did it rocked to and fro sobbing like a child what do you mean demanded icy voice of his companion a minute a minute let me get a little strength i wish to keep back nothing i am guilty before god and man you shall hear all it was i who him to come out here and not to write you yes forgive me why did i do it just to satisfy my contrary nature he had been of his faith in you and i told him to put you to t he proof we came to and then to this place a sugar princess and in a few days more he would have been your dear friend of the old time for he knew how faithfully you had followed him how you had refused to accept s money he knew all had he found you here that would have been an end of the trial he loved you with every drop of blood in his noble old heart and now the speaker broke completely down sobbing wildly s brain had always worked slowly and just now it was under a terrific strain he saw only that this crouching figure had led his dearly loved friend to death the which exhibited was an insignificant matter compared with his crime the kneeling figure prostrate and bent over it his fingers began to themselves around trembling throat this creature had murdered good peter why should he not pay the penalty the bright h of a young girl broke the spell on the other side of the house a party of who had recently arrived in a private carriage were enjoying the cool air in each other s society quite of the tragedy that was so near being within a hundred feet of them knew who h ad uttered that laugh he knew also the voices that soon joined hers those of her mother and brother the diversion aroused him to the knowledge that he had been about to repay a act by one still more he rose instantly and walked twenty steps to regain his senses by your own admission you are responsible for the death of my best friend he said in a low voice when il sugar princess he returned to side for a i was about to render you the punishment you deserve go to your bed and sleep if your conscience will permit you and tomorrow at daylight start with me to place where peter was last seen that i may if god wills give his bones a christian burial i overcome with emotion tried to grasp the young man s hand but folded his arms rigidly and turning away staggered to his room the happy party of which miss van was one had been increased by several late their gaiety on the as the sounds were to his open window over their heads he sat down and buried his face in his hands nearly in his to be so near to his friend to learn that there had been no real intention to him that it was all the work of a senseless and then to hear in the same breath that the eyes into which he would so soon have looked with the old love were forever closed it was overwhelming could not remember when he had last shed a tear but his hands were now wet with the torrent streaming from his

0Arthur Conan Doyle

he did not think of going to bed for he knew no sleep was likely to come to him oh don t tell me any more he heard mrs van exclaim after an interval of comparative quiet it s the most dreadful thing i ever heard of i hope it will satisfy you william she added and that you won t think of going an inch further toward that awful a sugar princess lit is terrible indeed p assented miss how did you hear of it the brother repeated the story some of the party that had in the accident had just told in the hotel and that young gentleman you introduced me to on the steamer was his nephew said sadly think what he will suffer when he of it if is a searching party organized i stall go said with determination of course you will do nothing of the sort interposed his mother it would be absolute suicide ought to go who can render any service said if you go will you take me she added with a sudden thought you ll do as you ve a mind to as usual i suppose but if you ask my opinion then i won t now don t you say a word against it mamma for i m going yes i am i can take care of myself and i ll keep out of all danger just as you did on that i presume was the suggestion what harm happened fo me there except a little you ll be throwing that up forever tell the men who are going that i shall join the party and won t be the least trouble i feel so sorry for that young man i can t keep the tears back it s just awful and muffled sobs were to the ears of the sad overhead a sugar princess chapter xii search for a dead man it was early in the morning when arose but it was late before the exploring party started on its journey he met at breakfast and having now complete control of his brain talked with him calmly as to the best method to pursue it was clear that did not believe the expedition would amount to anything as it was impossible in his opinion to find any trace of a body swallowed up in a river of burning he was quite willing however to take any steps that would gratify the story of the accident was now known generally m the hotel and several gentlemen who were contemplating a trip in the vicinity offered their services accepted them all including one of those who had been there on the previous day a mr bass when the proper quantity of provisions and water had been laid in for over a great part of the way no food or drink could be obtained even for the horses the took up its march miss van soon entered into a talk with and her sympathetic and hopeful attitude encouraged him greatly it was not a time when he need avoid her presence little by little she drew from him the history of his connection with mr and the a sugar princess incidents relating to the latter s disappearance except the part which had played of that he did not feel that he could speak yet to anyone it is not necessary that a full description should be made of the journey for it was before had reached the scene of the accident he was obliged to admit that no human frame in that sea could escape he kept on however as far as the animals could safely go and then started with messrs and bass toward the point where mr was last seen urging the others to observe the utmost care for own safety we shall only go a little farther added mr bass there is no need of another a light touch on s caused him to turn miss was at his elbow let me go a little way she pleaded i will be very careful i have splendid please no he answered almost sternly then when she began a new argument he called to do not let your sister run any risk and he was gone five minutes passed ten and still the men who were conducting the hopeless search went on occasionally the of the ground hid them from the eyes that would have followed their movements frequently a gust of air compelled them to pause at last was obliged to admit that it was folly to continue further and listened to the urgent advice of mr bass to his steps with the of coming now from this side now from that the men had to stop more than i o a sugar princess once covering their mouths and nostrils mr bass came in first quite exhausted he staggered and almost fell and the efforts of the others were at once devoted to his mr came second in even a worse condition the began to realize what a hell raged within a thousand feet of where they stood he has not come cried to her brother are you going to let him die there well i m not and before he had any idea of her intention she started towards the flow at her utmost speed shouted come back but the girl paid no attention to him he was obliged to follow her in a run but she kept her lead when the was he saw her pause and look anxiously in all directions then she waved her hand to him to hasten and disappeared into the lay prostrate though not unconscious the were rising all about him but he was fighting bravely for breath just as his strength and courage seemed failing together he saw van coming in his direction he struggled to his feet waving the handkerchief that had been placed over his mouth hoping it would stop

0Arthur Conan Doyle

the girl s forward movement finding it did not do so he began to move with slow and painful steps in her direction before he reached her side s slight strength gave way she made a and would have fallen had he not caught her in his arms despairing with a conviction that peter s body could never be recovered fainting from the x sugar lie had been breathing the of that white face the pressure of that limp body put new life into him without the least idea of what he was doing he pressed his lips to hers for one brief moment and murmured my darling then carrying his burden he walked rapidly almost running till he met who insisted on him of her weight half by the conflict of emotions made a momentary effort to retain possession of the still form but at that moment the stronger had no hesitation in taking it from him two of the others now came forward and offered their assistance to who began suddenly to realize how much he needed it as soon as he was safely out of danger he hastened to ask about the young lady she s all right shouted the lord takes care of children and fools what the did expect to accomplish by running into that fire was not content till he had staggered to his feet and seen for himself that miss van was sitting up and had her eyes open they ve all been scolding me said i don t suppose anybody has thought to you for saving me saving you he answered surprised oh yes but you saved me first i had almost given up the gas was so powerful and i must have breathed a lot of it then i saw you were in danger and that me up you see and i succeeded in escaping a smile crossed the faces of the exclaimed there you see i did some good after a sugar princess am then m response to earnest advice she consented to lie down for a few moments refused to take the same counsel feeling that a man should exert all the strength he had and it was quite as well that he kept his feet and took in full of the pure air of the soon it was time for lunch around the circle that was formed congratulations were poured in on both the young people for their escape from danger the wonderful sight all had witnessed was discussed at length only and mr remaining silent at last the lively began to remember that there was a special sadness in the occasion for these two and their loss was referred to in low tones i should think an old man overcome with gas would not experience much suffering said one we are naturally shocked at such a death because it is sudden and mysterious but people dying in beds must often have a larger share of pain the suggestion though well meant did not wave the intended effect and no one attempted to repeat the experiment an hour later miss van said felt quite able to mount her horse and presently the party started on its homeward journey i am more grateful to you than i am afraid i appear said the young lady in a low voice as her horse came alongside s but it is i who owe you gratitude he replied if it had not been for you i never should have come out of that place alive i am so glad you feel that way i want to get a a sugar princess r little credit for something besides i don t know what mother will say this is the second time i have been nearly killed within a few months did you hear how i fell into the bay at san he seemed to for some time and finally stammered that he believed he had heard somebody mention it on the steamer you don t seem much interested she began no i beg your pardon it was this way i was out and was run down by a all our party including myself were knocked overboard instantly i thought i knew how to swim but when i struck the water i was dazed what would have happened i don t know had not a young gentleman who was out sprang after me and the excitement a little and wanted to thank him or in case he would accept it offer him a reward you could not he would take money cried shutting his teeth together why don t you think i m worth paying for he could only turn his eyes in the opposite direction had he looked into hers he would have seen the suppressed merriment in them well at any rate he had disappeared and though we advertised in the papers we never got the faintest trace of him it s awfully embarrassing for a girl to owe her life to some man whom she doesn t even know by name it s a little that way when she does know it she added but of course in this matter that s just happened if it was i who saved your life you re the one to feel embarrassment a sugar princess he did not know enough about young women s style of light conversation to understand her though it struck him there was a false note in it somewhere he answered in his usual straightforward way no miss van i don t feel embarrassed especially as i was able to in some slight degree return your kindness i feel very grateful however and i shall say as much to your father if i have the pleasure pf meeting him again she did not speak for some time it really makes me out a heroine doesn t it she said finally i shall positively become vain then seeing how sober his

0Arthur Conan Doyle

face was she exclaimed please forgive me i would do anything to your grief if it were in my power believe me they were never to be more than ordinary acquaintances and there was no reason he should decline to clasp the hand she extended i thank you with all my heart he said simply dropping the hand as quickly as he had taken it soon miss van s horse dropped behind and her place was taken by mr bass seeing that was inclined toward that gentleman made only occasional remarks and nothing worthy of note during the rest of the trip when related her adventure to her mother mrs van held up both hands in despair i felt that you ought not to go she said when will you learn that such actions are not becoming to the slaughter of a sugar king was the response my dear ow a sugar princess i j is just the same bundle of sweetness he was before the rise in sugar gave him that title you like so well he wouldn t have had me let a poor boy perish when i could rush in and save him just as easily as not and you wouldn t either you know you wouldn t at the rate you re going on you ll have a regiment of young men you ve saved or who ve saved you the life out of us i wouldn t have this last made public for anything it might ruin your chances forever to have it know you are such a my chances for what was the impatient question for marriage i suppose well as i m never going to get married that won t matter what did that mr what s his name say to you when he recovered he just said he was much obliged he s a sour sort of chap i think though i suppose the death of his poor uncle is partly to blame for it just now oh yes he s the one your father was talking about he won t be very gay of course till he finds out how the will reads and mrs van wondered what made her daughter fling herself out of the room as if a mine was about to in her a sugar princess chapter xiii invited out to dinner though mr took the next steamer back to did not speak to him on the way neither did he have any formal parting with the van but this was rather on account of his early departure than from any intention of them the new condition or rather the fixed condition in which the catastrophe left him made prompt action necessary there was every reason now why he should return as soon as possible to the united states and take up the battle of life in earnest the first thing he did after reaching was to go to mr van s office and relate the fate which had overtaken mr the fruitless result of the search that had been made the sugar listened to the with genuine distress has mr given no explanation of your friend s strange actions concerning you he inquired when story came to an end yes sir but i would rather be excused from going into that matter will you kindly direct me to the office of the lawyer who i understood you to say has executed mr s latest will that i may put him in possession of the facts of his death mr van offered to accompany him to the a sugar princess i lawyer s office and they walked there together the will was produced signed and sealed in proper form and the lawyer saw no objection when mr van asked the privilege of reading it he has you only the sum of one hundred dollars he said to all rest goes to found an orphan asylum and the there are two mr and mr of st louis then i will inform you said to the attorney that mr returned this morning from the island of and is at the royal hotel as i can be of no further use here he added rising i shall take the first steamer to the states when mr van and reached the latter s office again declined an invitation to enter don t be too down hearted said the kindly your friend has done you an injustice mr but you have youth and health and a long life before you i don t think i can make it quite plain to you st how i feel was the choking answer and you not call me my name is i used mr s name to please him though it was never made mine and my right to it has certainly expired mr van felt more than ordinary interest in the of his old friend he was more than half convinced that the will made in could be set aside for it was clear that the was not in a perfectly sound state of mind it was executed a sugar princess he determined to see mr as soon as possible and ascertain his attitude in the matter in the he desired to keep from leaving the island and set about some way to accomplish it without exciting the young man s suspicions after long thought he a plan the rev who was making a protracted stay in made frequent calls at his residence to him mr van as of the proposition as he thought wise and asked his co operation certainly certainly replied the minister what do you wish me to do well let us see you are alone going to take a long journey perhaps around the world you need to engage a young fellow who has been over the same route to accompany you as a sort of companion and secretary yes yes mused the clergyman nodding several times now that you suggest

0Arthur Conan Doyle

the idea i see it is just what i do want i wonder i haven t thought of it before i don t know as our young friend will accept that sort of position but it will be easy to ascertain the will be here in a few days and if i don t do something he will sail off to san which may be the last we will ever see of him you must meet him at the hotel get into a conversation and put out a y e s was the reply til i ll put out a it may be enough for the present to say that the a sugar princess was put out and that in his condition of did not hesitate long in his answer it is not a question of what i would like to do but of what i must he said frankly i have a fair education an d am willing to do any honest work i realize the difficulty of finding a position without influence or capital i therefore accept your offer mr with the understanding that if i can better myself i shall be at liberty to give you a month s notice there is one that i would like to make it is very important for me to have two hundred and fifty dollars in advance to a debt i owe mr agreed to this without debate you may make your to said what mr of the firm in san yes it was he who mr in this part of the world and was good enough to lend me that amount began his new duties at once w hich proved to consist for the present of nothing more than attending his patron on various excursions which they generally took in a carriage mr was an extremely absent minded man and a very dull companion he asked the same questions over and over and frequently forgot he had seemed anxious to make however got along with him quite well and tried to look on the bright side of a future that seemed unusually devoid of sunshine as the minister insisted that he wanted his secretary a sugar princess to act on terms of perfect equality was to accompany him to several private houses to which he was invited one of these was mr van s into he was almost before he knew it they were taking a short drive and as they reached the residence mr said he must stop there for a moment van insisted upon both of them coming in and an instant later found his hand grasped by brother while miss stood near regarding him with an expression of interest and amusement so you ve forgotten me already she said that s way of the world papa here is a man whose life i saved less than a fortnight ago and he doesn t even return my bow then the maternal voice was heard from the next room and with a smile the young lady withdrew this affair so upset that when he was asked to return to dinner in company with mr he could not invent any reason for declining his consent was accepted before he was aware of it he framed a slight hope that his absent minded employer might forget the engagement when evening came but for once mr s memory served him in good stead the dinner was not on the an unpleasant experience among guests were several people whom had not met before one of whom he thought he should like particularly this gentleman was introduced as thorn and seemed to be a general favorite he was about thirty years of age x sugar princess w bat is called a well man of intelligent face and agreeable manners and was accompanied by his sister miss olive a young lady of learned that thorn represented a of and had some projects under way in which he was interesting local people mr van devoted a large share of his conversation to him and his sister another guest was introduced as mr and after a surprised moment of doubt identified him as the of the which had been upset by the steam who had it appeared arrived on the latest from was an englishman making his way around the world in leisurely fashion he had made the acquaintance of in and through him of his mother and sister mr had that well bred air which educated englishmen seem to have inherited as a matter of right he was about the same age as thorn and was almost exactly the same build and height good health imparted a ruddy color to a face that might fairly be called intellectual he was a among so many strangers but made valuable addition to a dinner table which the late mr has called a listener the third stranger was mrs young a widow who had come to recently bringing letters of introduction to prominent people she admitted possessing but little of the goods of world but gave the impression of having laid up vast treasures where and do not corrupt in other a sugar princess words of being a very religious person she was excessively plain in features and dress and if one might be so bold as to hazard a guess not far from fifty mrs young had herself to her hostess already by great humility and the high opinion had a t once of the eminent qualities of mrs van that lady had long desired to meet some woman of sufficient intelligence to thoroughly appreciate her qualities mrs young furnished a valuable perspective that had been wanting in the setting of the picture of she was the natural mrs van had been at one time decidedly good looking and would not for a moment have her beauty had yet entirely vanished she was dark as might be expected from the race of which she sprung and her

0Arthur Conan Doyle

hair showed few streaks of gray though there were malicious persons hinted that silver threads have been more numerous if left entirely to the due processes of nature she had taken on rather more that a might admire but such things happen with advancing years and good living even to the most charming of ladies by the aid of specially made stays and other devices she concealed to some extent the time was making in a form that had once been more like her gowns if not always becoming were at least always expensive and her as has already been noted was abundant and costly to paint the opposite side of the picture mrs young was much taller than her hostess and extremely she had no ornaments but her wedding ring and a sugar princess was without the slightest not to present good looks but to what are called traces of former beauty her hair was of a disagreeable shade of brown with streaks of brick red her eyes of a wholly uninteresting grey and her features when in repose as they generally were of a sort that reminded one of sprinkled with it was a long time before comprehended the attraction that mrs young possessed for her mother which it may as well be stated grew stronger hour by hour the genius which a woman to select as a companion one of strikingly inferior looks had taken possession of the sugar king s wife and the contrast was decidedly favorable to her own appearance it should be said right here that before accepting mrs young as a if such a low word can be used in this connection mrs van had made perfectly sure that her new friend was in the highest degree respectable by this i do not mean merely that she was of good moral character for that is taken in a story of this kind to be understood what mrs van was most pleased with was the assurance mrs young gave her that though at present reduced to a modest she belonged to a family which had in its time stood high in the aristocratic circles of the civil war had it appeared the to which race she belonged and the as well and when her late husband had to his trials she had felt compelled to sacrifice the family estates and remove to the north but though poorer than she had once been mrs a sugar princess young still retained as she took occasion to mention her preference for the society of high bred people such as mrs van and would have found it quite impossible in any circumstances to associate with ordinary persons all of which delighted mrs van and made her closer than a sister to the addition to her list of acquaintances the conversation at dinner turned mainly upon a project which the hostess had been of taking a trip around the world in company with her son and daughter the fact that rev mr was bent on that errand and had readily to her suggestion of joining his party made the opportunity seem most mr van as the reader is already aware not being of a disposition on account of his intense dread of the sea mrs young who had come to with no intention of proceeding farther had reluctantly accepted a proposition to accompany mrs van as the latter s guest though a strong to permit her expenses to be paid had to be overcome by artful argument as the talk passed around the table mr made bold to mention that he expected to start in a few weeks for and would consider it a high honor if he might join the others this being welcomed by all and particularly by the motion was carried whereupon the gentle voice of miss olive thorn was heard i wish and i could go too she said in a charming way why don t you exclaimed who though he had formed no particular admiration for miss thorn a sugar princess which was rather strange he had known for a month could see that it was a case of the more the oh that would be perfectly splendid cried pressing beneath the table the hand of the young lady who sat next to her thorn she continued if you can t go yourself you might let me take olive won t you please before the captain could reply mr van spoke have you fully decided to go yourself the girl noticed that he was a shade paler of course i mean if i do was her answer she was still unsettled about joining her mother s excursion as her father had intimated the dislike to leave him again so soon had hitherto left her uncertain if i don t go she explained of course i d rather olive stayed here but if i do if papa thinks on reflection that it would be best she lowered her voice it would add so much to my pleasure to have her with me thorn smiled at the of the proposition and asked with good natured where his interests came in oh i suppose you could come too if you really wanted to replied with a blush and if you decide not to go olive and i can govern ourselves accordingly i think you are rather selfish said mrs van and though mrs young did not speak it was quite clear that she agreed in the observation a sugar princess well i am admitted with a disturbed laugh i don t know anyone who isn t when you come right r down to what they most want nobody in all this world excepting darling old there and i ought to be ashamed to think of leaving him so soon when i ve been away nearly all the time for three years the thought brought the tears to her eyes and she drew out her handkerchief to wipe

0Arthur Conan Doyle

them away i m not going she said as soon as she could control her voice no i m not so i hope you won t either i m going to stay at home and be a nice little girl to my dear father now it s settled once for all and with the latter words she broke into a was a mixture of happiness and pathos rev mr love joy regarded the girl with paternal through his spectacles stole glances at her and at his plate alternately he observed two thing s like flashes of lightning out of a troubled sky thorn s face brightened when miss her intention of giving up the journey and a stole slowly over mr s were both of these men in love the young lady why not how could anyone see her for an hour and escape her he wondered with a pang if either of them was to succeed which it would be well some of us are going i suppose broke in suddenly we shan t give up the trip on account of one person out we i if we re going we might as well start a sugar princess we can safely engage passages for a month from now responded his mother to whom the appeal was directed a month and there s a steamer tomorrow he replied it takes a little time for ladies to prepare for a long journey said mrs van with dignity while mrs young looked as if she could not conceal her contempt for a young man who did not know as much as that but mrs van added to her daughter you re not really going to be insane enough to give up the trip let her think of it till tomorrow said mr van gently there are many reasons in favor of going he added as his daughter started to interrupt him mr of course i mean i never shall get that name right very sad don t you think she will be a foolish if she such an opportunity at this question which mrs van addressed unexpectedly to he turned very red and could not utter a syllable a sugar princess chapter xiv the only sweetheart i ve got in van s office the day before sailed on the china he revealed in full his connection with the case i shall never live long enough to forgive myself he said with a deep groan there never was the least reason to suspect the boy and i knew it well after i began the work i would gladly have stopped it if i could but whenever i hinted at anything of the kind peter set his foot down he had got it into his head that there might be something in my suggestion and there was nothing to do but let him run his course he learned from the that they had seen peter had consulted with that firm before he left and wrote them to test thoroughly they were to send him here with very little money in his pocket and see how long he would keep up his search oh peter was in earnest by this time he had it partly arranged that we should take a sailing vessel for but the outbreak of the induced him to delay a few days there was a short pause and then mr van said what is your honest opinion about mr i mean in regard to his capacity for making a will a sugar princess he was totally unfit for it was the reply i shall do all i can to have the one he made here set aside if necessary i will even tell t he court the full story of my fault you can rely on me and on others for said the he meant his property to to that young man and it is our duty to out his wishes said he was afraid that even if the did will was re established would refuse to accept anything under it we will see to that later was the smiling reply people don t refuse fortunes so easily let the court decide that the estate is his and the rest will afterwards so went home and began the attempt to right the great wrong he had done the van pushed their preparations for the pacific voyage to which had at last given her consent mr and got along nicely together and brother had but one thing to sigh for the fact that he was to be absent for a long time from a certain brown eyed girl of whom he was very fond the product of the mixture of european races with the native s has at least on the feminine side a pretty result the gentleness of the old race has had combined with it from the new a greater intelligence and higher the daughter of a mother and a never a native if any other alliance is open to her the result is that in spite of the of i o a sugar princess their sons often unite in matrimony with the half and children born of these marriages are quite apt to in physical the pure around them it was one of the three quarter that weakened the intensity of van s desire to see foreign countries king was no darker in complexion than many a southern her features were as classic and regular as a could desire and she had one of those forms over which poets above all she had the great attraction never inseparable from her class the soft yet brilliant brown eyes of a shade toward these with a wealth of coal black hair gave her a charm that might well set a susceptible youth s heart to the girl traced her on the mother s side to the third and to one of the foremost families among the missionary element on the other

0Arthur Conan Doyle

but mrs van notwithstanding her own weakness in the matter of ancestors was when it was hinted to her that her son had serious intentions regarding the pretty maiden she would not discuss the subject seriously declaring it preposterous but she was for all that very glad at the prospect of getting out of the country for a long period it was such a pity she often remarked to her husband that their children showed so little regard for their high position and he only laughed at her believing in his simple old heart that king was if anything a little too good for his son a sugar princess as for he had never in do many words to be his wife but he was very fond of her she realized fully the between them for while his father was the richest man in the island where are almost as plenty as hers had barely money enough to support her and her mother when came to say good by her lip trembled but she concealed her feelings he asked if she would answer his letters and s he replied with a toss of her head perhaps if i have time the reason did not press for anything more definite was that he feared a scene might follow he need not have been afraid was too proud to show deep feeling for a man who dared not speak definitely he only answered don t forget now and so they parted two which mrs young had brought with her were kept carefully in the background until it was too late to realize their full significance she had spoken of her children mentioning that they were a boy of fourteen named angel and a girl of eleven called but mrs van had shown no further interest in the matter the young folks were at present in an street boarding house where a sort of was supposed to be attending to them it is more than probable that had sweet young creatures been exhibited in all their glory some means would have been found to the arrangement by which the family was added to the van group perhaps mrs young had some apprehension that this aright be the case certainly neither of the were exhibited until it was too late to retreat a sugar princess during the two or three days before starting found himself the of confidences from several of the with whom he was to be thrown in company as we ll as from mr van mr left him with mrs van one afternoon asking him to consider any of that lady quite as if it had been uttered by him as was only an accepting a salary for duties which had thus far been exceedingly light he could hardly decline to listen to whatever the lady had to say my husband tells me mr i mean i wonder if i shall ever get your former name out of my head that i may have full confidence in you and speak with perfect freedom i will therefore say that i have two principal objects in taking my children abroad at this time one is to remove william from the society of a girl who has formed i learn an attachment for him that is ludicrous when the difference in their stations is considered and who is to make it still worse with the blood of the native inhabitants of these islands the other is to introduce my daughter to more refined circles than can be found here where the people are as a rule very common she has i believe a brilliant future before her if she is brought in contact with the the right sort of people quite stunned to be made the of such intimate secrets could not find words to reply but why he managed to say at last why simply this you are going to be to a large extent in charge of our party while we are abroad i wish you to have an eye on nay son as reasons may a sugar princess themselves to you from time to time an influence over him if i may call it that should you find him inclined to lower himself in any way and knowing as you now do my other purpose in making this journey you may also be able to help me from time to time in that matter the young man kept a dead silence you are under an arrangement with mr pursued the lady and i have no wish to interfere with it in the least i only want you to understand that i am not apt to forget a service and that you will be handsomely for anything you may do on the lines i have laid down good day as walked down the steps of the mansion he felt his cheek burning with something akin to shame mrs van evidently considered him entirely in the light of a servant to whom s he could confide any of her and who would have no other consideration hi his than the amount of cash he was to receive for the service for the first time his new position him had there been any way to escape his arrangement with mr he would have done so that very night he felt that if he were to tell his employer that he could not undertake any affairs for mrs van it would simply mean a termination of his engagement in what sort of position would that leave him he owed mr borrowed money he had not enough in his pocket to get back to the states not half enough to reach st louis and even if he arrived at his old home who was there that he could ask for a sugar princess assistance with the certainty of getting it he could look for some way to earn his living he was as much a contract

0Arthur Conan Doyle

as any from or china out on the he almost wished that he had a cane knife in his hand and their a month for awhile after the hotel was still that night he sat for hours in his room thinking of van her mother s wish to introduce her to refined circles could mean but one thing she was going to put that delicate beautiful sensitive child up for the highest in the of the world he realized again the strength of his love and his helplessness to prevent the contemplated outrage the talk that decided in favor of going abroad was held at a late hour on the evening following dinner at which she had announced her intention ot giving up the trip she and her father were attached to each other and his delight in having her at home was shown in a hundred ways that touched her deeply none of the others were present it was her habit to creep into his lap in the old fashion of her childhood and spend hours for both of them her arms about his neck her cheek pressed to his after the guests had gone she him in his library and ran joyfully to the embrace i have thought it all over my little wild goose his favorite name for her he began in a firm voice and i am sure it is best for you to go with your mother a sugar princess but don t really wish me to she answered sitting up and touching his lips softly with her own just say you don t and that will end the thing mamma and can go and i ll stay here with you no dear he answered i want you to see the world it will be a great education in many ways and when you come back you ll be all the better for it you will come back he added earnestly making it a plaintive that went to her heart come back she echoed what do you mean you know he said her closer that your mother has ambitious ideas that she wants you to make a grand marriage with some foreigner in that case you might never see poor again she gently pressed a delicate hand over his mouth whatever happens you needn t be afraid of that she cried when i marry which won t be right away my husband will have to wed me right in this dear island and make me a home here and nowhere else mother gets queer notions into her head but i m a little set in my way too she says i get my from you and the girl laughed now listen you re the only sweetheart i ve got or am likely to have for a long time and if any man ever does get me into other notions i shall just bring him here and let you talk it over and do exactly as you think best there ll never be any friend who can take the place of my dear indulgent kind old what about that chap who sprang to your assistance at san he asked you to me that his protecting arm sent new h your little heart a sugar princess sat up and laughed again half seriously she parted her father s beard with her fingers and looked brightly into his smiling face it was romantic she admitted biting her lip though it would seem more so if he had cared enough to come and ask whether i lived or died she took a from her neck and opened it revealing its contents i wonder what he d say if he knew i had some of his hair i found those six twisted around a button on my dress they re all i ve got of my and i can t marry just them i he joined in her mood and the hair he was a i see he remarked do you like men i believe i do especially great strong ones that make a girl feel as if they could crush her with one embrace or save her from a wild lion in the forest ah i ought to have taken more pains to find that man if you are ever to have a son in law it will either be he or no one and that means i guess that you ll have me on your hands forever she closed the and carrying out the play to the last kissed the gold clasp as it closed on her treasure it had already been arranged that olive thorn should make one of her party the captain obtained due credit for his sacrifice and the girls were wild joy that they were not to be separated on the next day it was mr van s turn to load with he was very glad that the young man had accepted the engagement with mr a sugar n i ix with his experience in travel over the countries the party proposed to visit he would be invaluable in many ways the was interested in him also as has been intimated because he was a former of his friend the wisest thing was to keep him away from st louis for the present sending for to come to his office he talked him for an hour in the most confidential manner he spoke in plain language of his wife s aristocratic ideas saying he did not share them and of his fear that endeavor to engage her daughter to some gentleman of rank during her absence you may guess how thoroughly i trust you he said with great when i say frankly that i would advise not to take the trip but for the fact that you are to be in the party if you find my child likely to become entangled with a foreigner no matter what his rank or station i want

0Arthur Conan Doyle

you to in any way you deem necessary these islands are soon to be a part of the united states if is to marry an american is good enough for her and no man can be too good for the dearest child in the world please take this letter giving you authority to draw on me for money in case of emergency and promise that whatever happens you will guard my daughter like a brother i promise with all my heart was the answer delivered with much feeling and i thank you sincerely for your confidence as rose the subject of conversation looked in at ihe doorway radiant as an angel mr s a sugar princess presence did not prevent her going to her father s and kissing him affectionately i have been asking mr to take good care of you said mr van holding her face between his hands and i am sure he will do so replied looking confidently at the blushing countenance of young man a sugar princess chapter xv the need of strong play during this time had not been idle he had found the case as the affair was on his books a most interesting one as is sometimes remarked by persons who use he was not in business entirely for his health and this affair had given him no cause for regret from a pecuniary he had asked and received a substantial from peter when the old gentleman came to him and revealed the details of his scheme to settle beyond a shadow of doubt suspicions of the talk which lawyer had with in the first place was an arrangement suggested by the the first thing was to see how he would treat an intimation that s fortune could be drawn on under the supposition that its owner had departed this life who had no idea that would do anything of the kind the scheme thinking it would enable him the sooner to withdraw from the plot acted according to instructions and s to touch a penny while the fate of its owner was in doubt was communicated to mr at once peter read this letter to and a triumphant expression on his face but to the surprise i o a sugar princess of both and the consternation of one he was still he had been slow to accept the idea that his beloved boy could do anything but now that the had begun he was determined that they should be thorough nothing less than the of to would satisfy the unreasonable old man there would be time enough to the boy for his sufferings when the ghost that had raised was laid forever i m going to do this thing now in my own way said has acted the part of a decent fellow thus far but i want something more i m going to see how earnestly he will try to account for my vanishing mr can keep me informed of every move he makes and i can judge him as if in a mirror i don t doubt the boy i never did it was you who called him a scoundrel and an not i i m going to prove now not only that he s all i claimed when we first talked the matter over but more i love the lad as my own soul i ll show you the sort of metal he s made of if he s unworthy of my affection he ll give up the search for me especially now he s been told he can have my money by applying to the court you wanted a test i m going to give you one no man can shake but my dear friend do be reason able how can you expect a boy left with nothing in his pocket to follow you around the world when he don t even know in what direction you have gone i expect him to do what i d do for him retorted i d follow him on foot to the beg a sugar princess my way i d work my passage before the mast on any vessel that was going to a port where i guessed he might have gone when my feet became too sore to walk i d crawl on my knees if he loves me less than that i ll never call him son again he s got to find me and he ll do k i give you my word he ll do it i m going to to begin with if he loves me as i love him he ll either get there by boat or swim the boy he added wiping away the tears that excess of emotion had brought to his eyes that you said was a crawling contemptible wretch unfit to the dust off my and exchanged glances of dismay the old gentleman had dwelt on his theme until he was near to an mind he arose up his stout walking stick and to the door announced that it was time for lunch as he strange expression he muttered ill oh i know the way to the hotel you can come when you re ready and he went out closing the door loudly behind him i ve got myself into a nice scrape haven t i said pressing his lips tightly together look here you must help me out of this can t you let know we ve gone to and that this thing all through was a scheme why don t you write him that yourself asked the other coolly i m too much ashamed i shall have to meet them both for the rest of my life and peter s reproaches are all i shall be able to bear he ll be so pleased when a sugar princess he s proved me an he won t hold any grudge against me but the boy s made of different material

0Arthur Conan Doyle

he s one of those quiet fellows that are terrible when aroused if he finds out bow deep i am in this thing there ll never be any peace for me again i ve got to keep faith with my remarked thoughtfully make me a and keep faith with me cried with eagerness will come to san beyond doubt get into communication with him and let him know where we are if he s not got funds to travel help him to find some i tell you man if this isn t cleared up soon peter will be in an asylum a and any harm that happens to him will be on my conscience for an old mr still seemed to have doubts as to whether he could reconcile his ideas of the he owed mr with the plan but when placed two bills on his desk each of the of one hundred dollars he went so far as to say he would think about it and serve him as well as he could in and honor later in the day he succeeded in gaining s consent that he should give a hint where he had gone sending peter word in season for him to double on his tracks if he wished to the hunt admitted on having the case presented to him again that his idea of swimming a couple of thousand miles was rather visionary and that few modern vessels wanted green hands before the mast a sugar princess it was agreed moreover that might aid the young fellow to a small amount of cash if he thought wise the was thus enabled to satisfy both his new and his conscience which it must be is a nice thing for a man in his line of business to do but the luck which had come to the firm of did not end even here while the matter was moving along smoothly a letter was received from the sugar king of asking that a representative of the firm be sent to him on a matter of importance it was considered best considering the financial station of the to this mission to no less a person than mr who accordingly took passage without delay for the paradise of the pacific perhaps no better way of learning the result of his mission can be obtained than looking over mr s shoulder begging that gentleman s pardon for the liberty and reading his of a communication which his partner sent him some days after reaching my dear said this letter the matter on which mr x sent for me is a rather peculiar one it seems that his wife is about to start on a trip the world with his son aged and his daughter aged mr x and his good lady have widely different views on many subjects in reference to the marriage prospects of their daughter and son the former especially the wife is determined to wed the young lady to nothing less than a duke thus dazzling the social set of and compelling it to forget her own origin which was decidedly humble a sugar princess the husband has old fashioned notions that matters should be influenced by love that true hearts are more than as remarked some years before he accepted the title of baron to make my story short x wishes me to send a representative with his party introduced in such a manner that he will not be open to suspicion having thought the matter over i have concluded that y will about fill the bill and shall so direct the young nephew of his uncle has also been engaged by a member of the party a rev as his secretary and may be relied upon to aid if required the others who are to go include a mr from england and possibly a thorn and his sister olive from the united states also a mrs young and her two children angel a boy and a girl it is as yet uncertain whether the thorns will go but i think it probable the loss of his uncle still keeps the nephew in a state of depression but i hear it would be useless to approach him just yet with reference to the as soon as z has secured a decision of the court that the property is his we must have the information conveyed to him gently please write by each steamer and i will do same x has paid me a of if you have any suspicions about q you had best see k is set right yours c now mr being a very careful man as is becoming in a did not send even this letter in the language in which it is rendered here it was written in a of which his partner alone had the key and it took mr the better part of an hour to it when he had a sugar princess done so a contented expression stole over his countenance he mused for some time before he wrote his reply which was also in but much than mr s letter if you find the hunting satisfactory among the islands he wrote there is no reason you should hurry back it might be a good idea to break in a or two if you have a chance let us now return for a few moments to the members of the party preparing to cross the ocean mr was troubled for some time at the prospect that thorn would be one of the number feeling that his opportunities for a with miss would be much lessened by the presence of the lively and dashing american he was highly gratified therefore a week before starting to learn that thorn s business interests would not permit his leaving at present mr had been a disturbed witness of miss s enthusiasm when the captain said definitely that olive might go you are a perfect

0Arthur Conan Doyle

darling she had cried grasping both of thorn s hands i have a notion to kiss you you dear good fellow i would do it too she added in response to the challenge that shown in his laughing eyes if you wasn t a man there oh said thorn smiling at her ingenious statement then perhaps you won t mind giving it to olive just to keep it in the family threw her arms around miss thorn s neck and paid the penalty with thorn had gained a sugar princess a certain momentary a over his rival if either of them might by any straining of words be said to occupy that position however mr reflected weeks and months passed together should more than for this and he consoled himself with the prospect that such incidents would soon become impossible having a sister who had been adopted as s dearest friend was something though that might tell against him and must be met with strong play chapter xvi on the steamer it was on the steamer that the party sailed for and surely no better managed boat ever carried passengers across the broad pacific from captain to chief steward each officer with whom our friends came in contact did his very best to make the voyage agreeable it was in what is generally called the dull season and besides those with whom our story has to deal there were few passengers worthy of special mention all of the were placed at one table while mrs young s took their meals at the separate hour reserved for those of their years would have been glad o have been seated elsewhere but he was under mr s directions and did as he was he tried to master the sentiments which he dreaded anyone should suspect and his excessive served him in good stead mrs van in her aristocratic way thought the young man s highly becoming to him his position was one which did not call for in the general conversation she several times after meals for asking mr s secretary for his opinion about matters which did not particularly concern him but her son re a sugar princess plied that he guessed was as good as the rest of them even if he did have to earn his living through a piece of bad luck i must ask you to have a little higher regard for my wishes protested the lady watches everything you do and is inclined to imitate would pay about as much attention to what i did started to say as she would to what you thought but checked himself in time he did not mean to be in his speech i can t sit at the table with a good sort of fellow like him and act as if i thought him a mother he s been well brought up and only a miserable accident keeps him at this moment from belonging to what you would call our class it was mrs van s usual way when any argument was prolonged to cease from continuing it she heaved a slight sigh which said in effect that if people would talk nonsense she could not stop them and seeing mrs young approaching turned her attention to her that lady brought the interesting information that a party of three young who formed a group by themselves were gentlemen and stood very high among the nobility of they are returning to their own country after some years in europe she said mr the says they speak english with perfect the one nearest us is the of and very rich the one next to him is the count of and the other one is baron of they are all a sugar princess of oxford university and are returning to take their seats in the house of lords mrs van to use a phrase pricked up her ears and was all attention why she exclaimed i didn t know there was a house of lords in is it like the one in england with and that sort of thing i believe so is now one of the great powers and i presume her nobility ranks with that of europe in every way mrs van was in a decided flutter she lost no time in asking mr to present her to these distinguished strangers to whom an hour before she would not have dreamed of so much as a nod the said he would try to arrange the matter but understood that the were inclined to maintain their seclusion during the voyage with a little perhaps he could accomplish what the lady desired he added also to her stock of information respecting the strangers in the meantime had already got on friendly terms with the young men they were evidently travelling for were on the passenger list as messrs and and while they did not attempt to put on the slightest airs they were very replying to all remarks in an english accent with as or l ly and smoked without they talked to each other in their native tongue a great deal but when questioned in relation to answered that they had been abroad so long they knew very little l o a sugar princess about it however who was not a youth to be easily had already managed to get on pleasant terms with them and when his mother revealed what she had heard he remarked that he would make the himself if the chance came in his way only please don t kneel down on the floor to them he begged is to the united states now or pretty nearly so and that makes us all americans and all sovereigns i consider myself as good as any count or baron living but a that s a very high rank indeed william i think it comes next in order to a duke father s got a thousand of em cutting sugar

0Arthur Conan Doyle

on his plantation the time for titles is past the best thing about these fellows is don t put on any if they were to try it with me i d soon take it out of em he added savagely the tired look which he understood so well came into his mother s face and withdrew a little later who had been talking with a group of young people in the saloon came up and mrs van asked her if she knew there was a whole royal family on board well it almost to the same thing she said when the girl s eyes were stretched to their utmost there s a whose father was born a prince and whose grandfather was just like a king in one of the biggest provinces in till he was patriotic enough to surrender his rights to the emperor the father is still one of the richest men in a sugar princess the country and has been master of ceremonies at court this is the chance you ve been looking for cried laughing do you want me to set my cap for the my dear i wish you would have some dignity i m going to try it laughed the mad cap of doesn t that sound swell much better than of i m sure it wouldn t do for the daughter of a king a sugar king ha ha to lower herself to that level my child i entreat you cried the mother fearful that the gentlemen who were the subjects of this might the remarks through the room windows which were very near and wide open but these chances are not thrown in a s way every day her daughter lowering her voice to a whisper and pretending to be very much in earnest you wouldn t let me try for prince daniel of prince daniel is is dark interrupted the mother and what is more to the point the throne has been taken away from his family if it hadn t been you d have liked to have me marry him wouldn t you you d rather have seen me crowned queen of like the girl in the song than to have me marry some nice sensible man of no rank and perhaps no fortune and you d be very proud when i rode out in my state carriage with a dozen more or less of colored this is beyond all reason i shall not stay to listen to such remarks a sugar princess and while doubled herself up with laughter at the picture she had drawn her mother stalked off to the other end of the deck immediately a red headed boy peered around the corner of the cabin and grinned at the young lady that was a good one you give er he remarked with frank approval and and ain t for white to thick with surveyed the face with amusement your name is angel isn t it she asked angel young m ni he assented got any other name angel whatever put it into your mother s head to give you that combination said the boy don t you like it cause if you just mention it probably she ll have it changed miss van tried to look severe don t be too smart little boy she replied i might take a notion to put you across my knee and you he looked as solemn as she you wouldn t do that he said why not it wouldn t be doing as you d be done by you re a christian ain t you i trust so spoke now quite free from levity so s ma and so s who cried startled a sugar princess old man answered the boy with a they re both christians but they don t like each other for a cent just the same you never seen em together in a corner of the deck when the lights are dim and low and you won t neither ma s never spoken to him since we ve started i don t know what the trouble is but i expect some day you ll see the fur fly another face and head of red hair suddenly on the scene perhaps it would be more correct to say gradually since the owner s movements were rather than this is your sister i suppose said glad to alter the subject her name is i believe has she any middle name no the little girl speaking for herself like a talking doll ma said there wa n t no other word in the language to express it you must have been a very beautiful baby said with a smile yes just the same as now there was a yell of sudden pain not from but from her brother for she had taken the opportunity while his attention was fixed on other things to a pin in his flesh angel started to box the s ears she and left the wall of the cabin to receive the blow instead there was a muttered exclamation and a chase but the girl her while angel was hunting for her in another part f the boat his hand still mrs young a sugar ed from a with clinging to skirts have you a headache darling said the mother s voice get up in my lap and see if i can t rub it away she took a chair near s and lifted the child who laid her face against the maternal bosom and closed her eyes she suffers dreadfully from exclaimed mrs young to the astonished miss van go away at once she continued in a stage whisper as she saw her son stealthily i m trying to get to sleep and you must not disturb her i ve got something that belongs to her remarked the boy nearer just a common ordinary pin i ve no further use for nearly out

0Arthur Conan Doyle

of her mother s arms in her anxiety to escape the she had good reason to expect mrs young caught hold of her son s arm and held him gently away there you ve woke her up she exclaimed go away and be a good boy as angel obeyed unwillingly his revenge she added raising her eyes solemnly children are a great blessing miss van but they are a great care too a sugar chapter xvii a day in the first view of filled all the s passengers with excitement the steamer arrived very early in the morning and those who had been there before did their best to convince the others that the summit of was to be seen in the distance the handsome buildings stretching along the as the water street is called together with the stately homes of wealthy on the bluff gave the town a most inviting appearance as soon as the steam of the grand hotel could be with their baggage all of our friends were taken without delay to that house the porter was left to struggle with the customs officials the keys having been given up to him in the sensible fashion most travellers now adopt it surprised everybody to discover such a comfortable and modern hotel in this part of the world with little except the servants to suggest that it was not in or the breakfast was found to be good and the rooms airy and as is always the case with from the states who have never seen a before the first thing after breakfast was a ride in those comfortable and peculiar and her brother could l a sugar princess hardly wait till the meal was over the others were naturally more except the children who everybody with loud cries and interminable questions it was left to by common consent to make the necessary arrangements but when the required number of men had responded to his call mrs van was seized with a fear that the did not sufficiently with the dignity of a lady in her position she asked mr if it would not be better for her to order a carriage into which she could invite her daughter mrs young and him before the clergyman could answer several ladies came out of the hotel and were whirled away at full speed by their two footed horses without even an escort was seated already in one of the as she called them with and olive near and shouted that she was impatient to be off here mr come with us she called if the others ever get their minds made up mr can look after them you can spare mr can t you she said to the minister i am just crazy to know how it feels to ride through the streets in this thing mrs van remonstrated in a shocked tone at the manner of her daughter s address and finally turned to in her perplexity is it quite right quite proper for a lady of my age she asked certainly he answered you will meet a hundred others in similar carriages in fact it is the a sugar princess l vehicle use by nine of the foreign of both sexes after a moment the novelty will wear off and you will find it delightful come called out let s make a start we can t stay here all day waiting for them off went the giving joyful little cries as they proceeded through the queer streets when they came to a large market nothing would do but the girls must alight and inspect the vegetables and fish did not see the fun in that sort of thing but them good they all along the over the earth floors on which streams of water were flowing from the the fish department interested most of any she utter many exclamations at the long and other queer specimens of the tribe that were swimming about in and barrels what a set of we are she remarked thoughtfully as she watched a dealer a fish from his bath and prepare him for the pan with of a big knife we re always killing and eating something that has as much right to its existence as we if i stay here much longer i shall become a ducks and chickens were being suddenly cut off in their prime some of them perhaps a little beyond it in the next department hearing suggestive and blows and olive started to run back to their with skirts carefully held out of the mud delayed a little longer to inspect a fish that he had never seen the like of before and when l a sugar princess reached her vehicle she found standing beside it your mother concluded i had best come to you he explained she that you are too young to go around in this strange city but stammered the girl we have i think he replied smiling a little she does not consider you quite a sufficient for him in that case how can i charge myself with the duty of caring for two of you he laughed at that she was glad to see a smile on a face generally so sober the shadow of the disappearance of peter in that awful at seldom lifted where is mr asked olive with the others yes they have gone off in the opposite direction we can soon overtake them he said directing his words to miss she looked him full in the eyes and asked why he thought she wanted to overtake mr if we were with them he said the party would all be together that s exactly what i don t want there s a contrary vein in me that makes me hate any sort of a beaten track do you know what would delight me above all things i d like to give everybody the slip and explore this beautiful

0Arthur Conan Doyle

country by myself you wouldn t get far he answered as you do not speak the language you would have to give up your plan in about an hour x sugar princess but you understand it she said regarding him steadily sufficient for practical purposes well that would answer i didn t mean to go absolutely alone of course i meant it would be a nice thing to do if who can talk was to go with me well i hope you ve been enough they took the again and the looked up to see what direction they were to go said to her brother in a half sulky way that mr thought they ought to join the rest of their party and as it made no difference to him he nodded an assent taking this for an agreement on that question directed the men to turn about other were asked as they trotted past where the foreigners from the grand hotel were and they soon found them a little way out into the country with his usually slow brain had not at once caught the full significance of miss van s suggestion as to a journey into the interior when it came to him his breath grew shorter and his head felt faint what a dream it would be to take that lovely being under his protection through the wonderful scenery of the mountain regions guiding her to the views watching her bright eyes open with wonder as the magnificent unfolded no one there to witness her delight but he no one else on whom she could rely for direction and care and then almost as soon as the picture had itself it dissolved a princess madness mere madness when would he learn that he was a poor travelling companion to mr and that she was the daughter of the richest when would he realize that the difference between them was greater than that between and her island home across the pacific in speaking of taking him as her sole escort he believed miss van had revealed to the full the place he occupied in her mind he was to her merely a servant something a little better educated and intelligent perhaps but no more to be regarded than the who would draw her or lead her pony if this were not the case she would not talk to him like that when the party returned to the hotel for lunch mrs van the ride a success she had seen enough other ladies in the same sort of vehicle to relieve her from worry on the score of propriety to be sure it was impossible that many of them could hold quite as high a position in life as she did that lot was given to but few mortals but she was satisfied that she had done nothing from the of mrs in the course of the ride they had met the of and his friends to whom she had never succeeded by the way in being introduced and she had bowed with becoming dignity when the gentlemen formally lifted their hats they could not have been ten days on the without knowing who she was and the lady congratulated herself on this entrance into the exclusive circles of foreign nobility a sugar princess the main difficulty during the ride had been tc suppress within reasonable limits the noisy of mrs young s charming children the satisfied air with which the mother heard their shouts and witnessed their even exceeded the disgust on the faces of the others the children made common cause whenever opportunity availed against poor mr apparently on the ground that he was a natural and eminent enemy of their family though what he had done to deserve this treatment did not in the least appear it was a sight to witness the soft smile with which he met their most impertinent and the courteous way in which he tried to or to answer their questions an temple which the party visited set master angel wild with delight he entered with the others staring with wide open mouth at the grotesque images before whom a dozen were prostrate what a lot of blind people there are in this country remarked in a low tone what did you expect angel demanded don t you know your the heathen in their blindness bow down to wooden stone say what s wooden stone anyway i think you mean wood and stone suggested mrs young pleasantly no he insisted it s wooden stone you read it that way on sunday at the service didn t you e i mean mr bow down to wooden stone a sugar princess yes sir anyway there s no stone here it s all wood perhaps they think its wooden stone though he added because they re blind then he gave a loud yell caused by bringing his head into collision with a wooden post had made a pass at him on purpose to make him and receive the blow a rush across the room on his part and an attempt of hers to escape succeeded this effort and then several broke the quiet of the place on coming out of the temple two large wooden gods at the entrance which the children had not noticed before claimed their united attention these images had particularly faces and their bodies were nearly covered with what are usually called and which i do not know how to describe with any more delicate term the of these believe the most effective way to offer their prayers is to write them on paper them up and throw the against these wooden sides if the sticks it is believed the petition has been received if it falls the contrary interpretation is given to the incident angel and got so interested in these images that they could hardly be dragged off to their they resisted when their mother urged them to

0Arthur Conan Doyle

hasten and finally ended with another exhibition i d like to have full charge of those for an hour whispered to mr whose a sugar princess was nearest to hers j for one brief glad hour the smile which he shot back in response to this confidence glanced and struck full in the face he had not heard the girl s words and only saw the signal a sugar princess chapter xviii writes a letter my darling so wrote van to her father we are in one of the mountain districts of this funny country at a place called and at a hotel bearing the delightful name of our entire left early in the morning and took a train to to the in the world at that point i would not dare say how many times the car got off the track between and where the line fortunately ended but i think it must have been a dozen the drivers abuse their horses and know as much about driving as i do about the getting off the track was not really dangerous but mother and her had regular fits every time it occurred it also gave mrs young s sweet children the chance of their lives to profess fright which it was easy to see was and give utterance to screams mrs young had some sharp words with the driver for the way he abused his beasts for which she only got laughed at by the fellow she appealed to the gentlemen to make the man stop the animals which he always did as soon as they got to galloping at their highest a sugar princess speed mr tried to oblige her though he must have known how little good it would do but every time he began his the car ran off the track again and everybody s attention was by the attempts to get it back when this disagreeable experience was over we all got into which i have learned to like immensely and with two for each vehicle were dragged four or five miles more to mostly up hill but through a charming country the were sturdy fellows who looked much like bronze statues in their scant clothing most of them wore nothing whatever as i m a christian but a and this caused mother to have a terrible of the heart and made her shadow close her eyes in despair mrs young please understand makes a point of feeling exactly like your esteemed wife on all occasions a line of conduct that has her to mother greatly it wasn t anything we could talk about to the gentlemen and really one gets used to it here so we went on without remark they were handsomely built fellows and a dark skin makes a difference anyway arriving at the hotel in we found it full of guests and were told that our had been answered to that effect though certainly no reply had been received what were we to do of course i refer to mr but it seems ridiculous to call a hired man told us of this place only a mile away he said it was nothing so swell as the but comfortable and would a sugar princess at least give us a chance to see native life i at once in favor of coming here but mother scented the fact that her pretty gowns would count for little in such a place and was reluctant to give her consent however as it was either that or to return to by the awful she finally gave in the hotel is a long and what i call a picturesque structure pleasantly situated on high ground but rather in its than the palace at san in fact there isn t the first trace of luxury in it from one end to most of the apartments are occupied by travellers who have their floors covered with straw on which they sit all day and sleep all night such a thing as a chair or is unknown to their method of life a little of a table about a foot is the only furniture they use and it s funny to see them on the floor in front of it with their feet tucked under them eating rice and fish with which they handle as well as we would a knife and fork each guest has a girl servant looking like a pretty doll who in front of him and to every want in fact all the women and children seem as if they had been cut out of pictures much prettier than the ones in though some of those you know are not bad looking either when mother found that the between the rooms were made of paper she had a declaring that she never could go to bed in the house as in duty bound mrs young shook her sally head and a sugar princess her grief later when it appeared that mother was going to make the best of it her new shadow made the best of it too we all got arranged quite comfortably and i was delighted with the whole concern so was in fact was a little too well pleased if anything i heard mother put him under the special of mr s man who i fear doesn t realize yet what a responsibility he had assumed has already given signs of one of his violent love affairs the object being a fat little doll with a expression who calls herself san i had to caution him today not to disgrace us before the in the party mr came within an of seeing him with his mouth altogether too near s cheek a courtesy that young did not seem to think of as they say the never kiss i don t suppose she had any idea it all meant the table here is plain in more than one though the are good and

0Arthur Conan Doyle

wholesome the bill of fare is jn a queer sort of french though why i can t see as it is the language of neither the guests nor the proprietor each item is numbered and is ordered by those i have already made some progress in the and call for ban ni ban san ban etc with much pride knew them all before and mr is picking them up slowly the others just around and have to be helped out by us who are more i hope you have a dictionary a sugar princess i had a moment of real alarm yesterday i met mother in one of the and found her in a state of mind you can imagine i say it was some seconds before she could utter a word when with s assistance i got her to her room and upon the bed she managed to tell me that had happened to pass one of the when the door was wide open and had seen several women in very there is a hot spring near the house and one of the great attractions of the hotel is its numerous interior supplied with this water the have no idea of and the doors on the rooms were never put up for their benefit when the pretty wife of our proprietor and some of her lady were in the and saw mother passing they smiled and said means good morning without a thought that there was anything in the situation i heard the terrible tale with mother s for breath i tried to explain the matter to her but she said she would pack up and leave the house at once imagine she screamed if william had happened to pass that door well she got over it and we are still staying here when it to a vote your elder child is generally a majority but mother isn t happy here at all and i suppose we have to change soon for myself i never liked anything better the air is the scenery fine the do me a lot of good and i feel like a young what do you think i did one day i walked miles yes a sugar princess i q walked all the way from here to and back over a terrible road at that we were all going to ride but as we hadn t the owner of the horses a month in advance we found when we were ready that we couldn t get any before the following morning when i start to do a one day the next day wont answer at all so we got mother into a litter a chair carried on the shoulders of and mrs young another and the rest of us walked all but mr who volunteered remain and amuse the in the language of they didn t do a t ing to im either while we were away imagine mother being carried by those she had had some experience at it before so she was not afraid butt i heard her request her spiritual adviser to be sure the men s clothing was of a proper magnitude and for once out were spared i walked behind with mr part of the way but as i feared he wanted to make love to me i kept with us asking him su ih a string of questions about the that he couldn t escape it s not that i dislike mr particularly but i don t fancy complimentary remarks in the society and then as he is not a duke what would be use in leading him on to a declaration whidi mother would never listen to for an instant please smile but as i said i walked the whole of the way and a bit tired when i back in fact i had a splendid appetite for dinner and slept like a top that night there are two englishmen here a captain o a sugar man and a mr robinson w ho have wives real truly ones and i have met both those ladies one has a little daughter of ten with the same name as myself a who can talk the language of her mamma much fa than she can that of her the other has a round happy faced boy slightly younger named david i hear that the have arranged a marriage between the pair to take place a dozen years later in spite of mother s i dined with mrs r one day sitting on the floor and trying to eat with chop sticks exactly as she did she in her own apartment and mother was afraid some of the strange thing s would injure my i managed not to even once though the expression on the face of her little maid from school was a severe strain on my gravity the maid evidently thought me a ignorant person and judging by the way i let the rice and other things fall between the dishes and my mouth she was quite justified in her supposition although married for many years mrs r has never succeeded in learning english enough to speak it well her husband having things by studying her language instead so we just sat there as would say like two bottles and consumed our it was great fun and everything i ate agreed with me i say do you think it would do any great harm if i ran away from this crowd for a few days and enjoyed delightful to the full extent of my a sugar princess young heart i d just like to get on a party and give him a loose rein till he had trotted fifty miles away over these grand hills it s putting to positive pain to keep her up here she constantly talks of going to or some civilized section of the country and that s exactly what i don t want to do

0Arthur Conan Doyle

at all if only i can persuade olive to run off with me i ve you before i how mrs young is toward the poor minister and mother and i have talked about it and we cannot understand it at all we asked her one day what she disliked in him but all the answer we got was a shrug of the shoulders the queer thing is that he doesn t seem to realize how she feels but treats her invariably with the politeness that seems a of his very being he s the most absent minded of men anyway if he addresses a hundred remarks to mrs young and she turns her face the other way every time with a instead of replying he doesn t notice slight generally he answers his own inquiry and turns again to his book or view even the nasty ways of the children are lost on him he told me once with every appearance of sincerity that he thought young people of their age a great addition to a party they were always in such good spirits he said and not an hour before he had come within an ace of sitting on a large tack which the boy had placed in his chair poor mother she does have such a hard time among our guests are two englishmen from china fellows of the best intentions but somewhat deficient a sugar princess in education they talk during the dinner hour and drop enough h s to carpet the floor every time one of them that mother starts as if shocked by an electric current at least once a minute they allude to the fact that they are from one says to the other you re looking ale an old man and they talk of am an until mother is distracted she they do it just to annoy her and lately has gone to the extreme of having her meals sent to her room the first time she was absent from table they sent her a kindly message which i attempted to convey won t yer please tell the as ow we she t but she didn t let me finish your letters are so charming i read them over and over with a thousand kisses an d all the love in the world your own wild goose a sugar princess chapter xix from the van and their friends finally went at the end of a fortnight full of misery to mrs van to the more civilized of there are many americans who think and constitute the whole of outside of and this is a great error though is certainly a most beautiful place and there will be found at its hotel s in the season a goodly number of well dressed and well behaved people mrs van looked anxiously from her as she rode up the long street for she feared a repetition of the experiences through which she had just passed but when she descended at the hotel a handsome edifice where a dozen in and with black arranged in the native fashion bowed before her their touched the ground she felt that she had again reached a spot where she could breathe freely the rooms which the party were given were large and furnished the dinner was very good and to mrs van s most of the guests had dressed for the occasion she had put on an a princess ate costume and wore a simple gown cut m mode mrs young who had not exhibited her charms as yet in anything quite so grand a black silk that was at least rich and becoming and all of the gentlemen in the party wore evening clothes i feel remarked mrs van as she glanced around the dining room as if i had got back from a journey to the of africa but it s not nearly as nice as the dear protested we might as well stay at home if we want to see nothing but good hotels don t you think so she asked turning suddenly to mr why it depends he stammered alarmed at having to settle a point of difference between and daughter on the point of view i think you will find agreeable the situation is grand and the temples are thought by many to be the finest in temples mrs van echoed as if she could not bear to agree with anybody even when they took her side i had rather see the central church at than all these heathen buildings if there s nothing in but temples the sooner we leave the better all i have seen here seem said mrs young as in duty bound quite like a lot of new england really i m sure they re very uninteresting nobody wanted to dispute with and the matter would have been allowed to drop at this point if mr had not into an elaborate dis x sugar princess on the of the and added some learned opinions as to the origin of its ceremonies the respect that mrs van had for the doth prevented her expressing the she felt during this period which happily the did not notice mother s found a new use for her and friend said to as they strolled up and down the later in the evening their arms around each other s when she can t express her feelings for fear of seeming she gets to do it for her is just as good as cried a voice from over her head which easily recognized as s i d thank you not to talk about my mother behind her back if your mother can t keep you from g around and listening to people i ll attend to the matter myself cried angrily she wondered and where the boy had heard that name applied to mrs van for nobody used it but her father then a second voice was

0Arthur Conan Doyle

heard angel you ought to be ashamed of yourself you boy it s lucky thorn isn t here if he heard you say such things to his he d do something to you you wouldn t like it was of course and between the two thought she would go distracted before she could utter another sentence however angel had got in his reply and then both the children were heard racing away with all their might thorn thorn he isn t in it you mean x sugar princess he s just as good as engaged to her i heard him tell so was ready to cry with vexation she announced her intention of warning her mother that if these were not stopped she would refuse to continue her journey in mrs young s company things had gone a little too far and positively would not bear it but sister said first glancing around to see that no one could which of is it really you let me into the secret now you re as bad as they she cried forcibly di hi s arm from her waist if this is kept up i ll leave the whole party i will upon my word what are either of those fools to me don t be cross said they re very decent fellows and if either has fallen in love with you no sensible man can blame him i honestly that you liked thorn best now don t run away for we re all going to a tea house in half an hour and hear some sing sprang up and clapped her hands like a child she said she was so glad to hear that before leaving san she had seen a musical play called the and thought it but you understand she added is to be no more silly talk either from you or those if it goes on i shall not be able to treat mr lor ing when mrs van was of the proposed enter a sugar princess she declined at once to go mrs young like the echo she invariably was did likewise when mr love joy heard of this he went to mrs van and begged that she would her intention he said dancing was a national institution no person should leave without seeing result of a long talk and many question s was that she went with the others all except mrs young who had gone off to bed and whom it was thought best not to disturb when the party reached the tea mrs van had renewed doubts as to whether she had not better on the whole return to the hotel the exhibition might be all right in one way but was k for a lady in her position to be seen in such places you must remember my standing in said and that my actions would be considered quite differently from those of an ordinary individual the minister listened in his usual absent minded way and then saying i think it s time we were upstairs walked off as all the others had preceded him mrs van had nothing to do but follow but more than ever when she found the party in a room devoid of furniture and native fashion on the mat covered floor mrs van at once declared that she could not assume that position that must bring her a but there being nothing of the sort in the building she was finally prevailed upon to make the best of it when she had finally seated herself she did not look particularly graceful it must be admitted and a smile j a sugar princess crossed the faces of those about her in spite of ah their efforts a moment later two entered arid began one said afterwards in answer to a of s through mr that had the age of sixteen years while the other the more and pretty of the pair confessed to twelve the latter was most arrayed and had a face which has been in many and she being one of the best known of her age in regarded this child with such admiration that his mother was obliged to him with a severe frown his pleasure at the girl s beauty however was soon by the quality of her voice judged by western standards a tame crow could hardly have furnished less melody her companion s notes were if anything worse and the part of the affair was composed principally of on a sort of tom tom which gave out a noise anything but agreeable to the ears of the guests is this a fair specimen of music asked mr when there was a lull yes replied the think these sounds and never tire of them foreigners are usually content with one experience of sort i should think so put in mrs van had covered up her ears in pain during the progress of the affair how anybody could like that sort of thing me why i d rate she paused for f and gave it up a sugar princess the supper always served after the music was then brought in and everybody except mrs van tasted of the dishes though without finding any of them especially fascinating the fun of trying to eat with chop sticks set all who made the attempt to laughing violently next the sake rice wine was passed and an elaborate ceremony which accompanied it was ex the younger had seated herself by s side and seemed to find the position entirely congenial william exclaimed his mother as she saw the cup passed back and forth between them be careful i ve heard that drinking sake together a legal marriage in this country then i am already a he responded with a burst of merriment mrs van allow me to present your daughter in law there is a second married couple here already if this is true commented mr waking up

0Arthur Conan Doyle

to the occasion miss you and mr the girl stopped him by the speedy method of putting her hand over his mouth mrs vain regained her feet with s assistance and said she thought it quite time for them to return to the hotel wait just a minute mother pleaded t want to have a little talk with this pretty child so do i said holding out his cup for the to fill again ko san which was the name of the infant insisted that should tell her in everything the others said and he managed with some a sugar princess difficulty to give her an idea of most of it she laughed very much at the notion that had become her husband and to his side to mrs van s horror murmured that she was his san wife the trouble would be i should never know him from any other foreigner she said to they all look exactly alike to me that s as much as to say i m a retorted when this was translated to him how far from do these ladies and gentlemen live was the little s next question if they travelled as rapidly as possible it would take them twenty days and nights to reach home she drew a long breath i should think they would be sleepy before they got there she remarked with innocent sincerity amid the laughter that followed an interpretation of this speech the bill was brought in and paid and the party left the house i never shall forget that cunning child said to mr as their happened to come abreast in the dimly lighted street she makes think of the song in that charming story called madame butterfly a by you a picture a fan a sugar princess do you love her very much quite a pleasant surprise for at least one of the party at on the following day when they returned to the hotel from a visit to the temples they were met at the door by no less a person than thorn into whose embrace olive sprang with a cry of joy as soon as he could the clinging arms without undue haste thorn greeted the others beginning with mrs van and ending in a sort of way with i didn t write that i was coming he explained because i wasn t sure till the last minute i could get away and didn t wish to arouse false hopes in my sister he pressed closer the girl around whom his arm was still placed and she hid her face again in pure happiness on his shoulder i hope olive has been a good girl he added addressing the question especially to the clergyman i have not observed any particularly conduct on her part mr love joy responded as he gazed at the young lady through his glasses she s been an angel warmth but do let us sit down we act as if we a sugar princess were going to have our pictures taken in a group don t tell me thorn she added that you ve come with any idea of taking away from me for i just couldn t bear it miss thorn looked startled at the suggestion and eyed her brother anxiously he set their fears at rest at once by that he had no such disagreeable idea he wanted instead if agreeable to all parties to join them for a month or two mr who was not skilled at concealing his emotions colored slightly thought the next two or three seconds like hours she did not consider it her place to reply having a suspicion that she was the main reason cap t thorn s request at last her mother came to the rescue saying he would be very welcome and asking when he had last seen her husband may i be forgiven cried drawing her chair nearer thorn involuntarily i never thought do tell us the very latest news thorn said he had not unfortunately seen mr van on the eve of his departure as that gentleman had gone to he believed him however to be in excellent health as he had heard nothing to the contrary as it was nearly time to dress for dinner an operation which took a full hour in the case of mrs van that lady asked to be excused with her departure the party on the broke up only the two girls and thorn lingered a little longer it is evident you have taken excellent care of my sister he said to with an affectionate gaze at i never saw her looking better a sugar princess indeed she has olive answered warmly and now that you are to be with us nothing is wanted to make my happiness complete do you feel sure miss van that i shall be a welcome addition to your party in spite of him his voice trembled slightly and realized that there was more in his words than appeared on the surface mother has invited you to stay she replied and i don t see what possible harm your presence can do there s surely room enough in all the hotels for one more i must leave you now but we shall meet at the table if you want to talk a little longer with your brother i ll send my maid to help you when she gets through with me with a bow that was all dignity and yet full of courtesy bade good by to the captain at the same time pressing a kiss on his sister s cheek she had hardly vanished when a shrill voice was heard from the balcony overhead the thing you ll find in is a thorn between two roses somewhat startled the captain glanced in the direction of the sound it s those children of mrs young s olive explained with a frown they are simply whenever we imagine we

0Arthur Conan Doyle

re alone those are peeping and and remarks mrs young s he repeated vaguely the woman you met at mrs van s a sugar princess don t you remember with the brown she came along as mrs van s guest and brought her two with her they had lowered their voices now so that even if the were trying to listen from their perch overhead they could not succeed observations were thrown down from time to time nevertheless as s always lying and the englishman s cut you out all right when thorn could stand it no longer he raised his voice and remarked the first time i catch you young man i ll your ears to which s voice replied that s i ain t no young man and i ll tell my mother what you called me retreating steps indicated that the girl had gone in the direction referred to olive whispered thorn when the incident was ended has miss said anything she shook her head i m sorry to say she hasn t it s just as i wrote you the last time she seems exceedingly fond of me but when i talk of you she doesn t utter a word i ve gone as far as i dare i ve talked of you by the half hour saying how i wished you d find some dear girl for a wife and settle down in a home of your own i ve told her you never had a love affair and that if you ever formed an attachment it would be of a kind to last forever and she s listened as if out of politeness and when she s spoken again it s been about something else thorn s hands were clenched till the finger nails cut a sugar into the flesh his face was set and his dark eyes gleamed in the half light like polished jewels tell me about the other one he said presently does she give him any encouragement mr i don t think he s had the courage to a word to her has she met anyone else on this journey no one who could be thought of in that connection then i m going to ask her within a week there s nothing to be gained by waiting and she can t get angry with me for an honest declaration you remember the poet s words he either fears his fate too much or his desert is small who will not put it to the touch to win or lose it all miss thorn lifted her eyes to her brother do you love her very very much she whispered couldn t you learn to bear it if she said no i came here because i could not endure the suspense he said with short if she refuses me it will break up my life poor boy she murmured don t give way to you may win her yet looking stealthily around to make sure there were no spectators present thorn pressed a warm kiss on his sister s cheek she had given him hope that he needed badly as he entered the he saw dressed for dinner already x sugar princess it can t be he that would be impossible whispered thorn to himself as the idea struck him for the first time her father objects to men of title but he would hardly consent to a man who is little more than a personal servant taint heart never won fair lady i must win i must the dinner passed quietly thorn taking pains to be agreeable to everybody and not to address unnecessary remarks to the object of his hopes mr was even less than usual he too was thinking of the best way to impart to the fair daughter of the sugar king the desire that his heart the coming of thorn made it seem dangerous to the important question too long the party had to the as usual for coffee when young appeared and sought her mother for the purpose of saying good night she looked as innocently at thorn and his sister as if she had not excited their wrath less than two hours ago and bore herself in short quite like the kind of creature for which she was as soon as mrs young had pressed her lips to the child s suddenly asked in her shrill voice mother what s a the pin had it fallen upon the floor of the could easily have been heard such a question coming from the mouth of so young a child was enough to general attention what makes you ask was the maternal way of putting an inquiry that did not i think with mrs young a sugar princess cause angel was reading in a paper in the parlor about a that is badly wanted a long way from here and when i asked him what it was he told me a kind of that s the way he always makes fun of me what is a mamma tell me please angel should not pick up every paper he finds in a hotel commented mrs young but this did not satisfy the child s curiosity what is it what is it what is it she cried stamping her feet somebody tell me oh i won t go to bed tonight unless they do angel will keep me till i find out you tell me mr she continued appealing to that gentleman in her despair the englishman was overcome by the battery of eyes that were turned upon him and hesitated how to frame a reply go to bed that s a good girl said mrs young soothingly no no he s just going to tell me why an said mr clearing his throat is a man who er takes for his own anything that is er left in his care for instance money that s a lie

0Arthur Conan Doyle

retorted the if he was nobody would want him badly thorn you tell me i ll go right to bed if you ll just say what a really is all eyes were now turned upon thorn but before he could speak interposed sharply if you ll excuse me mrs young that child s company has ceased to be agreeable a sugar princess said mrs van severely mrs young is my guest so are these gentlemen whom she her child to annoy and insult was the quick reply it is not the first time and i insist it shall be stopped thorn and mr rose quietly and strolled out upon the lawn olive went upstairs and were missing from the group and were supposed to be away somewhere together mr looked on without moving in a sort of way mrs young seemed in doubt what to do but when she half rose from her chair mrs van insisted that she remain where she was you have made a nice scene she remarked sharply to her daughter i think you owe mrs young an apology i hope she ll sit there till she gets it was the immediate response i owe her child a sound she and her angel brother have insulted people in this party quite enough now mother there is no use in arguing this point if mrs young allows it to go on and you her i shall certainly go on my way without you the clergyman with the faculty for which he was noted seemed to think this declaration demanded a mild reproof he therefore began to remind the young lady that her mother was the best judge of her conduct when he was suddenly interrupted did anybody ask your opinion i would suggest that you join the other gentlemen who are the moon yonder a sugar princess the mild and smile with which this idea was received only exasperated the more mr looked at her over his glasses and refused to take the least offence mrs van she had not his taking part in the conversation was at her daughter s manner toward a man of the cloth after several for breath she rose and started for her room followed by her the small cause of the disturbance too evidently pleased at the excitement she had created waited till the last with a grin on her face and then joined the procession with her chin in the air in imitation of those who preceded tier i didn t mean to be to you said when she was alone with mr but that child me beyond endurance i was sincere in what i said to my mother if it is not stopped i shall go on the rest of my journey without her and now what i want to ask you is and i know you ll do anything for me for my dear papa s sake if olive and i do run off together will you let us have mr i mean your man for our you and mr are old and could get along without him better than two young girls like us the minister shook his head like one of the toy that fill the shop windows at christmas murmuring that she must be a good girl and do nothing rash listen and don t your face retorted if we do go and i will you let us wander off alone in a country where we don t know our way and x sugar princess may get into all of trouble perhaps i d better not go and maybe i won t have to but if i do that s the question can i have if i need him he the new form of the question for a minute and then asked why she could not take mr oh can t you think of something less ridiculous she cried forgetting her resolution to be polite you know he doesn t understand the language any better than i the minister scratched his beard and seemed to admit that here was really a difficulty thorn would hardly want his sister to go away without him he suggested feebly you won t go you ll be a good girl and obey your mother then you refuse to let me have mr i mean i ll write to my father the kind of a friend you are before i go to bed as she turned away the clergyman enough to call after her that of course he would do anything she wished if things came to such a pass that it was necessary but he modified her joy by inquiring when her face was turned toward him if her brother was not after all best fitted to fill the emergency oh what a man you are she cried knows nothing about he knows nothing about the language he knows nothing about taking care of anybody not even himself he must stay with mother not to take care of her but to let her take care of him i don t know where he is at this blessed minute but i presume he s drinking sake with eyed a sugar princess oi and saying a lot of silly things that she doesn t understand you will lend to me is that it if i need him you will lend to me and olive he had one more suggestion left i suppose you wouldn t object to my going too she said it was not to be thought of for an instant she should go quite into the interior of the country up among the mountains on horseback a journey no gentleman of his years could possibly take probably when mrs van saw the effect of her action in with a stranger against her own daughter she would give mrs young to understand that must be kept within bounds in that case said she would return and all would be serene

0Arthur Conan Doyle

fearful that he would invent some new plan if she did not the nail she repeated her question mr answer me and don t beat about the bush if and i go off by ourselves do you mean to let us go alone or will you let us have the only practical guard we can possibly obtain why he stammered of course in that case with a hop and jump she danced up to him and caught his head between her fair hands giving it a delighted squeeze and a second later she was out of sight when returned he found his employer on the and heard this solemn statement miss van and her mother have had a slight difference and she talks of going off for a little o a sugar princess while with miss thorn to some of the mountain in case she does i have consented reluctantly to let you accompany them as guide and i hope it will not be disagreeable to you a sugar princess o chapter xxi her first proposal returned to st louis heart broken nothing but the hope of setting aside the latest will that mr had executed kept him from utter despair mr joined him in this task for he had a little of the matter on his conscience too of s condition while in were presented to the court added his own evidence supported by mr s and mr s the second will was thus opposed by both the named therein and the court was not lone in coming to a decision a record was made that was peter s heir neither nor had much prospect of finding themselves warmly received by either in person or by letter in this mr was consulted with the result that newspaper was decided upon as a beginning he thought if saw in the public prints that the estate had been to him without effort on his part he could hardly do less than return to claim it an article was prepared for the san which took up the better part of a column and related the principal facts in the interesting case the a sugar princess fact that was at present in was carefully inserted to make it more likely that he would have these facts brought to his attention mr marked copies of the newspaper and had them to all printed in the english language in cities the young man was so very peculiar he did not send any to him direct though he for some time the idea of doing so the article would naturally attract notice among americans and s attention could hardly escape being called to the matter although did not think it wise to follow to the he with his impatience by going to where he had many with van the sugar king had frequent news of the young man and every move he made was duly reported to the anxious waiter in the meantime our friends in finished the sights at and in spite of mrs van s repeated statements that she would not go another foot into the country which she declared with an idea that the expression being english must be aristocratic was perfectly took horses and made the trip over the mountains to the alternative was to part company with her daughter whose dislike of the young did not in the least mrs van had said a few mild words to her friend in reference to the children but they seemed to have little effect on the evening before leaving beautiful lake an incident occurred which nearly the party had s sugar princess o an out out with in which very warm language was used on both sides however when word was brought in the morning that the child was quite ill and that a doctor had been called went to the bedside and expressed regret for her sharp words when mrs young left them alone took the young lady s hand and pressed it to her hot head while her heavy eyes opened and closed languidly i didn t want to make any trouble murmured the thin voice tell mr i m sorry i said you wanted to marry him i didn t mean any harm by it sobs shook the little form as the child buried her head in the pillow was much distressed i will forgive you she responded if you ll never say anything like that again i do not want to marry mr and such expressions are very the face was revealed and the red hair was brushed back the swollen eyes opened you might tell me said the child eagerly i ll never say a word to anyone captain thorn is it him is what him my dear please say nothing more about my affairs all right was the weary response i know it is thorn i wonder i didn t understand before when are you going to be married spoke sharply in spite of herself yes it must be thorn pursued the young thing as if to herself there s nobody else but a sugar princess and though he the ground you walk on he s too poor to marry a rich lady miss van had reached the door and opened it a little way prepared to end the interview but she paused red as a what right have you to speak in that way about about mr s man she asked in a faint voice poor fellow was the soft reply i him so sometimes he sits by himself and looks so and when you come he up like the sky when the sun breaks through the clouds but he s poor she on he has no family or friends mamma says so it must be thorn yes it s thorn i ll never say a word to anybody if you ll just tell me it s thorn did not even turn her gaze toward her

0Arthur Conan Doyle

listener she seemed as if merely thinking aloud anxious to end the conversation in a way to prevent its ever being miss van a moment longer foolish as it seemed i m not going to marry anybody she said and i don t see what put such ideas into your little head never speak about it again or you ll distress me very much turned her head on the pillow and looked earnestly at her visitor but all the others speak about it she persisted angel offered to bet me one day you d marry hi but mother s setting her cap for him and nobody can cut her out if she makes up her mind i see through her pretence of quarrelling with him she can t fool a sugar princess o me i m sure you are going to marry thorn you didn t say you wasn t she added well i say it now was forced from s lips almost before she was aware of it a second later she had opened the door and saw mr standing there there could not be much doubt he had overheard her statement wondering what construction he would put upon it she bade him good morning and hurried away without answering the questions he began to ask as to the condition of the sick girl had come to that door for the simple reason that miss van was inside he had happened to inquire s condition from her mother and had been directed to the chamber with the information that miss was calling there at the entrance he had heard her voice and as he paused uncertain what to do there came those words that had so much meaning to him i m just sure you re going to marry thorn you didn t say you wasn t and even as his heart sank there came the reply which sent the life blood through his in great leaps well i say it now in affairs of this life there are really n o insignificant things trifles light as air may change the course of a human existence mr needed some sudden to awaken his courage a thousand times he had been on the point of declaring his love a thousand times he had let the moment pass the silly child had obtained for him the one great o a sugar princess ance he wanted if thorn was not his rival he knew of none to fear s confusion when she realized that he had overheard her statement only convinced him of what he most wanted to believe filled with new courage he encountered her the next day as she was about to take a short walk and asked permission to accompany her the ready consent which she gave added to his confidence as they strolled along a narrow road by the border of the lake he began at once to his mind miss van he began may i speak to you on a subject of great importance to me one in which the entire of my life is bound up now there is no young woman of the present day whatever there may have been in past ages who would have any doubt what such words meant coming from the lips of an unmarried man understood him perfectly you may say anything you think wise and proper she answered too he thought afterwards it is harder to begin than i thought it would be he said after a short pause your answer to the question i am going to ask will either make me the most miserable or the most happy of men i am thirty years of age and this is the first time i have ever said to a woman what i am saying to you i love you and i ask you to be my wife drew a long breath the answer she had thought would be so easy did not come at once one thing more said in a very low a sugar princess voice i am the only son of one of the men in england i belong to a family that had held a high position for generations i can say without that my life has been an honorable one in all respects and as open as the day i have loved you almost from the first moment we met in may i call you may i call you sweetheart it was much harder than she had dreamed it could be to tell this man that he was nothing to her but a mere acquaintance that she did not and never could love him it grew harder every minute she wondered if she had encouraged him if she was to blame in any way for the pain she must cause they stopped in the path at the end of a little bridge that a mr she said forcing the words lest he should mistake her silence let me go back to the hotel now tomorrow i will tell you what you wish to know and in the meantime i may hope she looked him full in the eyes with new found strength you must not she answered don t say that he as he uttered the words think of it a little longer my proposition was sudden unexpected perhaps take till tomorrow to consider it as you said very well she uttered the words calmly trying not to say them coldly tomorrow then and for today said he trying to speak more brightly we will forget that i have tried to be anything more to you than a good friend and companion let us continue our walk to the spring a sugar princess but she said she thought she would to go back she pointed to mr who was coming from the direction of the hotel i will get mr s secretary to escort me and you can continue your walk good bye for

0Arthur Conan Doyle

today she offered him her hand and regretted the when he pressed it gently to his lips then he left her and walked across the bridge rapidly will you please escort me back to the hotel she asked when he came up they walked along together in silence for some moments then she asked him if he could keep a secret and when he started from the into which he had fallen she continued mr has just asked me to be his wife he stopped in the path so this was to be the end he seems a very excellent gentleman he forced himself to say good heavens he must say something i have no doubt he is a very excellent gentleman she answered but i did not accept him you did not he felt like falling on his knees and thanking and yet he did not know why she was not for him and never could be why might she not as well marry mr as another no i told him i would give my answer tomorrow she said it is not nice for a girl to think of being an old maid and if no one she really loves offers himself to her must consider what proposals she receives a sugar princess he had recovered from his first shock and was walking so rapidly that was being left behind aren t you going to take me to hotel she called after him and he his steps saying with cheek i beg your pardon papa does not want me to marry a foreigner that s one trouble continued as they walked along but mr isn t a duke that s something in his favor papa would rather i married an american without a penny of course one of good reputation than the greatest prince in europe but a girl cant marry a man who doesn t ask her can s he he was dumb as a sheep before its he could think of nothing to say he wanted dreadfully to escape from her presence but she purposely i don t know what to do she went on half to herself mamma and i never hold the same views about anything so there s not much use in consulting her is a dear child but she has plans for me of her own and is prejudiced is entirely useless i wish would help me she looked into his face but the idea that he could be the she meant never entered his mind and was he not as prejudiced as olive thorn if it came to that you re awfully to day she said presently when he did not speak ye he assented gloomily i am dull to day always am dull i can t help it he uttered these words strained pauses be a sugar princess the sentences when they the hotel entrance he left her abruptly went straight to her mother mr has asked me to marry him she said simply impudence cried mrs van what did you say i hope you gave him your opinion of his conduct i told him i would give him an answer to morrow i ll give it to him to day if see him retorted the mother i never heard anything so ridiculous a common ordinary man to to a girl with your prospects i guess you d better leave him to me smiled her daughter my answer will be the same as yours and perhaps a little more considerate a sugar princess chapter xxii a real english lord at last is one of the most beautiful towns in which is giving it high praise for the country is full of picturesque places which the hurried from the too seldom takes time to see the ordinary way is to leave the steamer at run over to for a day or two then to everybody goes to then to and after that a long jump by train to then the way is chosen to and the most delightful of lands if left behind by people who imagine they have seen the real is not to be found along the lines of railway nor in the large it can only be reached on foot or horseback and the who is afraid of leaving luxurious hotels never sees at all and yet even can be reached with very little trouble if you are at for instance you may take a train at half past eight in the morning and arrive at at one after crossing the village you will find at the other end an extremely primitive by which you can at half past three from here to two will pull you in a up a steep and sandy road in two or three hours and you are hi a bit of the real at last a sugar princess the friends in whom we are just now interested did not reach in this manner however but in one requiring much more effort they came on horseback from through a hard mountain ride and compelling them also to spend a night at a very poor native hotel mrs van is not to be wholly blamed that one day at an inn of that kind was quite enough for her the only bed s were made by spreading on the bare floor and the provisions were merely as the had brought with them a large number of apparently kept for the purpose and trained to their duties went to work promptly and never stopped to rest during the night there were also other which it is not necessary to mention calculated to damp the soul of a lady even less than was mrs van if i get out of this place alive she remarked many times during that trip it s the last one of the kind you ll ever catch me in mrs young in her capacity as echo joined heartily in these sentiments the

0Arthur Conan Doyle

only wholly happy people in the party were angel and who found enough pleasure in the of other people to forget their own both of these had to stuff the ends of their in their mouths to keep from screaming with delight at each moan that came through the paper that divided them from mrs van even came down rather cross in the morning as she did not enjoy being bitten and olive admitted to having had her full share of trouble a sugar princess with the insects everybody s wrath was directed against the mild mr who had somehow the powder which he had undertaken to provide but as the remarks were somewhat modified on account of his sacred profession he was unaware of their full significance i slept very well indeed thank you he remarked to mrs van s sarcastic inquiry on that point slept she echoed do you mean to say you slept with a thousand running over your body i did not notice them he replied with one of his smiles i ve got one bite as big as a dollar put in mrs young in a vigorous aside not notice them indeed a dollar is only worth forty five cents in american money remarked her son soothingly so you see it s not as bad as it seems that must have been the wicked that no man said with a look that left the in doubt whether she was or was not mrs van took occasion to ask her daughter when they were again on the road if she thought would care for any more of the interior of after that night s experience and she said it in a tone which showed what answer she d why certainly was the response if that of a hadn t forgotten the powder everything would have been lovely i like the immensely the hard beds the cold and l a sugar princess the horseback riding i m going over a lot more of this country before i leave it you ll have to go without me then her mother i call this sort of travel unfit for any decent human being saw her opportunity and made good use of it oh mamma you must go just on a few more there s a lovely one i read of in the guide book that leads around the of fu j i think you d want a few more was the reply oh yes i should love to go there above all things but this hasn t been active for a century or two broke in who was near the i wouldn t trust one of them said his mother if you and want to commit suicide you d better take some easier way remember mr s i mean s adopted father buried in the on here admitted that he had seen all the he wanted to for the next fifty years as his sister made no remark at the time mrs van came to the conclusion that the matter would end there and dismissed it from her mind the inn at was so prettily situated so well kept all of the party except mrs van and mrs young who were determined not tb be satisfied with anything and mr who was in a dejected state over the contents of a note he a sugar princess had received on the day following his proposal of marriage became quite enthusiastic over it the town itself has for its principal street a flight of broad stone stairs of an easy grade nearly a quarter of a mile in length this runs from the bottom of a valley where rice meadow s stretch far away to the mountains beyond to a temple on the hills above the village along both sides of the steps are numerous and shops and hot springs which out of the have their waters conducted into hundreds of private these are commended as for many diseases and as this was the height of the season the place was crowded with well to do people the effect of the brightly arrayed natives continually ascending and the steps was a of the of the di in rome but much more entertaining angel said it made him think of his on jacob s ladder and olive haunted the vicinity delighted with everything saw there were tiny women in and with their hair in the fashion stuck through with bright slippers on baby feet usually bare of odd looking men and doll like children divided her time also between the goods offered for sale at the shops and the magnificent view she left olive a good deal to thorn thinking they must be glad to be alone after their long separation mr kept to his room on the plea that he had letters to write an d the others disposed of themselves according to their various fancies l a sugar princess when they had been at but a few days a continuous rain that lasted nearly a week drove them indoors but even then was happy she declared that nothing could be pleasanter than sitting in the glass enclosed which opened from the rooms across the immense plain prettiest effects were visible first came the red roofs of the houses one below the other as the ground descended streams of hot water flowing on their mission of utility and health sent up clouds of steam when the little rivers had finished visiting the they swept through long and turned the of a number of rice mills ere they made their final plunge into the valley and became part of the larger stream there so full of running water is that the can hardly get out of sound of its musical flow from one end of the green land to the other the height of most beautiful of isolated mountains could be seen from the hotel its top now crowned the first snow

0Arthur Conan Doyle

of the season and most impressive of all masses of white clouds hung like a curtain over the landscape changing their and forms with every movement of the breeze mu paid little attention to these sights not only had he witnessed them all before but his mind was occupied with the confidence miss van had given him by the lake at in reference to mr he had no means of knowing the purport of the answer she had given on the bay following her reference to the matter he noticed the of the englishman and his with a sugar princess from t he young lady s society but was not sure what this might signify possibly it was only a to the suspicions of mrs van until could write to her father and obtain his consent to an open announcement but what had she meant by her veiled to she liked better offering himself love with thorn or was there some one he had never head of in or perhaps in notwithstanding his own pain he was sorry for her if she really cared for another man it was simply terrible to think of her accepting mr the rule that compelled a young woman to wait for the momentous question must result sometimes in the greatest mistake she could make while the rain lasted the small list of books which the had with them was drawn upon to the full every stray newspaper printed in english was read with eagerness as food is guarded and out on a steamer the proprietor of the hotel a bright who spoke english with considerable brought to the parlor one evening a of papers of recent date which were received with many of pleasure each guest took a part of the treasure and silence fell on the group listen everybody cried suddenly springing to her feet with her newspaper in hand and going closer to the hanging lamp here is news that you ll all want to hear she re d o a sugar princess the court at st louis mo to which was referred the last will of the wealthy peter who perished in the at has the same it being proved that the will was executed while the was in an state of mind a previous will nearly the whole of die estate estimated at over to an adopted son named though generally called has been accepted and the property is now awaiting the heir as mr is visiting with a party of americans we hope that this paragraph will be the means of conveying to him the pleasant news a visible sensation passed through the room as the girl read these words for some seconds after she finished nobody spoke all looked straight at whose face wore an expression of surprise doubt and grief mr was the first to congratulate him rising from his chair which happened to be next to that of the young man he placed his hand in a way on his shoulder you are at last my dear boy he said i shall lose a companion but you will regain your true place in the world i am not sure i shall accept this decision replied firmly though he grew pale and red by turns not accept it exclaimed who had at last found his tongue not accept it what do you mean don t interrupt him said the sister impatiently as she leaned forward with the others awaiting the explanation s brain had begun to grow dizzy his throat a sugar princess filled arid he could not speak the memories that thronged upon him his stout heart excuse me or the present he said hoarsely and as he left the room every person rose involuntarily yes even mrs young and mrs van well i never heard anything like that this was of course i thought he d just jump up to the ceiling with joy oh did you think he d lost all his fine feelings just because he s had to take a salary for a few months spoke with indignant reproach he evidently had a very deep affection for mr put in thorn no amount of material wealth can make him forget the unhappy events which his friend looked her gratitude which was reward enough for thorn olive came to her side and grasped her hand soon after the party broke up paused a minute on the staircase to ask mr in a whisper w hat he thought s decision would be i ve no means of he answered a little selfishness comes into my view of the i should be very sorry to have him leave me the girl started could he not continue with us even if he the money as an independent traveller she asked with suppressed eagerness it not be absolutely necessary for him to return to america now he could signify his acceptance by letter and you could advance him any money he needs a sugar princess the clergyman dwelt on the suggestion he has seen all the countries we intend visiting he said finally and i don t suppose would care to go over them so soon again no is no reason why he should stay there s nothing in this part of the world he cares for she turned away saying d night in a voice and the picturesque hotel on the over which the full moon watched lovingly perhaps was soon quiet the next day asked mr if he could spare him for a few hours and was told to consider himself at full liberty his fellow saw him wander off toward the he wanted to think out his great problem with nothing but his own soul to guide him when he did not return at noon nor even at dinner time no apprehension was felt as there are plenty of tea j houses among the hills where light may be obtained a mail arrived helped

0Arthur Conan Doyle

to break the monotony among the letters received was one which seemed to worry thorn a great deal he told his sister hurriedly financial matters required his presence in and started immediately for that city he said however that he expected to return in a few days and kissed her at parting there was one person at the hotel w ho ht of a way to lessen the this van in whose mind still bitterly the statement that mr had asked to be his wife her resolution to have it out with him was a sugar princess warmly by mrs young affair was to her in one of those confidences that women love mrs young protested it was the most outrageous breach of hospitality she had ever heard of indeed she would give the fellow a piece of her mind if she was the injured mother she would not her words either she would tell him that after what had happened his room was better his company an opportunity came late in the afternoon when and olive had gone out for a stroll with ld s maid for through the village mr having been watched for carefully was detected in one of the and into mrs van s parlor like a fly into that of a spider having got him fairly the lady no time in giving him her opinion of what he had done my daughter begged me not to refer to the subject she said in closing a very warm but i feel it my duty to ask you to pursue your journey without us it will not be agreeable to travel with a man who could so far forget himself when miss van she will be able to select her husband from the highest circles i should have supposed you would realize that and save us this humiliation mr bowed with the never failing good manners for which he had always been conspicuous though his cheek burned at the speech i will certainly obey your request he said in a firm yoke but in justice to myself i ask you to listen to a sugar princess a statement which may in some you anger toward me may i proceed half turning from him mrs van remarked that he could say anything he pleased but he must understand in advance that it would not have slightest effect on her decision in the first place then he began my name is not but i am the eldest son and heir of lord of and descended on both my father and s side from old and highly connected families in due time i shall become not only a member of the british of lords but very wealthy i thought in the circumstances that i was justified in to the hand of a young lady whose ancestors have i believe been conspicuous in the history of their country mrs van told mrs young afterwards that she thought she should faint she in her dress pocket for her smelling but could not find them was there ever such a dreadful mistake i beg your pardon most sincerely my lord she as soon as she could find strength i am with confusion why has all this been concealed until now because he replied her i wanted to win your beautiful child in such a way that i fed she had accepted me for myself i thought the prejudice of her father against rank might be in time if he knew me first as a plain citizen i ami very sorry for what has happened although miss declined my proposal i had hoped that time a sugar princess might her to change her decision with your prejudice against me it is evident i can have no hope i will leave here tomorrow mrs van and can only trust that my explanation will lessen your severe opinion of my conduct mrs van hastened to get between her victim and the door indeed my lord you will do nothing of kind she exclaimed i beg you to forget all i have said and continue our companion and friend my lord i entreat you i shall never forgive if you do not remain a sugar princess it was his spirit the decision of in relation to his inheritance was never in any serious doubt his feelings toward his adopted uncle were so tender his hurt so deep that he could not bring himself to accept any part of the large fortune his friend had left there were many reasons why a tidy sum of money would have been very welcome to him just then and he thought these over with a fainting heart during long hours he passed alone in the hills above his position as an in the party with van nearly drove him to madness notwithstanding mr s kindness and the outward consideration with which he was treated by most of the others he that he was something lower than a gentleman something but little higher than a it was not he despised his position in itself but because the woman he madly loved had degraded him so far as to pity his sad plight in her presence he was at the extreme of mental misery the which compelled him to march like a in her train were becoming ah how different if instead of a paid companion lo a old it was thus he a sugar princess mr love joy in his distress he were a gentleman of fortune counted for what he believed himself to be as much money as was now offered him he might even to the agony of the trial but he never for a moment wavered from his rigid determination he would not assist in the disposition peter had made of his estate whether at the time he signed that paper he was sane or insane it would be to alter the last wishes the almost dying wishes of

0Arthur Conan Doyle

the truest friend he had ever known not until it was nearly midnight did rouse himself from his and rise from the ground where he had flung himself long before noon the thought of food had not come to him during that long day and though faint now from it did not occur to his mind that hunger was the cause he stood up stretched his arms above his head and turning to the moon overhead cried aloud i will not do it i will work at any honest employment starve if need be but i will never touch a penny of that money strange sometimes come to and mind s before the startled vision of the young a figure was on hill at some distance above him as he gazed he saw that it bore an resemblance to his deceased foster parent its arms were stretched toward him in an attitude similar to his own in weird play of the moonlight he thought familiar features awfully distinct a sugar princess a cloud passed across the face the queen of night and when rubbed his eyes again and peered into the shadow there was nothing to be seen he stood a moment trembling not from fear but w h a still deeper emotion then he fell on his knees and murmured a prayer it was his spirit he said reverently as he took his slow way back to the hotel he came to tell me i had decided well he was perhaps as free from superstition as a man could be who had never given a moment s thought to supernatural phenomena he only knew what he had witnessed or what he thought he had witnessed if that pleases the critical reader better the affair did not interfere with his rest that night nor alter his conduct in any way neither did he consider it a matter to be referred to in conversation with the people about him everything connected with his deceased friend was sacred he had felt no more alarm at sight of s than he would have felt at his living presence it was evident from statement that the old s mind had become from very love of him and though his blood and his hands clenched themselves involuntarily when he thought of deception he had for hfe victim only the tender feeling of a son mr love joy wisely let him take his own time to decide what he would do though came frequently to ask the result with an anxiety she could not hide on the third day announced his decision in the manner a sugar princess i have come to the conclusion i accept nothing from the estate and have to that effect to mr asking him to mail me any documents i ought to sign the minister murmured that he was glad he was not to lose his valued companion but continued i have decided also to ask you to release me from my contract i am at last out of your debt and there are strong reasons entirely with yourself which make me desire a different position for some time mr did not speak he seemed completely you have a more place in view i presume he said when he found his voice i can readily see having very correctly it seems to me from your concluded to earn living permanently such a position as mine can have few attractions would you mind telling me as one who has some title to call himself friend you intend to do stammered that he had secured nothing as yet why then must you leave me so suddenly interrupted mr is it not better to continue to draw your salary until you are sure of something better i will increase it if you wish until that time comes adding say a month to what you now receive is not the best place for a young man to find a good position at short notice unless he has influential to this replied that he hoped his conduct had a sugar princess not seemed ungrateful he appreciated the kindness he had received but desired to obtain a place with some business house as soon as he could possibly do so with the prospect of losing the member of party to whom all arrangement had been mr thought he ought to tell s decision to mrs van it happened that and mrs young were in her parlor at the time and the effect of the announcement on of the ladies is worthy of notice i hope he won t leave us in the said mrs van but i suppose he will no matter how kind one is to servants they only think of themselves mother broke in s indignant voice you have no right to use a term like that in speaking of mr he is a gentleman who has shown the highest sense of honor it is an outrage to speak of him as if he were a common a person who works for wages is a servant her mother replied stiffly mr i mean is no different as i see from anybody else we have got used to him and he knows our if he leaves i say again it simply shows the ingratitude of his class the lady was becoming slightly excited as always did an argument grew warm and mrs young handed her a smelling bottle don t get nervous murmured the widow in a tone which implied that fully agreed with her friend you can get a quite as good at a a sugar princess day s notice by sending to one who won t think himself above his duties added in an sprang to her feet will you be good enough mrs young she demanded with flashing eyes as i have asked you more than once before not to interfere in tions between my and me i don t see the difference

0Arthur Conan Doyle

myself she added cutting sarcasm between accepting a salary and at other people s expense like some folks i could mention this shot was so severe that its effect was immediately apparent mrs young took her handkerchief and buried her face in it you have gone a little too far said mrs van sharply when you compare a hired servant with a lady who is my friend i am going to my room until you are ready to you need not come to me don t neglect to have your meals sent up till i do was the retort the impudence of this creature she continued vehemently as the ladies started together is beyond endurance i shall go to mr myself and beg him to remain as a personal favor to me mrs van ben faced about very white that would be a fitting climax to your present actions she said let me tell you mr that this man cannot remain in my party after today before we left i made an agreement with him a sugar princess to add to the wages he was to receive you so far as i am concerned i discharge him from this moment she swept through the doorway with mrs young whose face was still concealed and whose attitude suggested deep grief as the door closed somewhat behind the pair turned to the clergyman with eyes is it true what my mother said demanded the girl has mr been receiving pay from her why i i he began has he or has he not yes or it is news to me you never heard of it before he shook his head like a perplexed sheep then i don t believe it but find out she added with a gasp and if it s true that he s taken a penny from her he may go for all i care then to show how little she was interested in the matter the girl threw herself into a chair and burst into tears mr as if thankful for the chance took the opportunity to make his escape after a little time composed herself and removed the traces of weeping from her face as well as she could when she opened the door to leave the parlor it struck sharply against an object outside nothing less than the head of young who set up a howl that might have been heard for some distance all of s wrath burst forth again you ve been listening at that she owed a sugar princess grasping the by the shoulder what do you mean by doing a thing like that t listen the child rubbing her head i i was just looking at my face in th now the of the door was of a reflecting material which might easily have served as a mirror and was about on a level with s eyes believing that she had an injustice was filled with instant she knelt down gathered the little form in her arms and kissed the face i m very very very sorry i you were and there s nothing than that don t mind dear please the child did not feel inclined to be at once you hurt me she said you hurt me very much but i can t do any more than say i m sorry persisted you ll be over it in a minute i sha n t i m going to be sick again i know oh please don t i ll do anything you ask if you won t looked into the sad face anything she repeated anything then tell me i won t say a word hope to die if i it to her feet flew as fast as pas a sugar princess to her own room shut the door and began crying again it was more than she could bear that this little should penetrate a secret that was her the most miserable of women a sugar princess chapter xxiv an unwelcome for oo though our little heroine had a temper of her own she was not nor did she seriously intend to give her mother just cause of the various members of the young family had annoyed her extremely and she had at times been betrayed into language which she regretted afterwards that day when she had sobbed in her room for an hour she slipped around to her mother s door and knocked softly as soon as she was admitted she threw herself at the maternal feet with the exclamation oh mamma i m so unhappy have you come to ask my pardon for your conduct was the way in which this attitude was met oh yes mamma anything you like only let s not quarrel i am so sick and nervous i don t know what to do put your arms around me before yielding to this request it occurred to mrs van that this was a good time to obtain a complete surrender she did not even mean to leave the garrison its side arms will you to mrs lo the way you insulted her a sugar princess this question came very near the whole business for a crossed s brain at the suggestion her mind was so troubled about however that she suppressed the reply which rose to her lips mamma dear she said why need that woman come between you and me do you care for her more than for your own child can t you dispose of her in some way and let us go on in peace together the mother still believed that she had the advantage of position and proceeded accordingly mrs young is a lady she answered whom i invited to make this trip with me i have seen nothing in her action s to call for criticism although you have treated her several times in a scandalous manner she has borne it with a truly christian spirit s you

0Arthur Conan Doyle

can view year conduct in its right light i do not feel that you deserve forgiveness so even this rock of safety was denied to the except on the most severe terms i think you are very hard mother she pleaded you never before asked your daughter to humble herself before a person of lower grade you forget and at the idea a smile broke through the tear clouds that i am a sugar princess the daughter of a sugar king as the suggestion in reference to mrs young had not out very well mrs van tried another tack you are a frivolous child she said the s hair as she lay on the rug at feet not a sugar princess sure it wouldn t be the best thing for you if you had a husband immediately sat up with every appearance of interest strange it is you should do you know i think so too you would like to get married exclaimed the as lady above all things clasped her hands together and raised her eyes toward the ceiling you did not give much consideration to mr s proposal how could i as soon as i mentioned it to you you said he was out of the question i had promised to tell him the next day and you gave me no choice the eager matrimonial agent did not perceive the light vein of irony that these statements she thought she saw a chance to make some effective moves i fear i was a little hasty she said i was at first indignant that a gentleman should ask your hand without coming to your parents i have had a talk with mr since then and his explanation was entirely satisfactory pulled a chair to her mother s side whatever did he say to make you change your mind so completely why he talked like a thorough gentleman and aid such nice things about you and but he it not a duke interrupted you a sugar princess wouldn t want to marry a man without a title why mamma the wondering eyes were fixed on the maternal face in a way caused mrs van great embarrassment he is well connected and his family stands high in england and are very rich i never seriously expected you to marry a duke that was your father s way of expressing my that you would select a suitable husband if you want to marry i don t believe that you ll find a better match than mr mr if you hunt the world over drawing a long breath said she was too much astonished to know what to say encouraged by this attitude mrs van went on to the nail she had driven if you will tell mr you have your refusal she said and let me announce the fact of your engagement i will do whatever you ask about s young i must admit that her children are sometimes and now darling it was an expression that could not remember ever having heard from those lips before give me a kiss and get ready for dinner the sugar princess lay awake that night till nearly daylight trying to find a satisfactory explanation of her mother s change of front between times she had little of tears as she thought of mr she had no idea of marrying or any other man she was bo be an old maid a little d up old maid with short curls and perhaps a red nose surrounded with and with this dismal a sugar princess the poor fell asleep as the sun was the eastern sky and did not wake till it was nearly at the so exhausted was she with tier before that hour however mrs van had executed two important pieces of business in the first place she h ad written a for to at any branch of the co this her maid put into his hand with a very brief note saying that if the sum was insufficient for what services he had rendered he could write her to that effect the second thing was a conversation with mr as we may as well continue for the present to call him in which she that young gentleman with so me of her own what her daughter and she had talked about the night before the englishman was not dull enough to be imposed upon as thoroughly as the mother had been he did not build too much hope on her eager that she would bring the child around in a few days to giving him an affirmative answer when next he renewed his suit but he replied to the lady s statements with his accustomed dignity committing himself no further than to say he hoped she was right in her and will you really be an earl when your father dies said mrs van i hope he is m good health she added in excellent health i am glad to say he answered keeping his countenance with difficulty and what do they call the wife of an earl she o a sugar princess continued you see i don t knew much about titles as we have only the royal family in she is called an i suppose no a an earl in the english is of the same rank as a count in some of the continental countries when i come into the title if i am married my wife will be of mrs van rolled the words under her tongue like a sweet morsel of and at present you are just mr i am called by courtesy lord but plain mr suits me quite as well i have a vein of republican simplicity and as i understand mr van objects to titles i should be quite willing to bear only that name until i am compelled to take up the other to this mrs van protested earnestly lord was ever so much

0Arthur Conan Doyle

better than mr she told a story of how her ancestors belonged to a noble family in but had to ill fortune in one of the civil wars this was a little fiction that she had long ago invented and had caused infinite amusement in where many of the inhabitants remembered her parents very well while this was going on was pacing his room with darkened brow he held the in his trying to study out what it all meant sent to him in that abrupt fashion he recalled mrs van s request made to him in that he would keep a careful eye on her son and remembered a sugar princess her statement that he would be for anything he might do in that direction he had wanted at the time to tell the purse proud that he would be glad to oblige her but could not dream of taking money for the service and he had said nothing because he hoped that the idea would vanish from her mind of its own accord and here was her representing in t he blunt est manner the estimate she put upon him the slight services he had rendered to because he was s and to miss van had been weighed on her balance this represented the figure at which she estimated him how degrading it was how bitter this cup of poverty that he had chosen to drink he could not stand it longer it would be better to buy a and pull strangers over the sandy road from he finally sought mr i am sorry to trouble you again he said in a shaking voice i must ask you to release me at once t pausing to allow this strange statement to penetrate his brain clergyman asked what had happened that has happened was the answer as the sense of swept over his features read those two pieces of paper and see if you think a man with any delicacy of feeling can remain here after receiving them mr took the letter mrs van had written and it word by word he read the with equal deliberation a sugar princess i don t exactly understand he began looking at the young man over his spectacles i don t suppose you do was the quick retort nobody understands i was born a gentleman s son poor perhaps but with a sense of honor inherited from ancestors who were neither nor there s good blood in my veins and it when i am crowded into the mire by people a little money confound woman and her gifts he reached for the piece of paper and tore it into fragments you see by her letter that s e thinks me her servant and has discharged me this has become the of the younger man was in marked contrast to the perfect calmness of the other one you have had no trouble any other members of the party the minister gently with william or no no no may i consider this matter settled between you and me i want to go i must go today mr slowly drew a letter from his pocket and after hunting awhile for his glasses made sure it was the right one did you not take some kind of trust from mr van before we sailed on the he inquired as stared vaguely at the speaker the solemn of the father again in his ears here are a few words lie has written to me continued the clergyman as he found the place i feel easy in my mind about my child knowing chat she is in some measure under the eye of my old a sugar princess friend s adapted son who promised me to guard her faithfully i believe him a young man of his word if i had the least d o of th at i should take the next steamer to notwithstanding the i should be sure to experience i have no doubt you will do all you can but it needs a younger and more active man gave mr my regards and him i shall hold him rigidly to his promise a tremor passed over as he listened yes he had give that promise recalled it with perfect distinctness the introduction of peter s name affected him powerfully when i had the conversation with mr van he said at last i did not anticipate this conduct on the part of his wife don t you over estimate the matter asked the minister it seems to me that if i were in your place i would simply write a polite note saying that i had done nothing for i desired payment and would be equally as ready in the future to render any service she require wouldn t be better than leaving us in this impulsive fashion i shall t e surprised and grieved if you abandon miss after hearing what her father has written to me what can i do for her that others cannot demanded her father seems to rely upon you if you are determined to leave you should at least him of your intention and give him a chance to carry out the alternative of which he speaks for some time was uncertain what to do there seemed the strongest arguments on both sides a sugar princess on no account he said could he remain where h was not wanted if mr wished to see mrs van and could then assure him that t he lady wished him to remain he would consider the suggestion of writing to her husband as he could not be induced to this in the least it was agreed upon after a little more debate soon after he left the clergyman a slight figure appeared at the latter s door and a voice asked if it might come in always always responded mr cheerily what can i do for little oh it s ing par

0Arthur Conan Doyle

she began though her face her words you heard what mo ther said about paying mr for his vices do you believe she ever offered him mo he nodded in the affirmative but there was a sly smile on his lips that gave the girl hope don t be silly said in a vexed tone i don t want to joke about the matter did offer him money or not she did he still smiling more than that she gave him a for i saw it myself oh cried sinking into a chair and pressing her hands to her throbbing head there was so much pain in that one word that mr hastened to his riddle here are the pieces scattered on the floor he remarked rapidly and looked where he directed a sugar princess her yes there were pieces of paper which looked as if they had been parts of a i don t understand sit down my dear and compose yourself let me be sure the door is shut and i ll make it clear to you when this precaution had been taken he drew a chair dose to the girl s your mother sent mr mu that this morning he brought it to me and in a of rage declared it an insult that he could not endure tearing it to pieces he gave me notice that he would at once leave the party for good the joyful look which had to creep into s face gave place to a shadow as she heard the concluding words then he has gone she gasped he has gone why what a fuss you make over an unimportant matter he s gone she repeated and with both hands over her eyes she burst into frantic weeping mr love joy arose and looked at the girl helplessly what does this mean he asked oh you blind bat you deaf post must i tell you what you have no eyes to see i love the ground that man walks on i worship the air he breathes i cannot live without him is that plain enough do you understand now she fell back into her chair half fainting the minister walked up and down the room muttering to himself well i never never never dear dear a yery thing a sugar princess finally he seemed to grasp the situation and leaning over the pathetic form whispered soothingly he loves the ground you walk on too my child he the air you breathe also if he were not over proud in his poverty he would have told you so long ago oh i have watched him very carefully poor boy a sugar princess chapter xxv on the road to it is neither necessary nor expedient to give the details of the conversation that followed mr s assertion it may be said however that s gave way to smiles as she drew out of the old gentleman his reasons for die faith that was in him in the hands of the youthful he proved a bit of clay and revealed many things that contributed to her satisfaction then he is not going away immediately she asked when they reached that point no he has promised to stay for five or six weeks at least but i do not think we can keep him longer than that unless some reason stronger than any i can advance is held out to him determined to lose no time in beginning her campaign she told her mother that she was suffering for more active exercise and suggested a journey over the hills to she knew very well that mrs van would never dream of taking that ride and that she was now in a mood to humor her daughter in every reasonable way played her cards and at last it was agreed that she might go with olive and mr for three or four days a sugar princess the entire party to start for on their return where mrs van understood something nearer like civilization could be found would have escaped this trip could he have done so in any reasonable way but there was no his latest promise to mr he must not allow to run into danger before her father should arrive there was no other available escort he therefore engaging horses and provisions and making all necessary arrangements who had now entirely recovered her spirits danced about the ho f el she never came near olive without catching her around the waist and whirling her in an she kissed her mother s cheek many times each day though this act was generally received with a mild protest she spoke politely to mrs young who assumed a highly injured air and even bore with good nature hints of her child to mr though reserved she was courteous in the extreme he was wise enough not to allude as yet to the matter which lay near his heart being assured by mrs van that things would be quite different in the near future when saw the party made up he said he wished he could join it as all the available saddle horses in the neighborhood had been this idea came rather late it was a beautifully clear morning nature seemed to smile across the fresh green of meadow and the horses slowly each with its owner in charge and the of the road compelled a a sugar princess single file for most of way rode his thoughts wrapped up in matters not altogether connected with the present occasion came next as it happened and not being well used to the saddle had her attention confined to the novelty of the situation olive followed at some little distance she was thinking of her brother for whose continued absence found it difficult to account had she been able to do so without her friend s pleasure she would have remained at and watched for mail s was occupied with

0Arthur Conan Doyle

plans as to what she would do in certain conceivable so the party went on almost as sombre as a funeral train till die stop for lunch and rest at noon early in the evening the came to hamlet of a picturesque collection of houses and shops and alighted at the hotel from the time the village was entered it became evident that the event was an unusual one the people turned out en to gaze on the strangers something as an american country population might stare at a all of the party were rather tired and soon after the evening meal separated for the night a little later the sound of a horse s footsteps were heard in yard and a voice called out in a low distinct tone olive miss thorn opened the paper covered s and recognized her brother who requested her to come down as the moon was shining brightly there was light enough to enable her to dress in which she was x sugar assisted by by to her aid there was no need for the others to interest themselves especially in the matter and in a few minutes they were all asleep miss thorn found her brother in a nervous state he had many questions to ask he explained that he had not written because he was expecting to come in person at the first opportunity he had flown to only to learn that she was gone the landlord had lent him his own horse and he had followed as rapidly as he could i hope your business matters were all right said not quite i am afraid i have slipped up on one or two things the worst of it is i may have to return to and perhaps take you with me he paused and took a full inspiration what have you learned he inclined his head toward die hotel and did not finish the sentence dear brother i wish you had never thought of her replied olive in a sad tone you would be much happier if you could dismiss her from your mind i can t he responded gloomily i shall propose to her to morrow or if not the next day how will you get an opportunity you can help me arrange the party so that she will be at the rear and keep the others as far ahead as you can i will make some excuse to be late in starting and when i overtake her i shall have her to myself for a few moments it will only take a few moments a sugar princess i and if she positively refuses you why then then we must go away as quickly as possible after a long pause he added have you any money with you a little do you want it i may we will go together and will you love me just the same no matter if she assured him earnestly on this point something that happened at today may help me a little said he you had hardly left the village when two arrived and arrested before i came they had taken him away with them she was too astounded to speak yes they had a warrant for him for a lot of money i heard he made a fuss at first declaring it was a case of mistaken identity and that his father was an english lord but he decided to go quietly nobody would have known it was an arrest if young angel hadn t been listening and told the story i i m so tired he continued yawning i must go to my room now and get my sleep they found a who had waited for them lying in across the doorway she lit a candle and escorted the guests to their rooms the procession started in the morning exact y as thorn had suggested miss vain bringing up he rear when thorn caught up with her it immediately occurred to that he had remained behind on purpose to obtain a private conversation had known for a long time he would ask her a sugar princess sooner or later to be his wife if this was his the sooner it was over the better passing through a small hamlet they to two paths one of which led through the valley the other over the those in advance had taken the valley road decided to take the upper path which she could explain on the ground that it afforded a more beautiful view when she found herself entirely alone however with thorn except for their two who not count any more than the animals they led she had a moment of stage fright and began to think of turning back the captain however did not give her time to consider this plan pushing his horse to her side he leaned toward her and said in a voice of feverish eagerness can you guess why i am glad we have taken a different path from the others miss van a sugar princess chapter xxvi you speak so sadly it has been the habit of the fair sex from time in memorial to affect the utmost surprise on occasions and s face bore an utterly blank expression as she looked at the is it something about olive she asked no he tried to smile though his countenance was troubled it is something about you can it be you have not seen in all the time i have been in your company he ld not proceed oh she said you want to marry me i love you i he cried with all my heart and soul will you trust your future to me i can t she replied i might as well say it in plain words not only do i not love you but my affections are engaged elsewhere there was a pause of a full minute before he spoke again glanced toward the valley

0Arthur Conan Doyle

where the others of her party were and thought s face was turned somewhat anxiously in her direction if you have reference to mr said thorn he is under arrest for and now on his way to where proceedings will take place a sugar princess mercy is it possible we have had a man of that character with us and never suspected him he was a great friend of s i am very sorry indeed i am but it is not mr i don t think i will tell you just yet who it is now captain the worst is over i want to be good friends with you for olive s sake promise me never to allude to this matter again she held out her little hand thorn took it and raised it reverently to his lips from the valley below was a witness of the act he has asked her to be his wife and she has accepted god help me to bear it like a man was not the only personage in history who though he could bear it like a man must also feel it like a man after a painful pause thorn said it would be necessary for him to return to at once and take his sister with him it would be impossible for him to remain with the excursion in his state of mind don t be foolish she answered soothingly men have died ere now and worms have eaten them but not for love you know and i are sisters and i want her to stay with me till i finish my journey if you are a nice unselfish brother you will do her that favor and if you care at all for me you should think a little of my feelings if you take away i shall have to give up my trip you will still have your maid and y e s but i m afraid it wouldn t look exactly right io go on with them alone i suppose you ll do as you ve a sugar princess a mind to why couldn t you have stayed away a week longer i shall feel like going back to rather than be separated from they were ascending the green at every step and the view was magnificent in all directions but the two saw nothing but their individual troubles olive may not return to said thorn why where are you going i don t know you speak so sadly what have i to make me happy but you might try i wish i had stayed on the valley road i want to throw my arms around s neck and have a good cry not having s neck to weep on took her horse s instead after a little while she straightened herself up and wiped her eyes then for an hour neither she nor her companion uttered a syllable when she did speak it was to make a strong plea that his intention of taking h is sister away with him i could not leave her if i would he replied there has been some trouble with my what nonsense you leave olive s expense to me she shall be just like a sister as long as you let her stay olive is very dear to me said thorn after some consideration i will leave her in your hands as you propose for the present and if anything serious should happen to me a sugar princess interrupted him with a shiver the way you say that makes my flesh creep she exclaimed why should anything serious happen to you accidents may befall anyone if as i say a serious accident should happen to me will you still be olive s protector always and now let us talk about something not so sad we are losing these beautiful views i wonder if that is in the distance shall you really have to go away what a pity that is about mr one would think a character of that sort would exhibit his nature and he seemed a perfect gentleman in every way i wonder if it s not possible there s some mistake money from those who trusted him seems than or highway robbery thorn had grown very pale in answer to s inquiry if he were ill he admitted that he did feel slightly faint it was now nearly one o clock and soon they rode into the yard of the to which they were bound after waiting a moment to see if it was expected of him thorn assisted to alight olive did not need to ask questions brother s own story did not look closely at either of them he had seen enough from the valley the bending over young lady s hand was confirmed by their late arrival which indicated the deliberation of lovers rather than the hastening of a maiden from an unwelcome a sugar princess presently miss thorn and her brother strolled a little way up the street and there he told her everything i may have to leave you again soon he said uneasily i have had some business trouble men v ith whom i have had dealings are pursuing me with malice i mentioned this to miss van on the way here and she asked me to leave you with her for the present are you willing to stay when must you go she asked perhaps tomorrow perhaps tonight i may have a message at any moment olive was much puzzled at his manner but she tried to conceal her apprehensions he certainly must know best there is just one other thing i want to say he remarked i have made some bitter enemies if you hear anything to my don t let anyone make you believe it these men may annoy me for the present but i will surely win in the end she responded with a warm pressure on the arm

0Arthur Conan Doyle

she held that no one could ever make her believe anything wrong of him and after a little further talk they returned to the hotel at about the hour of midnight finding himself unable to sleep thorn quietly made his way downstairs and out of doors he started for a stroll along the deserted street although it was hardly light enough to see his way so absorbed was he in his thoughts that he did not notice until it was very near a figure clad in european clothing approaching on horseback preceded by a a princess the rider stopped almost at the same moment directly in front of him the action might have aroused the apprehensions of a less nervous man than thorn was at that moment he put his hand instantly toward his hip pocket why captain don t you know me spoke the familiar voice it was mr a sugar princess chapter the story of stone thorn peered into the semi darkness recognized the traveller upon which he returned the weapon to his pocket and put on a more cordial front alighted from his horse and indicated to his that he might go on to the hotel that is the hotel i suppose he said tin g the building thorn signified an affirmative will you explain how you are here he asked i was told at the that you had a pressing engagement with some gentlemen who called there a case of mistaken identity replied the englishman quietly they had an idea that i was a man named stone wanted for somewhere in the states i them so far as to go to when we ran into the british minister who was on the train and i succeeded in convincing them of their error lucky for you they might have taken you all the way to america hardly as far as that i knew i could get identified at if worse came to worst well it has done me no harm and is probably a good thing for o a sugar princess real stone who yery likely will hear of it and be able to profit by my annoyance my friends the insist that he is somewhere in this part of the country do you suppose i could get anything to eat thorn said he thought he could arouse some of the servants and soon he succeeded in doing so while food was being prepared went more particularly into his adventure soon after the party had left for the came upon him a short way from the hotel they called him mr stone and said they had a warrant for his arrest the deuce you have he told them what have i been doing now they showed him a warrant and remarked that they did not mean to stand any nonsense if you want to go to the hotel and get your things all right they told me but if you try to get away you never ll put the government to any expense for your trial i was at their impudence returned to the hotel got my traps and went along with them you are cool enough about it thorn remarked shifting his gaze uneasily why there was no danger i knew i could send for the british minister who knows me very well when we got to but i didn t expect to find him quite so soon when the eggs and bread were brought he began on them drinking large cups of tea at the same time you t got a cigar about you have you a sugar princess said when at last he finished the meal thanks and a match awfully obliged mrs van was anything but cordial to me when i came back to she wouldn t believe i was accused even when she saw me free again so thinking the might reach the rest of her family i concluded to come at once and defend myself do you know whether miss van has heard of my she has and believes me a rascal fit for prison eh naturally looked at the speaker do you entertain the same view i know nothing about it said thorn under the sharp gaze don t you this isn t a bad cigar how long do you expect to remain at till the others go three or four days perhaps i wouldn t said this climate is dangerous for a man in your state of health there was no longer any his meaning thorn s eyes were fixed upon the ground and the air about the two men grew oppressive what do you advise a man in my state of health to do the captain managed to ask after an awkward pause not to waste an hour in leaving this place to go as fast as possible to some point on the railway the nearest way is over the i believe pick your way carefully out of the night air may a sugar princess be than daylight for the greater part of journey thorn was looking anxiously down the road one word why do you do this he asked you must know i tried to save myself by putting the police on your track yes i know i do this mr stone he spoke the name very low on your sister s account thorn sprang to his feet you love her he exclaimed why i thought i understood hush said i do not love miss thorn but i honor and respect her and i would avoid giving pain to her dearest friend miss van how can i thank you as soon as i say a few words to my sister i will depart if you remain you may be able to keep my off my track a little while make the parting short warned half an hour may mean everything to you by the way are you sufficiently well in funds thorn shook his head i was

0Arthur Conan Doyle

afraid not here is you can return it when convenient and what about miss olive hurriedly thorn told him of the arrangement he had made he then aroused his sister and had a few sad words during which he could not keep back the tears a servant had already summoned his and his horse was ready to mount pressing mr s a sugar princess hand and looking the gratitude he could not speak the captain vanished up the dimly lighted street a room was soon found for the new arrival where he lay down on the and was tired enough to get a sound sleep until morning when he met the others the next day he told them with many a laugh of the strange mistake by which he had been arrested and of his and release he even alluded to his cool reception by mrs van on his return to as a partial explanation for to join the rest of the party rather than remain at the hotel who had heard the first part of the story on the previous day was sincerely glad everything had turned out so well s thoughts were too deeply fixed on another subject for him to feel much interest in the matter presently asked miss olive to accompany him for a walk to a temple above the town and she accepted there were no other english speaking guests at the inn except who was occupied with a paper covered novel up stairs and miss van decided she would never have a better opportunity to get a definite declaration out of in relation to his feelings toward her mr had convinced her that he only needed a encouragement surely the field could not be clearer i wish mr would fall in love with she said looking after the retreating couple she s a sweet girl and he s really a good fellow it s hardly a week since he asked you to be his a sugar princess wife do you think a man can transfer his affections bo easily oh i don t know she said up her mouth marriage is a good deal of an accident in many cases i hope mr won t his life out because one girl refused him when there is another just as nice i didn t want to marry him and i had to tell him so i ve had another offer since then too which you did not refuse remarked quietly he had grown very bold to talk to her in that way but he thought it only a matter of a few weeks before he would part from her forever perhaps you know all about it she yes he assented and i take this my first opportunity to congratulate you the girl began to feel chilly could it be mr had made a mistake well if you ll allow me she replied with a toss of her head you don t seem to know anything about it on the way here yesterday thorn asked me to marry him and i declined without a moment s hesitation if i had accepted him do you think he would have gone away as he did in the middle of the night but i could not help seeing you from the valley said surprised at his own courage he took your hand twice and kissed it the girl uttered a long ah a ha you re a very poor judge of symptoms she said lightly if i had accepted the man he wouldn t have kissed my hand a pain shot through his heart and the muscles of his face x sugar princess you seem to love and marriage very miss van he remarked stiffly on the contrary i think them very serious things here i have had proposals within a week from two men i care nothing whatever about arid no one i do care for seems to care anything for me she spoke rapidly fearing that he would interrupt her you have had some experience in the world mr do you think if a girl liked a gentleman very much it would be an sin to tell him so if she thought he was afraid to speak first it would certainly be unusual yes she answered and if he refused her she d feel badly cut up too but if a girl loves a man and he won t speak what is she to do it began to dawn on his mind that she was amusing herself at his expense and he felt as he had often done before the degradation of a position permitted such liberties i have some things to see to and must ask you to excuse me he stammered turning away but mr asked you to attend to me and you re not attending to me at all anything i can do i shall find a duty and a pleasure he responded politely well i want to ask you something of the utmost importance he placed himself in an attitude of attention threw back her head and gazed intently into his eyes her bosom rose and fell and color filled her fair cheeks a sugar princess it s a very simple question she continued but a very important one would you like me for your wife miss fan straightened him self to his full height his eyes do not go too far her color deepened her breath came in shorter but she persisted you have not answered me will you be my husband i cannot think what i have done to deserve this he replied deeply agitated i have conducted myself toward you in all respects as a gentleman and you would make me something lower than a servant he started toward the house but her voice followed him softly do you reject me yes he retorted fiercely flinging t he word at her as he vanished the sugar princess sank into a

0Arthur Conan Doyle

chair on the had she played her great game and lost had she forgotten her reserve all to no purpose was mr love joy wrong after all she was the most wretched of human beings a sugar princess chapter l love you i love you i there was certainly no reason for staying longer at and miss van elected to go on over the mountain pass known as from they could easily reach the railway and return to with less fatigue nobody was likely to raise any objections to whichever path she chose mr was glad to go to where he hoped to hear something of thorn who was to pass that way having undertaken to assist the fugitive he was anxious that the flight should be successful besides he felt a interest in olive whose legitimate protector was now in no position to aid her as for he counted the days when all this was to end and he could seek some less disagreeable method of earning his living the start was made rather early in the morning the procession moved slowly as the road was not very good and it was necessary to adopt the old single file manner of march started his horse first in the hope that he could get a lead which would prevent conversation but s animal followed his as if it understood her wishes when they reached the top of the first range of hills she made several enthusiastic to the scenery which fully justified her en a sugar princess s replies were so that they clearly showed the state of his feelings you ought not to be angry with me she said after several yes and no answers on his part if you act like this you will spoil my whole trip i cannot forget so easily he answered we shall get along better if you will remember that we are not in any social sense on equal terms i ask you as a favor not to amuse yourself at my expense again i never did you were the one who found amusement in an honest statement of fact you had a right to refuse my offer but i think you might at least treat me kindly i have no more to say replied in a tired voice if you continue in that vein you must not expect me to answer stole a glance at him it s a bargain she replied i m going to talk to you then and you are merely to listen the others are so far behind that neither will hear a word to begin i said nothing to you yesterday that i did not mean i know i am a strange i never heard of another one doing a thing like people say i always was peculiar that i never act as anyone would expect papa calls me his wild goose and i guess that s a good name for me when i ve had to refuse offers of marriage it has always hurt my feelings i ve not got a hard heart like some people i could mention if i wanted to be personal his lips were pressed closely together and his form bent over in the saddle a sugar princess i fell in love with you a very long time ago the speaker continued in a i you have forgotten it but i never have and never shall i was out in a boat with mr and started as if shot oh you do remember we were run down by a and i was thrown into the water and when i came up from under those waves your strong arm was around my waist and your wet moustache was pressed against my cheek he had not looked for anything as hard as this she was making fun of the most sacred of his recollections before the men in the boat had taken me from your arms my heart was gone when they had me safe on board i expected every moment that i should hear the manly voice of my inquiring into my condition but there was nothing of the kind when i sat up and looked around he was nowhere to be seen not a very agreeable situation was it i had met the only man i ever loved and lost him again all within five minutes i put an advertisement in the papers offering a reward thinking that might attract his attention if he should prove the kind of man who would take money for the service he had rendered i would speedily find myself cured of my if on the contrary as i hoped and believed he would the proposition i intended to throw myself on his neck crying darling i am yours and while he had sat in his room dreaming of that vision of beauty and cursing the fate that placed her out of his reach she had been him in this a sugar princess fashion he would not interrupt her nothing she could say could wound him more but you did not come the instant your clinging arms left my waist you forgot me such is the nature of the sex to which you belong and yet you had some excuse for you had lost your dearest friend and was bending every effort toward his recovery when i learned this i said to myself he may be after all worthy to be my idol to fill the vacant in my young heart then we came to on the same steamer dear old mr told me all he could learn about you i began to feel sure i had made no mistake alas how easily one may be deceived time went on we happened to take the same boat to there the distressing event happened which mr turned to the girl with a face like marble please omit to that point he said there are some things i cannot

0Arthur Conan Doyle

bear i sincerely beg your pardon after a slight pause continued you will at least let me say that your conduct excited my admiration on the way to the i sought any excuse to be near you you went with mr into a place of danger and for a few moments i feared you had perished all i hastened after you determined either to save or die at your side my strength gave way and again i felt your arms around me your presence the one barrier between me and death i was more than ever determined that if possible i would teach you to love me as i loved you a sugar princess the soft of the young woman s voice came to s ears like music she seemed to him a beautiful serpent that before it strikes he would have tried once more to silence her but his clung to the roof of his mouth then came the trip to mr engaged you by my request yes that is the simple truth papa had already i think guessed my secret and approved my choice mamma wanted me to marry some gentleman of rank but i had no idea of doing anything of the kind there have been times when i thought you cared for me arid would yet me so again you have seemed to avoid even to dislike me i planned this trip we are now taking to settle the question definitely i have settled it her voice had sunk so low that it was scarcely audible the young man waited for what he felt sure would follow a peal of laughter at the part she was playing if she wanted to think she had him into believing anything she said that she might make his discomfiture complete by turning him to ridicule it would be quite as well the woman he had loved was a this heartless creature had her place he would bear his pain all the better knowing that his ideal had never existed but the peal of laughter did not come instead a complete silence followed presently he became aware that miss van s horse was not following his and glancing uneasily back he saw that had stopped in the path and was apparently waiting for the others feeling that in his capacity of guide he ought a sugar princess not to leave her alone even for a few minutes he turned and walked his horse slowly toward her suddenly a scream of terror came from the girl s lips and at the same instant saw what had caused it a serpent quite eight feet in length was making its way slowly across the path in front of her now the of are not as a rule dangerous to the human species no doubt this one was quite as badly frightened as when she gave utterance to that piercing shriek saw however that her fright might have one serious consequence she was in her saddle and her stupid was making no move to save her from the fall that seemed imminent springing to the ground ran to her side whereupon she fell into his arms in the most approved fashion and for a moment quite lost consciousness neither of the others who belonged to the party was near enough to hear the scream or see the commotion the looked on as there was no water at hand the road being too high up on the mountains laid his burden gently on the and began to slap her hands briskly as the means of restoring her circulation presently she moved slightly and her eyes opened then the recollection of what had caused her terror returned and she grasped her protector s arm don t let it touch me she cried faintly don t let it touch me it has gone there is nothing to fear he responded coldly are you able to sit up a sugar princess she looked about her and saw for the first time that she was not in the saddle what a horrible thing it was she said closing her eyes at the recollection did i fall from the horse i don t feel bruised the figures of the remaining members of party appeared in the distance and was about to call to them when she raised an objection i don t think we had better tell them about the snake she said it might frighten and it can do no good i was awfully silly to be alarmed but really it was a dreadful looking thing i know she went on with a little sob you are very angry with me but you might help me to rise when i am so weak he assisted her to her feet and she leaned her weight upon him till the others were near when started to bade her remain where she was she said she had had a slight attack of but was all right now there happened to be a tea house a short distance away and the new went on to it to order some light refreshment prepared after a few minutes lifted into her saddle and then walked by her side holding her on are you never going to forgive me she murmured if you won t say such things again i will try he answered gloomily but i must say them again she said putting her a sugar princess rt hand on his arm i must say them again and again and again for they are true her voice sunk as low as a and her sweet breath his cheek i love you i love you i love you a sugar princess chapter a there was something in the of the voice that stirred the young man s soul he turned toward the speaker as if in a dream and involuntarily held out his hand she clasped it with a movement that spoke more than words before

0Arthur Conan Doyle

s swimming eyes the world seemed vanishing into space he met the ripe lips that bent down to him and a kiss as sweet as the honey of and delicate as the wing of a butterfly sealed the for several minutes they rode on with their hands clasped and then s was gently withdrawn she did not mean to attract the attention of her fellow and the tea house was now within sight during the time spent for rest she in her ordinary manner with mr and olive who seemed in very good spirits they were indeed too deeply engrossed in each other to pay much attention to what anyone else was doing the descent into the village of would have revealed some wonderful scenery to people who had eyes for anything but each other but to and there was nothing worth seeing at the present moment but the companion who rode near the others a sugar princess behind either purposely or by accident leaving them quite alone with their at points where the road grew slippery and stony they dismounted and walked for some distance fearing that the might fall under their weight helped over many places where her little feet could not otherwise pass dry shod sometimes he carried her bodily for a few rods declaring in response to her that she was like a feather to him it pleased her to have his strength exerted for her benefit and she knew well that she formed no heavy burden for a man of his about four o clock they came to a second where the stopped to rest and to feed their horses and the young couple proceeded on foot the road having grown much better there is such sweetness in being entirely alone with those we love and yet though one would think there must be much to say and many things to explain neither made the least reference to the great subject that occupied their minds they talked of the scenery and the climate even of far off there are thoughts too deep for utterance and both were well content to all explanations to a future day before reaching the overtook them and they their animals the other three did not arrive till nearly an hour later than they whether or not had received a hint not to ride too near her mistress i will leave the reader to guess for his opinion on that matter is quite as likely to be correct as mine a sugar princess the next morning the took to from which they decided to go direct to sent a to her mother asking her to join them at the capital and knew she would be only too glad to do so cars had to be changed at and the were so great that was not reached until ten in the evening arriving at the imperial hotel it was learned that mrs van had not arrived but a was received from her stating that she would start on the following morning the closed with the mysterious words if mr l is with you do not commit yourself something important has happened smiled softly as she read the words she wondered what her mother would say if she knew what had happened of much more importance than anything she referred to bade her good night in a steady voice avoiding looking directly at her for fear might notice something unusual in his eyes thought it hard but realized that he could not act differently with discretion when her chamber door closed upon her and the maid she threw her arms around and sobbed oh i m so miserable and so happy just before mr retired a note was brought to him and a few minutes later he had walked a short distance from the hotel to meet its author out of the shadow thorn came to meet him have you brought it he asked nervously mr drew a paper from his pocket which thorn anxiously by the aid of a cigar light a sugar princess er thirty years of age he read five feet eight inches in height weight stone dark hair and eyes no beard eleven stone six is pounds he commented making a mental calculation your description might have been made for me are you sure it can get you into no trouble if i use your you are very welcome to it replied the englishman don t try to go to the united states at present however take a steamer to and proceed from there by easy stages if you need further assistance and will write to me i will gladly render it thorn grasped the extended hand i don t know how to thank you enough he said the money you have me shall be a debt of the most sacred honor as soon as possible i will repay it with interest good night it may be dangerous for us to be seen talking together and with another caution to lose no time in leaving the country withdrew among the earliest guests of the imperial to arise the next morning was he had been too much to sleep very soundly as he passed out of the hotel he encountered a familiar face that caused him to start in surprise the owner of the face walked straight toward him seeming delighted at the meeting speak of the devil exclaimed the new comer i was just wondering where in this queer country you were hiding and if i should be lucky enough to run across you i m more than glad to set eyes on you a princess again you haven t forgotten summer of san no indeed but what on earth are you doing here something it will interest you to know you remember old the of course you do well i m here on an errand of his you see my best girl went back on me the fortune

0Arthur Conan Doyle