The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-04-29

That is right, eh y
Yes; but you will have to go to yers
Cruz. How about steamer across the
gulf
/" Ali, there I go round your Robin
Hoods barn.'' he said, laughing See
| go across to Havana, and thence to Vera
Cruz
And them my eye followed his
lpcncil
Then | go by diligence to the City Q
Mexico, where take the saddle for Man
camilla. There, if the good fates befriend
me, catch steamer ahead of the one that
left New York when | did. So / lose nc
time; | see your great country; and es:
cape the dull, monotonous sea, of which
have had too much already
The hours flew on silver wings. All
day long hcated on tide of talk
sometimes sparkling with wit and humor
sometimes taking deeper tone as we
touched upon themes that gave TO each
brief, passing glimpses of the soul * tlie
other 1t seemed to me that there was
little worth knowing that my companion
did not know; little worth seeing that he
had not seen; little worth thinking that he
had not thought.
Yet | learned little of his personal his
tory, save that he had spent much time in
South America; and that he had large in.
terests in the pearl fisheries at Lima, on
business connected with which he was GO
ing to San Francisco.
We had said nothing in anyway relating
to the war, its causes or its results. But
suddenly my friend turned to me.
You have been in the army?" he said.
Yes" | answered. 81 served through
the war. But why do you think sos'
"Ah, you have something-the air mill
tdire. | knew it from the first |, too am
soldier, and l did not need that you
should give the countersign.'
Another night passed and hour after
hour of the second day. We were forty
miles from Calumet A deep silence fell
upon us two who, in these days OF chance
companionship, had grown so strangely
near each other. Soon our paths would
diverge, never, in all probability, to cross
again In vain NJ. LEstrange urged me
to prolong my journey at least as far as
New Orleans.
1--WE must not part as strangers he
said, impulsively My heart has gone
out to vou-for we are akin, Somehow
somewhere-shall we not meet again?'
and he clasped my hand warmly.
! My reticent Northern nature stirred
within me.
= 81 trust so. 1 hope So" Responded
I" But the world is wide. | shall never for
get you, NJ. LEstrange
All, you are young" he said, with a
slow shake of the head, "you are young
and the young have short memories But
stayl hold! | shall give you sigma
token. SO shall you keep me in your
heart
Taking from his pocket a tiny box, he
unlocked it with key attached to his
watchguard A number ofpearls cleaned
and shimmered in the sunlight. He
selected four of remarkable size and
purity.
+" You shall wear these for my sake, " he
said, placing them in my hand.
But | demurred, saving it was too cost
" gift
" Are we not friendsg' he cried, his lip
curling with superb scorn. How talk
you then of cost?'
Two, then, 10 be mounted as sleevc-but-
tons? Still shook my head, and still he
persisted.
Here, then, mon aiat, - he said, at last,
"If you shall not have two, you shall have
one..'' and, taking my hand, he placed one
large, pure, lustrous pearl on tne palm,
and closed my fingers over it. 1T shall
I
on the lid of the box land you shall wear
it for sign. Then, you see, | shall have
its mate set in the same manner. 1t shall
be for token between US; and the pearls
shall bring us together again. All, know
it, The pearls-they are charmedr'
"Ah, NJ. L'Estrange" | answered, 81
can resist no longer. | will wear your
pearl; and it shall at least be sourenir of
days never to be forgotten
AS he was replacing the box card
photograph fell to the floor. / picked il
up, and was handing it to him, when my
eye fell upon face of such rare loveliness
that | held the little picture as if spell
bound-a woman's face, softly outlined
delicately rounded; apure, calm forehead,
crowned with " braided tresses darkly
bright" :" tender, unsmiling lips, that wore
a sweetness deeper and holier than smiles
chin and check that might well have
served as models for a sculptor. There
were soft laces resting about the throat
and a lace-shawl, thrown gracefully ovel
the stately head, rested lightly on the
shoulders, like radiant cloud. But the
eyes were the glory of the picture-large
dark, spiritual eyes, that look into yours
! with unfathomable meanings in theil
liquid depths.
ners returned to me at the same moment
Il beg your pardon | said, deprecat
! ingly, as | gave the picture to its owner
but it is so beautiful! Is il your wife:'
+" Nv wife? Mo- he said, with low
wise smile, "but it is my Marguerite
my pearl!"
There was no time for further speech
We were at Calumet. L'Estrange threw
! his arm around me in his impulsiv
! French fashion, and kissed my check witt
warm "God bless your Another mo
ment and our short chapter of romano
| was ended
! But was there no second chapter? Cer
. tainlv, or should hardly have thought
; worth while to tell you this. / returne
I to New York in a few weeks, had m
Q pearl mounted precisely AS L'Estrange ha
. irected, and wore it, at first with half
superstitious feeling that it was truly
! link between us and would one day dra'
us together 1t was, at all events, power
full in one way. 1t was, indeed, as he ha
: said, a sign, token. 1t kept fresh an
: green in my memory what might else hav
+ gradually faded away as one OF the man
forgotten incidents of a life that wa
4 changeful and full of adventure.
; BIT it was not his face only that it II
u called never wore it without seeing, a
in vision, the dark, soul-lit eyes that ha
), looked up at me from the photograph, th
q pure, calm brow the tender, wistful mout
of my friends Marguerite" Not hi
wife, but doubtless his betrothed. Whs
a other meaning could give to the sudde
e light that illumined his face as he el
= claimed, in that last, hurried momen
Y g Ii is my Marguerite-my pearl?"
81 shall write you from San Frar
| CISCO he had said. But days, week
/. and months heightened into years, and
g heard nothing. Ny pearl scarf-pin Wa
Il the only token that those charmed days {
/ travel had been more than dream. b
/, lieved that he was dead.
Last summer was in Paris. Early on
t. morning I went to the Madeleine, ant
e leaning against one of the fiuted column
d watched the worshipers as they came an
d went The sun shot yellow rays throug
is the grained windows in the roof; ii
5, chanting of hidden choir sounded fl
e off and dream-like: the sculptured Ma
e dalen of the high altar looked strangel
81 real in the weird. uncertain light; and Ii
}. whole atmosphere of the place was bewi
n dering.
q As stood near one Of the great broni
5 doors lady, veiled and gathering Il
At folds of her mantle closely about h,
1t throat. passed me with light step. II
d figure was exquisitcly graceful and
is watched her with a young mans idle c.
d riosity as she knelt at prayers, wonderir
% if her face was worthy of her form 1
Sha roSa a trash hroeze from an 0npniY