The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-27
CHAPTER II.-CONTINUED.

MEETING.
YAE9HEN Marie Antoinette came down 10
gsNEc9 breakfast next morning the rain was
sN II " still falling steadily. The long break.
fast room looked out through the white
eyes OF several windows upon the troubled
sea, n livId green where ii was not liyid yellow
or a Iivid brown, and striped with yeasty lines
OF curded foam. few dismal ships, with sails
as black as ink, fitted their way across the wet
Waste-aud Marie Antoinete wondered whether
there were more water above them or below
them as they driited on their course. They had
a table in The window. she aud her father and
her mother. for Mrs. Gilmore had an inquiring
MIND, aud loved TO see whatever was going on.
even when the prospect was no more pleasing
tban drenched and deserted beach. General
Gilmore absorbed himself in the Times, which
he read habitually-not because he liked it, but
because II afforded him an opportunity for feel
ing argumentatlve-and kept his ideas from
rus,ng Marie Antoinette amused herself by
looking about the room. People always inter-
ested ner. she liked specializing about them aud
Imagining romances in their lives. Every
pretty emphatic way Of hers, which so
excellently became her, sis a walking, breath
ing novel, if one only knew IT," She had
Just been speeding The shuttle of her fancy
ia,iYe, in which stout, redfaced man and
thin, palefaced woman at a distant table played
their melancholy parts when voice behind
her startled her and capivated her attention.
II belonged 10 one of two young men who had
come into the room and taken the table behind
the Gilmofes. II was guile a familiar voice,
man and the paefaced woman into The azure
of tie past This was what the voice was say.
ing apparently in answer 10 some question:
~ assure you / haven't the least idea what
she was like. That Is tue funny part OF 1t. She
might be as ugly as sin or as old as Mrs Me.
lh1salah for all that l know TO the contrary"
I'M nil |
mol. Though really IL doesn't matter"
mo, Of course not" the familiar voice re-
sumed land yet 40 you know emo should IKE s 70
pleasant 10 look upon. Now that reflect, she
cannot possibly have been very old, for her voice
had that soitness OF quality which only belongs
musical, but never voice so fresh as that one
was" Aud the familiar voice sighed.
The other voice laughed again. "By Jove, old
man, believe you're quite captivated by your
fair unknown.
The familiar voice went on again: 81 believe
am. Well it was an awfully Kind thing OF
woman TO do TO take pity on poor devil in such
a fix as was. She didn't know, OF course, half
the fix was H. for believe that tramp through
inc Jungle fever would have been for half such
chance to harass me. The girl saved my life
just as much as CrackenthOrpe did when he put
his bullet through Mir AIRS head"
"Irs rather romantic" said the other voice.
YES" said the familiar voice, "quite ro-
mantle. / should ike to know what she Is like;
i
hotel and wonder, aud l think most OF them
wonder what the deuce am staring for"
Marie Antonetle felt that her pretty pink
cheeks were growing pnker as she listened. SO
the mysterious stranger was behind her, specu-
latng about her, and she was specializing about
him. Size would have given anything TO be able
TO see what lie was like, but even II her curiosity
had carried her so far as To allow her TO turn
round and look that would have helped her little.
for the stranger sat with his back 10 her, she
couldn't for lie lie Of her help listening 10 The
COVE satior. II was hardly an indlscretion as
every word was distinctly audible 10 anybody
at all near. and even II Il were MOI, Marie
Antolnelle felt that the odd conditions excused
her, The Two voices talked no more about her,
but they talked about a lot of other things, and
chiefly about India. aud much OF their talk about
India hardly would have been Ineligible to
Marie Anioinclte If she did not know SO much
herself about India from her fathers II was evil
dent that her friend, as she now mentally called
known appearance, was just back from Iudia,
apparently on sick leave She could gather
and was still lame from his wound that he had
had jungle fever, and that lie was now going on
the continent for a Bit with friend OF his youth,
who had come to meet him at Folkestone and
travel with him. But they were not going TO
cross that day, 80 Marie Antolpette gathered
with an Involuntary thrill OF pleasure which
amused her to experience. The stranger was
still too feeble from his fight with jungle fever 10
risk crossing The channel on such drowning
day as this was. ana had resigned himsslf to the
distractions OF a day indoors and the attractions
Of billiards and the smoking-rOom.
Presently the Two takers rose up and left the
room. Marie ABtone,te had hoped that her
table would have finished breakfast first. but
General Gilmore was slow and conscientious
eater, to whom the long experience OF a soldiers
life had taught tile importance Of good digeS-
ton, and he was not to be buried. So Marie
Antoinette got no glimpse OF her mysterious
friend. She did. indeed. turu her head as they
left ihe room, but The door was at the other end
behind her, and all her beautiful short-sghted
eyes caught was vague. confused glimpse Of
two mails hgules, one OF whom held the door
.l..lo has mad HIM, eln.
Marie Antoinette turned her head back again
aud went on with her breakfast.
General Gilmore, looking at Ills daughter with
that soft expression which only came into his
face when he did look at her, noticed the pink
ness OF her cheeks, the brightness OF her eyes.
s'YOu seem amused. Marie Antoinelte."
General Gilmore always spoke TO bis daughter
by her full name, ard lie always uttered that
name very tenderly. He had Kind OF reveren-
ta affection for the name OF Marie Antoinette.
great grandfather OF his had been gulllotined
in Paris in 1898 for his share In an attempt TO
rescue the unhappy queen, and General Gilmore
Inherited The traditional enthusiasm, and when
his little daughter his first and only child, was
born to him. he Insisted that she should be called
after his idol. Ii was great JOY to him, one OF
the few joys that his stern nature ard hard life
permitted to him. that his child was worthy OF
her name. Indeed, she was beautiful enough for
that or any other, though her beauty was not OF
That Austrian type which set the soul OF Burke on
fire. 1t was delight 10 look at the delicate
dark hair, thai kind OF hair which Is perhaps The
lOveest OF all, because ii has been fair In child
hood, and has deepened. with the iassing days,
to warm soft provinces, which hair that starts
of at once by being dark never attains 10. Gen
eral Gilmore was fond Of his wife, but he adored
his daughter. Mrs. Gilmore adored both her
daughter aud her husband equally. Women are
more comprehensive tn n men.
MOI exactly amused, papa, only Interested"
"And what Interested you, Tony!" This was
rot to Call her daughter by her full name, and
never could understand why IL should irritaie
her husband to hear the name OF the fair queen
reduced TO the facile Internationally Of "a pet
name; - ,.,,n, -. r. ,,.,.,
India, mamma, and was thinking how inter-
ested papa would De IN anybody VINO could talk
The General did look interested. "Talking
about India. were they? wonder who they
young men. l think. l noticed them as they
came I'D.
occurrences from Marie ADtoinette.
Really didn't notice that. Marie AntOinette.
/ Just got general impression that they were
He, mna 70 40 Tt my Indian And the
Lucknow and Delhi and khanpur, returned TO
his newspaper.
some little time later Marie Antoinette was
sitting all by herself In the drawing-room OF the
hotel. The drawng-r00m was as portentOusly
dismal as hotel drawtng.rooms are wont to be.
Marie Antoinelte had a book, but 1t did not in
terest her, and 1t lay on her lap while she gazed
out, half laughing, half peevlsf at the persistent
dOwppour. Mrs. Gilmore, who got heada cbes
easily, had found the dreary day tell upon her
nerves and had retired to her bedroom TO lie
down. General Gilmore had retreated In good
order to the smokingr oom there to smoke some
OF the longest and strongest Trichinopoles that
had ever been smoked out OF Oak bungalow.
So Marie AntOine,te was all alone and slightly
bored as she gazed out upon the sheeting rain
and the writhing sea and the troubled wisps OF
angry fOam and found herself s0lemnly repeat
ing the mystic Incarnation Of childhood;
Rain, rain, go away,
Come again on April day.
She had repeated this incarnation for perhaps
the hundred and ifiieth time IN quite mOnOto-
nous way, until the words had got 10 lose all
human meaning 10 her ears, as words will do IL
they are too often repeated. and was making up
her mind 10 return to the very tedious hero and
heroine OF her book when the door at the far end
of tho room suddenly opened. The solemn
drawing room was 80 still and dismal that tile
opening of q door seemed like an event. and
Marie involuntarlly glanced up as the sound
Jared The Stiffness. Then General Gilmore
walked into the room. followed by good look
ing young man, whose lace was bIOnZed from
habit, and pale as II from recent illness, VINO
followed in the Generals wake. walking with a
slight limp.
Marie Ant0inette turned slightly round In her