San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-01-15
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tweed.
Delighted, my dear boy! delighted,
really!' he cried heartily Didn't have
an idea, you know, till they told me at
the Hotel d'Oriolt. Knew you were in
Egypt, my dear Latour, but hadn't
guessed our good luck!-hadn't, pom
honor! Lady Martindale will be de-
lighted, as ] am, really"
Latour started forward and grasped
Lord Martindale's hand warmly.
II am equally charmed" he said cor
daily. elbow this does bring back old
times Why, was cadet, my lord,
the last time we met; and Lady Martin
dale is with you? A double pleasure"
Throwing himself on divan, the En-
glishman ran on about the boredom of
travel, Lady Edith's Unsuitable desire for
change, his interest in Suez canal mat
tiers and the extreme courtesy of the
Khedive Ismail. Meanwhile he drank
all the coffee and smoked all the pipes
steadily provided by the diligent chi
bouque-ghi of the host.
Latour listened courteously with his
ears, but not with his brain. That was
filled with confusion of memories con-
jured up by this sudden visit He heard
the rush of the Hudson as he walked
round Filtration" the swirl of the rid
ing school and the "sound of" of the
band at dress parade. But the voice that
spoke softly to him, the eyes that looked
approval from the gallery, the hand that
waved "Au reyoirr' from the plain were
not another's, but those of Edith Van
der Huysen!
That rich, dark face, with is mobile
features; those sensitive lips, parting in
rare smiles over perfect teeth; those
marvellous eyes, that deepened from
brown to black us they looked into his
all seemed things of yesterday.
For, in the four past years, active
work in new scenes and absolute sever
ance from anything American had great
ly changed the Creole. Living ALSO
lutely in the present, careless of the
future and forgetful of the past, the in
fiuences Of climate and surrounding had
told unconsciously upon him, and if not
actually a fatalist in theory, he took
quite kindly to the practice.
Time, the CONSIDER, had done his work
fairly WE'LL and Latour had either for
gotten the old wound, or had ceased to
feel it pain him. ~.
Ones tastes change ever with the
years; and a decade of them in war,
travel and hard work, had had their eff
feet in casting into oblivion the early
episodes of Latour's life. And now, il
these came up as mist, shutting out
the burly Briton from his sight the
voice that sounded through it was the
low, thrilling contralto of Edith Van
der Huysen. and the eyes that empha-
sized the voice were those deep, lumi-
nous ones he had looked into, without
understanding, so many an hour of his
''encampment year"
But suddenly returning to Egypt from
his lightning backward trip TO the Hud-
son, Latour heard the Englishman say
ing: -. "
$50 told her I'd beat up your quar-
tiers myself, sans facon, and bring you
over to dine, you know. No duty, I
hopper
"None, fortunately" Latour replied
quickly. "Only one order to scribble.
and am yours"
He took up tablet and wrote hastily
in French:
N-Countermand request for
report on extra mounts. Horses win
not be needed.
..... "LAToUR-BEY, Colonel"
He clapped his hands. "This to Capt
Ahmed Mustafa," he said in Arabic:
then, turning to Lord Martindale, he
added:
snow, my lord, am yours" And
as the burly. form of the other preceded
him under the portiere he muttered to
himself:
"What echo to my reverie! Is it.
kisnet?"
PART Iu-CHAPTER II.
THE RIDDLE OF THE AGES