The morning call., 1891-05-24

me or so odious as at this moment Of his I'M
conscious triumph. Her father was ne ar
her and from his eager attitude and rapid ly
wandering gaze | saw that he was watchi ng
for me. At last he spied me struggling
aboard and Immediately his face lighted up
in way which made me wish he had not
thought it necessary to wait for my antici-
pated meeting with his daughter.
An, Dick, you are late" he began
effusively as | put foot on deck.
But waved him back aud went at once
to Dora.
Forgive me. pardon me-" incoherenty
said, as her sweet eyes rose in startled
pleasure to mine. Il would have brought
you flowers, but meant to sail with you,
Dora; | tried TO, out-wretches, villains
prevented it. aud-and-"
20 it does not matter" she said, and then
blushed, probably because the words
sounded unkind. " mean -"
But she could not say what she meant, for
Just then the bell rang for all visitors to
leave, and her father came forward, and
evidently thinking all was right between us
smiled benignantly in her face, gave her
kiss and me wink and disappeared in the
crowd that was now rapidly going ashore.
felt that / must follow, but l gave her
one look and one squeeze Of the hand, and
then as | saw her chances wander to his face
| gTOaned in spirit, stammered some words
of choking sorrow and was gone before her
which | knew would only add to my grief
and make this hasty parting uncomfortable.
The look OF amaZement aud chagrin with
which her father met my temperance on
the dock can easily be imagined.
"Why, Dick 70 he exclaimed, "aren't you
going after all? | thought | could rely on
you. Where's your pluck, lad? Scared off
by frOwn? | wouldn't have believed II,
Dick. What if she does frOwn to-day she
will smile tomorrow"
shook my head. could not tell him
just then that it was not through any lack
of pluck on my part that | had failed him.
When | left the dock | went straight TO
a restaurant for | was faint as we'll as mis-
cradle, not having mad any supper the night
before or any break fast this morning. But
my cup of coffee chOked me and the rolls
and eggs were more than | could face. RiS-
ing i'm patiently | went out. Was any one
more wretched than / was that morning,
aud could any one nonrish a
more bitter grievance? As l strobe
toward my lodgings chewed the cud
of my disappointment Etill my wrongs
doomed up like mountains and | was seized
by a spirit of revenge Should let such an
interference as l had received 90 unpun-
ished? No; If the wretch who had detained
me was not used to punishment he should
receive a specimen of it now and from a
man who was no longer prisoner, and who
once aroused did not easily foreg0 his pur-
tInatiOn, went Immediately TO police sta
tion. and when / had entered my complaint
was ast0nished to see that all the officials
had grouped about me aud were listening
to my words with the most startled interest.
WAS the man who came Tor you q
foreigner?" one asked.
1 said " Yes"
''And the man who stood guardian over
you and entertained you with wine and
cigars was not be foreigner too?'
l nodded arquiescence, and they at once
began to whisper together, then one of them
advanced TO me and said:
"You have not been home. | understand !;
you had better come"
AstoniShed by his manner / endeavored to
inquire what he meant but he drew me
away, and not till we were In a stones
throw Of my Office did he say, "You must
prepare yourself for shock The imper-
tnences you suffered from last night were
unpleasant no doubt, but if you had been