The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-07
caAPTER ~.

AAllalre and the nurse, WHO WIS carfy-
ing little Walt, left Prospect cottage.
She passed quickly through the broad
avenues of the upper city, bordered
with villas having gardens inclosed by
ornamental fences, and soon reached
the narrow and more built-up streets
of the business portion. II was in Fleet
street that Lewis Barker resided, not far
from the wharf belonging to the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company. All in all,
il was a pretty long walk, and it was
nine o'clock when Kate opened the door
for Mrs. Allaire.
II was a residence plain almost TO
.gloominess The blinds of the front
windows were almost always closed, as
Lew Barker received only business ac-
quaintances and maintained no friend
Nv relations with his neighbors. Peo-
Die knew the man very slightly, even
in Fleet street, as his business affairs
kept him away from the house from
morning till night. Besides he was out
of town a great deal, going most fire.
uuently to San Francisco In pursuit of
schemes of which he said nothing to his
wife.
This particular morning he was not
in his Office when Mrs. Allaire reached
the house. Kate made excuses for her
husbands not being able to accompany
them on board the Flying Cloud, adding
that he would certainly join them at
luncheon.
.Tm ready, my dear Molly" said she,
after having kissed the baby; "but
don't you want to rest for q moment?"
'sTm not tired" replied Mrs. Allaire.
"You don't need anything?"
Nothing, Kate long to meet Capt
willis Pray let's start at once"
! Mrs. Barker's only servant was an old
mulattress, whom her husband had
brought from New York with him.
This woman, whose name was Nanny,
had been Barker's nurse. Never hav-
ling served in any other family except
ing his, she was completely devoted to
him and still called him by bis first
name as she had done when he was a
hhild. This creature, gruf and dicta-
ttDrial, was the only one who ever
seemed to exercise any influence over
1utely with the management OF his
house. How often had Kate been made
Ito feel the weight of this domineerine
sway, which was pushed at times TO
disrespect. But she bowed TO this
tyranny on Nanny's part as she did to
that exercised by her husband. In her
fesigshation, which was but another
name for weakness, she let things go as
they might, and Nanny took no counsel
with her in relation to the management
of house affairs.
AS Kate turned to leave thehouse the
mulattress enjoined upon her the ne
Icessity of reaching home before midday,
as Lew world soon return, and it would
not do 10 keep him waiting. Besides,
there was an important matter Of
(which he wished TO speak to Mrs. Al
s1aire
what does she refer tor" asked
Molly of her cousin.
"Row should know?" replied Mrs
Barker. "Come, Molly, let's be off,"
There was no time to be lost. Mrs.
sAllaire and Kate Barker, accompanied
lby the nurse and child, turned their steps
toward the wharf which they reached
an less than ten minutes.
The Flying Cloud which had now,
passed through the formalities of quar-
.entine, had not yet been docked, bat lay
Rt anchor at the farther end of the bay,
d cables length inside of Iona point
1t would, therefore, be necessary to
cross the bay 10 go on board the vessel,
which would not be hauled up TO the
dock until later. 1t was about two
miles across and the passage was effect
ed by means of steam launches, which
pnadc half-hourly trips.
Molly Allaire and Kate Barker took
beats in the steam launch along with a
hozen other passengers. Most of them
were friends or relatives of the crew Of
the Flying Cloud. who wished to avail
themselves of the first opportunity of
Ifered to visit the ship. The launch cast
off It's lines, got clear of the wharf, and,
under the action of its screw, took an
oblique course across the bay, putting
steam at every stroke Of its piston.
With its placid surface mirroring the
I3eecy clouds and blue sky, the bay was
now visible Its entire length, with the
houses Of San Diego rising amphithea-
ter like up the heights, and the old city
ct the bottom Of the narrows lying be-
tween Island point and Point Iona;
the huge Coronado hotel standing out
boldly with its palace-like architecture,
and the lighthouse whose lantern sheds
its broad glow over the sea after night
bsll
There were number Of vessels an
ehored here and there, of which the
launch skillfully steered clear, as she
did OF the boats coming towards her.
and of the fishing smacks that wero
hugging the wind to lengthen their
tack
Mrs. Ailaire, with her cousin next her.
was seated ON one of the deck benche.
while on the other side OF her sat tb.
nurse holding little Walt, who. under
kbe influence of the fresh sea air. was
IN tho best Of spirits, and followed
with wondering eyes the movements OF
the sea gulls as they sailed over his
head, uttering their shrill cries. His
mother was delighted with the look of
perfect health stamped upon that sweet
81.