Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-02-12
THE SILENT Man.

"Orman, OF all men, ON board the DIG
Mahanaddy"
"Yes."
Orman, a person of great gravity, as
cends the last two steps Of the gangway
and finds himself on the historic deck OF
the Mahanaddy. He shakes hands with
Evelyn Martenu, young Martenu Of the
Sikhs, and looks round to see that the
boatman is bringing his luggage.
sold Orman, well. am surprised. Sol
emn as ever tool What brings you wan,
dering to Bombay"
sold curse-restle
Martenu laughs and links arms. He Il
frank, boyish, spontaneous, despite his
heavy mustache and few gray hairs ovel
his close cropped temples.
"Come aft, old man, and tell me al
your news. The deck Is quite deserted
abaft the smoking room. We can have q
long talk. You're going home. Of courser
tYes"
"That's all right-to be married'"
"No."
There is something curt in the mono
syllable that serves to check for moment
Martenu's easy, social flow Of questions
They walk aft together and take posses
sion Of two deck chairs which do not be-
long to them.
"Are you marriedi" asked the taller
man, with the gravity which nothing ever
ruffies.
"No, old chap" with a CHEEKY laugh.
"The Sikhs don't marry-they only fall
in love, confound themV
Martenu ends his generality with con.
ventional little sigh, which is not echoed
by his hearer. In fact, Orman looks sud
-. L. II a.. IL.
calmly. These solemn men, never thrown
off their balance by exu berant laughter or
the desire Of creating 1t In others, are diff
cult to follow. Their motive Is not always
clear.
~ have come right through from Tash-
kend," he says. IAN interesting jour
ney."
sis smine enemy going to write bookY'
"Not If he knows It'll Are you going
home on leave, MartenuP
"Yes, six months, all a grateful coun'
try will allow me-"
0rman does not appear to be listening
He is gazing absently at the forest OF
masts that covers the inner harbor. His
face certainly justifes Martenu's cheerful
raillery. 1t is grave 10 fault. A long
strong face, with longitudinal lines from
uOsITll 10 UlusJhChc WHICH, dTc uttpSE Iudl
'his years might warrant.
"What are you going to dor" he blurts
out rather hurriedly after the manner OF
one to whom questions are abhorrent. "Go-
ing to shootS"
Martenu's quick blue eyes fash round
for a moment.
"At StanemblenH
"Ye-es, or elsewhere"
Il. Al. L. L.. -, n
upward with his knuckles rehectively.
Don't know. Not likely. l had not
thought of It."
They sit side by side in silence for some
minutes, while confusion accumulates
strength on the forward deck OF the gang
way.
Martenu is the first to speak, looking
critically at the toes Of his own shoes
"What a good time We had at Stanembler
"A tiptop time"
HYe-es.n
"with Sir Henry-good old boy-swear.
ing at us il we missed bird or passed the
decanter by, and Lady Fassett and-and
Edith"
"Ye-es."
"Best girl that ever stepped"
That awkward silence comes over them
again. Martenu puts 1t mentally down &c
his companion's 5 lamentable solemnity. He
breaks it, however, with an effort.
~ always thought, you know, old chap
had an idea-may have been wrong,
probably was, though don't see why
should have been-that you were rather
taken with Edith Fassett."
AZ had the same idea about you"
Martenu gives an awkward little laugh,
draws In his feet and pushes them out
again.
"Yes, quite right But then I'm that
sort of fellow, you know. I'm liable to it.
Get 1t often, but never very badly. Yes,
was fond of Edith Fassett, but all the time
knew she was too good for me-too much
on the top of the basket, while I'm very
ordinary stuff in the lower middle of tn,
same. got over it. 1 always do some
how"
"Got over whatt"
Martenu glances round sharply.
"Oh-er-proposed to her, you know
az didn't know that"
"Oh, yes, and she was very nice about
It. think she knew that l was the sort
Of fellow to get over It. Besides, she knew
her own mind SO jolly we'll. I-er-ther,
was some one else. She did not tell me
but understood that it was so. 1t was
after you had left, now that l come tc
think of it."
"Yes, It was after / had left"
"You went off in hurry-I rememb Der. u
"Yes, went of In a hurry"
They lapse into pensiveness again. 1t Il
Orman who breaks the silence this time.
81 wish had known that before"
The color slowly leaves Martenu's face.
He looks straight in front Of him with
painful intensity.
"But perhaps it is not too late" the sol
emn voice goes on. "When we get to Eng
land, shall go and have my try"
Quite suddenly Martenu gets up. He
stands, almost turning his back upon bis
friend, looking forward toward the confu.
sion Of embarking passengers.
"Do you not know that she is deadi"
There is long, slow silence.
mo, did not know that" says the
solemn voice.
After little pause Martenu walks slow
ly away, leaving Orman alone.-New York
Telegram.