Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-11-21
Exactly" rejoined the old gentle

envy Scu, NtHI
on Horace. Il am in two minds about
visiting South Africa myself this
:. winter. The Orange river country
hasn't been half ransacked yet, or KAT
fraria either, for that matter. |
haven't settled my plans; but 1 may
have turn at one or the other
Now, Kaffraria lies not very far to
the east of the professors own col
lecting-ground that sacred spot which
held his great secret yet inviOlate.
The old gentleman's face changed per-
cepubly; sitter line or two appeared
about his mouth; he locked with some
suspicion into Horace's eyes. and
said, rather shortly: "Ah we'll! | am
told the Orange river is an excellent
and untried region. But entomology
cally. South Africa, upon the whole
is poor. My visits there are mainly
for health and change. But l must
be getting on; 1 have much to do.
Good-by, Mr.. Maybold, good-by"
The professor passed on down st.
James street, and Horace saUInteled
along Piccadilly with a smile upon his
face. The old gentleman had i'm
parted something Of his movements
Should he follow them up? Yes; he
must have that "Acmaea Parchelli'
somehow. He would follow to the
eastern province in November. 1t
after all, the world is not butterfly
preserve for the one or ,wO lucky
ones. It lies open to every entOmOlO-
gISt. And the old man had been so.
cOnfoundedly close and secret 1t
would serve him right to discover his
sacred treasure, to make plain his
mystery.
After watching the weekly passenger
list in South Africa for some time,
Horace Maybold noted with interest
that Prof. Parchell had sailed for
Cape Town by a Donald Cu1rie steam
er in the first week of October. That
fact ascertafned, he at once secured
& berth i'm a deck cabin of the Nor
ham Castle for the first week in No
vember. The chase had begun. and
already Horace felt a keen and anus
ing sense of adventure adventure in
little springing within him.
After Madeira, when all had found
their Sea-legs, and the warm weather
and smooth ocean appeared, things
became very pleasant. Horace was
not a man who quickly became ulti-
mate or much attached to people: but,
almost insensibly, upon this voyage
he found himself developing a strong
friendship, almost an intin acy, with
two ladies'; one, Mrs. Stac.r, a pleas
ant, comedy, middle-aged woman. per-
hapS nearer 80 than 40: the other, Miss
Vanming, young, good-looktng, and ex-
tremely attractive. The two ladies,
who were connected, if not relations,
were travelling to Port Eliza beth to
stay with friends in that part of the
colOny-Where, exactly, was never
quite made clear. HOra ce found them
refined, well-bred, charming women,
him; and the trio il a day or two's
time got on swimmingly together.
BY the time the line was reached.
the vision of Rose Nanning, with 4her
fair, wavy brown hair, good gray
eyes, fresh complexion, and open, yet
restrained manner, Was for
ever before the mental ken of Horace
Maybold. Here, indeed, he told him
self, was the typical English girl he
had so often set before his mind:
f.ncy dol 1tl-I, FILL ,14l@
0rouS in mind and body, yet a thor
OCgh ana perfect woman. On many
a warm tropical evening, as they sat
together on deck, while fire big ship
drove her way through the oil-like
ocean, sending shoals of fIying-ffsh
Scudding to right and left of her, the
two chatted together and day by day
their intimacy quickened. 1t was clear
to Horace, and it began, too, to dawn
upon Mrs. Stacer, that RISE Vanning
found a more than ordinary pleasure
in his presence. By the time they
were within a day of Cape Town,
Horace had more than half made up
his mind. He had gently opened the
trenches with Mrs. Stacer, who had
met him almost halfway, and had
obtained permission to call upon them
in LOndOn-at a house north of Hyde
Park where they We're living. At
present they knew so little of him
and his people, that he felt it would
be unfair to push matters further.
But he had mentioned Mrs. Stacer's
Invitation to Rose Vanning.
Il hope, Miss Vanning" he said,
you won't quite have forgotten me
when | come to see you-let me see
about next May. Its a very long way
off, isn't it? And people and things
change so in these times He looked
a little anXiously at the girl as he
spoke; what he saw treasured him a
good deal.
IF you haven't forgotten US, Mr..
Maybold,' she said, a pretty flush ris-
ing as she spoke, I'm quite sure we
shall remember and be glad to see
you. We've had su"n good times to-
gether, and l hope you'll come and
see us soon. We shall be home in
April at latest, and we shall have. no
doubt, heaps of adventures to COM
pare"
At Cape Town Horace, after many
inquiries, had half settled upon jour
ney along the Orange river. He had
more than one reason for this. Per-
haps Rose Warnings influence had
Sh9 rppOpd his moral SpTSa. who