The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-14
CHAPTER XII
THE FIRST OLE MAY


Next morning after nv retrru
England donned the orthodox ton b']
and frock coat and set off to wall !.
South Kensington to call upon nv sis,J
Janet, who, by the way, was a widoS1
her husband having died of mala,;'
fever when with his regiment on M
west coast of Africa.
/ found her in the morning room,
the act of writing a note of welcome J
me. She greeted me with all hor ~
sisterly affection and when she had dOa
SO made me sit down before the a.
and tell her all my adventures.
1--WE have heard the most wopderfu
tales about you," she said, with sm;ls|
"How you were captured by a sort !
female Captain Kidd of fabulous beauty,
who carried you off to an island in M
Pacific, where you were made to dil
sufficient gold to pay your ransom.
"Indeed?"
1T has been recopied into all sorts d
papers," she continued. "But I've
doubt it was mass of mere fabricationI
Own the truth now, wasn't it?"
Every bit" answered candidly. 81
have been very much annoyed by tbos1
stupid newspaper paragraphs. 1t is ius
like the rabid craving of the age for sen]
sationalism. But before l go any fur
Their, Janet, want to tell you some.
thing. / am going to be married."
"You, GEORGE Why, you always useS
to say you had made up your mind neyer|
to do anything SO foolish"
$50 did, but you see have changed
my mind.
$50 it would appear. And, now, who|
is she9 Tell me where you met her and
all about her."
This was what l dreaded, but it ha;!
to be met and faced.
Well, in the first place, her name b
Allie. She is 81 years of age and an OF.
phan. Her father was a captain in The
English navy, but is now dead. She ii
very sweet, very accomplished, and very
beautiful, and feel sure, Janet, if only
for my sake, you will offer her heart,
welcome when she comes home. -
"You know me we'll enough to bel
sure of that, don't you, dear old George.
And is anything settled yet? How soon
does she come home, and when are you'll
going to be married."
ITO your first question I can only an
swer, as soon after the 1st of May al
possible. On the LIST Allie will arrive inf
England. Now will you wish me hap
piness, Janet?"
with all my heart and soul But II
am dying to know more. Tell me where
you met her and indeed all about your
adventures; remember, you have been
away whole year. - J
told her as much as ! thought pru.l
lent without revealing Allies identity
md when my story was ended we sat |
on till lunchtime.
When l left the house in the after.
noon, knew had insured q kind re.
,eption for Allie when she should arrive
n England. !
Now l must skip the greater part Of |
year and come to the middle of the |
asst week in April, just three days, in |
act, before l knew l might expect my |
larling.
1 had her own assertion that she
would be in England on the LIST oil
lay, and had never known her fail to
.eep her word. just as that thought
'assed through my brain there was
ing at the bell, and q few seconds later
ny man brought up telegram on
alver. With fingers trembling with
agerness tore the envelope open and
cad the following message:
Arrived this morning Bundaberg House,
urbiton. Come quickly ALE. ,,
There and then / ran out of the room,
ave the telegraph boy in the porch half
crown for his trouble, seized my hat
nd stick, hailed a hanson and babe the
AMMAN drive me with all possible speed
waterloo The man was smart
hip, and as he possessed q good horse
Q covered the ground in grand style. !,
lhen we reached the station, I paid
Inn off, purchased my ticket and ran
to the platform just in time to catch
10 6:l5 express. Punctually at five
I'd twenty minutes to z / left the train
gain at Surbiton and, proceeding into
10 station yard, called another cab
Do you know Bundaberg House,"
ked the man as ! took my place in the
hicle.