The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-11-02
CHAPTER VIII.
THE S. s. cIATTAuooCuEE.

/ never felt so deserted and rorlorn
as when | stood on the platform at
Waterloo on the Sunday morning wait
ing for the special train for Southamp-
ton. There was q great mob of people
crowdinS and clamoring around pas
sengers and their friends to see them
of-all strangers to mo, many Of them
talking an uncouth, unintclligiblc Ian
guage. The porters were too much
overpowered with luggage to attend to
me, and had Roy to look after.
He was very fractiouS, dragging at
his chain, yelping in short angry snaps,
with fierce shows Of teeth, and keeping
every one at q distance. / cannot say
what l should have done but for the
kindness of q man, 4 gentleman who
spoke with strong Yankee twang and
who found us seats. He persuaded the
guard to allow Roy to remain in the
carriage with us, and the dog was for
the moment good. I don't know why
l burdencd myself with him, but l
clung to him feebly, desperately, for
no other reason than that he was Will
lies, the only real living link left me
with my dear missing friend.
little moro, in n straw hat and n light
check suit; he wore no gloves and had
n diamond ring on one finger and n
great diamond brooch in his slipknot
tie. He was not handsome, far from
it-frecklcd face, red hair and ferrety
eyes-and yet there were kindlness,
good feeling, chivalry in his face, that
many n better born gentleman might
have envied him.
Guess you're new to this kind OF
thing" he said affably as we started.
"Never been across before?'
Mother frowned at me from her COR
ner as though to check this forward
stranger, but l was so sure he meant
Kindness that i smled d nnd HIn rtG rGr . ms
talk on.
"You see, there are n lot OF big toads
in this puddle, and outsiders are left n
long way behind. Quite a number Of
swells on board the train-dukes and
duchesses, young millionaires, that
CrGsus British captain"
My heart bounded at the names he
mentioned, for l knew that he was re-
ferring to the conspirators, and I ask
! ed him, rather nervously, If he knew
any Of these people by sight. dared
not tell him, of course, how deeply
they interested me.
"Why, certainly; the whole hypothec
There's the Duchess Of TERRA Sagrada
| The title is Spanish, not much, I take
it, like their castles. But she's an
amazing fine woman, tall and hand
some. Reckon that's won her her
duke. She was on the boards once
some Boston variety show. The dukes
like bit Of dried root and black as
sarsaparilla."
"And this millionaireY'
"Wood. You have heard of him. Is
that SO? The young English captain
who got all the McFaught millions. I
needn't show him you; guess you know
him by sight"
How was to answer this most en-
barrassing question? Was 1t put quite
innocently? Had this man any sus-
picion? l looked into his little pale
blue eyes, but they never faltered, and
replied that. like the rest of the
world. had heard the story.
Hes no great shakes, you'll say,
not for n British officer. Don't fit his
fortune quite. It's good deal to live
up to-"
| When the train ran into Southamp.
ton and we left it for the wharf where
lay the little tender that was to con
vey us to the big liner, Mr.. Rossitcl
(my new friends name) showed us the
people he had named. We were crowd
ed now into n narrow space, and sat
almost in each others pockets. 1t was
easy to make out every one, and soor
learned all I wanted to know.
First, there was the arch !mpostor
the villain who was masquerading rs
my dear Willie Wood. I saw short
thickset, vulgar looking man, very
much overdressed, smoking Ions
cigar, holding his head high, as though
arrogance and hauteur were in hi:
part. lie was not alone; his two com
panions. the only persons to whom h'
spoke, were the Duke and Duchess Of
TERRA Sagrada, as my friend whisper
ed me.
I confess l stared at them with al
my eyes, my heart beating tumultuous
". If only knew what they did
| They had been with Willie-were thu
last to see him, probably, In the Vic
toria dock.
The man, n small man, thin, twisted
snakelike, and venomous, was N
doubt the ringleader, one of the prim
movers in the plot. AS / looked n
his dark, sallow face, heavy, broodine
with dull. savage. bloodshot eyes,
1 trembled to think I might have t
= measure strength with him--that I.