The times., 1900-12-23
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suggested rCCClleCtlOnS OF Inc
far-ofi Eastern flower. few sour-faced
Spanish surviyals curled their thin nps
and made rude remarks. But if they
reached Mrs. Deyaine she only smiled,
regarding complacently her own unwrink-
led loveiiness Armand Devaine was by
descent Frenchman, and had brought his
wife home to his plantations in Trinidad
from the banks of the Nile. Among his
friends in the Western world none had
ever known the history of his marriage.
But in Cairo the story Of his escape with
the daughter of one Of the wealthiest mer-
chants had been a nine days wonder And
as he was one Of the richest sugar planters
in the West Indies the island accepted his
lovely wife as a pleasant surprise.
When, after the birth of Lotus. the years
went by without giving Devaine an heir,
the interest of everyone with a marriage
able son centred zealously round the girl
BY the time she had reached the age of
seventeen Lotus Deyaine was a name to
conjure by.
Between her coquetry and the adaman-
tine refusal of her father to accept any
suitor. one and all of her swains had
very hard time Of it. Mrs. DevaiGe had
been brought up in habit of passive obe-
dience. and in exchanging a father for
husband she merely changed masters. She
Reyer dreamt OF questioning his decisions.
yet she wondered more than once why her
husband rejected so uncompromisingly SO
many offers to all appearances suitable
The girl herself reveled in the power of
it. Spoilt and petted from her earliest
days, she was a very tyrant of coquetry.
Yet withal she had the depth and intensity
Of her ia hers mind, and something of his
obstinacy. too. and in her heart was the
same still capacity for enduring love and
passion that had made her mother the idol
of her fathers heart, even after twenty
years of marriage. She was amused at the
fierce frenzies of her lovers, the heat Of
their iealousies. the tragedy of their des-
pairs. She had dramatic mind. quantity
practical. ever searching the numerous
side of things The tropical fervours of the
young men who wooed her fitted in so
beautifully with the yellow glare of the
SUI on the dropping canes, with the great,
arehed reaches OF the cocoanut palms, the
flaming of flowers whose life was measured
by a week.
She was the more amused because, deep
in her heart, she held the shield of Sc
cret that rendered impossible the sur
render of herself TO another Like most
girls, she valued manly strength higher
Ghsn finesse in words or wit in compli-
ment, and her warm, passionate heart had
ever guarded a particular shrine for he
ro-worship And in front OF this shrine
there had glowed for three years fire of
Geyotien fer Larry Tigbe. her fathers
sub-inanager. Its origin was simple
enough.
When Lotus was little over fourteen
Larry had been sent by her father to bring
her back from the school at San Fernan-
do. The cooiie rebellion was just over
and the roads were not over safe. Some
ten miles out from the town. as Larry
and his charge we're cantering gently
along. they were suddenly surprised by
party Of eight or nine coolies. armed with
machetes and sticks Nr Devaine had
taken prominent part in sQuashing the
reb7llion. and a gang of refugees. having
got word CT his daughters homecoming.
had determined TO capture her and hold
her to a heavy ransom.
Larry found himself in q grave posi-
tion. There was no mistaking the evil
intentions of the encircling gang. The
read, fat and straight. showed no help
vas in sight. On enc side entended a
half-burnt canebrake Offering no cover:
on the other a stretch Of marshy fats,
lined On the roadside by a few struggling
trees Larry's eyes regarded the trees
obviously. In three minutes the coolies
would rush them
-ouick, Miss Lotus." he said. catching
her bridle-rein and dra- ing her horse
alongside one Of the trees. Stand on
your saddle and climb up into the
branches. Therei Splendid" he shout
ed, as the girl swung herself nimbly up
New. take my revolver. and il any of
them try and get up. don't be afraid, /
ls-rF efr 81 ufar5,-
love. Of Heaven, Miss Lotus, don't shut
your eyes when you shoot"
Then, shifting the thong of his loaded |
crop ever his wrist, and grasping the |
supple cane lightly, he turned and rode !
on the coolies. They had watched the /
previous proceeding with surprise, and |
as he charged they closed up. Lotus.
pseping through the foliage, with flushed /
face and eager, luminous eyes, watched |
him, fascinated.
Larry had not much notion of what ex-
aetiy he was going to do when he
charged But as he dashed on TO the |
group. and his eyes caught the |
gleam and whirl OF the machetes, he |
swung his crop right and left, feeling a |
sweet sensation of satisfaction as It |
Lhueded singing on TO head or arm or |
shoulder. Then his horse gave a great |
stagger as one OF the coolies deftly |
aoughed il, and he was Just in time, as |
It fell heavily to the ground, to leap free |
Of its agonized plungings, and turn to |
meet the rush. He was facing the girl |
now, and she felt thrill of |
fear as she noted the hot light in |
his grey eyes, the close, trap-like setting |
Of his lips. With wild yells the coolies |
rushed on, crouching and leaping like |
cats. But even as they came the deadly |
To-,
left and laying two forms motionIess on
the ground. 1t was enough for the rest.
They turned and fed, scattering in the
zane brake.
II was with heavy heart that Larry
turned TO put his mustang out Of its mis- |
sry. When he had finished hs found Lo-
tus at his side. her eyes gazing On him |
with a half-adoring directness that |
brought the blood TO his cheeks and made |
iim notice for the first time in his busy |
existence that his masters daughter was |
Dewitchingly beautiful. His ride home |
was a kind of tingling dream. For the |
girl, pleading her fear of further pursuit, |
insisted on his mounting her mustang, |
while she, riding behind. clung on to his |
waist. 1t was not a comfortable posi- |
lion for either of them. but they were |
both blissfully unconscious of the ridges |
1f the saddle.
From that day Lotus had given her !
heart TO the gay Irishman-and, all |
had stolen his. Yet Larry |
had all the honor of his race and all It's /
pride. AS far as was possible he avoid /
ID his masters daughter, telling himself |
hat he was poor divil' on hundred ,
4 year, and she the helress OF as many !
thousands Yet he had. too, the san
yuine temperament Of the Celt. and on |
al his excursions was forever polsiag |