The Princeton union., 1900-11-29
CHAPTER VIII
THE $. S. CHATTAHOoCnEE.

never felt so deserted and fOrlOrn
| as when I stood on the platform at
! Waterloo OH the Sunday morning wait
ing for the special train for Southamp-
ton. There was a great mob Of people
crowding and clamoring around pas
sengers and their friends to see them
talking an uncouth unintelligib1e Ian
guage. The porters were too much
overpowered with luggage to attend to
me, and l had Roy to look after.
He was very fractions, dragging at
his chain, yelping in short, angry snaps,
| with fierce shows of teeth, and keeping
every one at a distance. I cannot say
| what I should have done but for the
kindness OF q man, (: gentleman who
| spoke with 4 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. | don't know why
burdened myself with him, but I
clung to him feebly, desperately, for
| no other reason than that he was VIII
lies, the only real living link left me
This new acquaintance Was a youth.
| little more, in q straw hat and a light
check suit: he wore no gloves and had
diamond ring ON one finger and a
great diamond brooch in his slipknot
tie. He was not handsome, far from
it--freckled face, red hair and ferrety
| eyes-and yet there were kindliness,
| nh l,.x,i ir,I III kc~%
many a 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
we'll and so grateful to him for his
| kindness that I smiled and let him
talk on.
"You see, there are q tot of big toads
in this puddle, and outsiders are left a
long way behind. Quite a number of
swells Oh board. the train-dukes and
duchesses, young nillionaires. that
CrGsus British captain
My heart bounded at the names he
mentioned, for knew that he was re-
ferring to the conspirators, and ask
ed him, rather neryously, 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, 1 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 a bit of dried root and black as
sarsaparilla-''
'And this millionalre?''
wood. You have heard Of him. Is
that so? The young English captain
who got all the McFaught millions.
needn't show him you; guess you know
him by sight?'
How was to answer this most en-
barrassing question? Was it put quite
innocently? Had this man any sus-
picion? 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 British officer. Don't fit his
fortune quite. It's a good deal to live
up to- p
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.. Rossiter
(my new friends name) showed US the
people he had named. We were crowd
ed now into narrow space, and sat
almost in each others pockets. 1t was
easy to make out every one, and soon
learned all wanted to know.
First, there was the arch impostor,.
the villain who was masquerading as
my dear Willie Wood. l saw short,
thickset, vulgar looking man, very
much ove1Gressed, smoking a long
cigar, holding his head high, as though
arrogance and hauteur were in his
part. He was not alone; his two COM
panions, the only persons to whom he
spoke, were the Duke and Duchess Of
TERRA sagrada. as my friend whisper
ed me.
I confess stared at them with all