The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-08-28

l by All tne laws or the true romance
she should have felt upon opening her
! eyes premonition that this was to be
a day of destiny. But she merely felt
that the engines had stopped. that the
ship was at anchor, and that. therefore.
1T was MOSTLY. insufferably warm. The
| curtains across the stateeroom windows
did not so much as move. She came
| down from her berth and pulled them
aside. The coast OF Guatemala was be-
| fore her-snd the port of San Jose.
There had been rain In the night,a tropic
shower The clouds were lifting away.
| They were msssed in white and gold be-
hind the two volcano peaks that had sent
| forth the one fire, the other water,iu their
| time. And the peaks themselves were
| side by side, the cones OF glowing pink.
They were miles inland. many miles.
and the thick. lush tropic green was be-
| tween reaching TO the curve OF the sand.
| There were SONS white houses by the
beach.-white, with red tiles They made
| the port OF San Jose. But the ship was
anchored well out In deep water, and
there were no craft I'm sight save a row.
boat or two drawn up on the sand, and
one that was starting out from the pier
acTUss the faint btug water that showed
back the clouds OF white and gold The
wake and the oars glistened in the new
sunlight.
The girl leaned her bare arm on the sill
and stood looking out. She had seen
many beautiful things In her life, but
never so lovely as the coast and volcano
nf IA Hs. tor Ia NJ fha
break of day.
The rowboat came near and she saw
that the quarantine officials sat I'm the
stern. But by the time she was dressed
and came on deck they had long since
gone. There was no one at all I'm sight
either aft or amidships, but when she
was forward OF the bridge she saw some
one standing near the bow. He was a
new passenger He turned and looked at
her.
There was breeze the faintest South
Sea morning breeze, that rippled her fine
white gown and moved the loose tendrils
OF her hair. He raised HIS straw hat civ
lily and turned back TO his consideration
OF the shore. Presently the purser joined
him, and he stood talking his hands jam
med into his sack coat pockets and his
tan shod feet wide apart on the deck.
Then he went into the saloon
That was all Miss Strathmore saw OF
him. but she described him to her moth
er accurately. nevertheless
Hes the only Latin I ever saw who
looked as though he could do things
and not talk about IL afterward His
skin Is very white and his hair Is black.
His nose is big and his jaw shuts hard.
And, unconventional his eyes are
brown, they are neither sparkling nor soft"
she objected to both-"they are level
and hard. That he may speak English
is my fondest wish"
lie did lie was put beside her at break
fast and the captain presented him. His
name was Merida.
"You saw me this morning" he said
when l was looking back upon my
house, my home, my heritage, my
lands
"And the laughing DANES In whom you
did delight2' she followed Il up.
lie gave her a quick look. Perhaps"
he said. and turned short about 10 talk
TO the man at the other side, a little Chill
ian whom Miss Strathmore did not like.
They talked Spanish together, and she
could not understand. SO she ate her
breakfast and wondered why the Guate-
malan should have objected TO having his
quotation finished out. Had she hit some
nail too neatly on the head He had risk
ed that But he knew his Byron, appar-
entity, and his English had not 80 much
as an accent. III there was To be any fur
NnfI Conversations ~ WIN HliN W bt-
gin a. He did presently, but he kept
TO generalities and refused 10 be drawn
out about himself
The captain was more communicative
on the subject later on. lie belonged 20
the general seadog type. Better make
mp to young Merida. Miss Elizabeth" he
advised. coming 10 stop In front OF her
steamer chair. 'he owns about everything
IN sight over there" his arm swept the
view OF tho dense green from the beach
curve 10 the mountains far away. Half
Guatemala belongs 10 his brother and
him. The brother IL marrled-to a Snan-
sh princess. tOo-but he's not and youll
do the best two weeks work you ever
did In your life n YOU catch him between
here and Frisco bay"
The captain liked the topic. evidently
lie drew M n stool and sat down 10 pur-
sue Il further growing from the iocose
20 the serious
He could recommend Mstcho Merida
lie wasn't like tho rest OF the Black and
Tans
Hes made this trip with mo six times
now. and I've watched him close We
don't so IN for the things that most OF
his breed do-cards and women and
wine" Miss Strathmore thought OF her