Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-05-05
CHAPTER 1.
LoEi;Y SEEKS ADVENTURE.

NR GE.:NTALL LoEi;Y SEEKS ADVENTURE.
"a SIR. GRENFALL LORRY board
kGSH ed the eastbound express at
n Denver with all the air of a
martyr. He had Travelled
pretty much all over the world, and he
was not without resources. but the
prospect of $500 mile journey alone
filled him with dismay. The country
lie knew; the scenery had long since
lost its attractions for him. And so 1t
was that he gloomily motioned the
porter to his boxes and mounted the
steps with WEAKNESS.
AS It happened. Mr.. Grenfall Lorry
did not have dull moment after the
train started He stumbled on figure
that leaned toward the window in the
dark passagcway With reluctant civil
ity he apologized. \ lady stood up to let
him pass. and for an instant in the half
light their eyes met. and that is why
the miles rushed by with incredible
speed.
Mr.. Lorry had been dawdling away
the months in Mexico and California.
For years he had felt, together with
many other people, that sea voyage
was the essential beginning Of every
journey. He had started round the
world soon after leaving Cambridge;
he had fished through Norway and
hunted in India. and shot everything
from grouse on the Scottish moors to
the rapids above Assouan. He had
run in and out of countless towns and
countries on the coast of South Amer
lea. He had done Russia and the
Rhone valley and Brittany and Damas-
Gus. He had seen them all. but not
until then did it occur to him that there
might be something Of interest nearer
home True, he had thought Of joining
some Englishmen on hunting tour In
the Rockies, but that had fallen
through. When the idea of Mexico
did occur to him. he gave orders to
pack his things. purchased intermina-
BILE green tickets, dined unusually well
at his club and was off in no time to
the unknown west.
There was q theory in his family
that it would have been a decenter
thing for him to stop running about
and settle down to work. But his
thoughtful father had given him
wealthy mother. and as earning liv-
ing WAS not a necessity he failed to
. lnt a.
coming to some men" he once declared.
.like whiskers or red ties. but it does
not follow that all men can stand it."
After that the family found him hope
less" and the argument dropped.
He was just under thirty years, as
good looking as most men. with no one
dependent upon him and an income
that had withstood both the Maison
Doree and a dahabeah on the Nile.
He never tired of seeing things and
peoples and places. There's game to
be found anywhere" he said, "only it's
sometimes out Of season. If had my
way - and millions Il should run a
newspaper. Then all the excitements
would come to me. AS it is. I'm poor,
and so have to so all over the world
after them
This agreeable theory Of life had
worked well. He was little bored at
times. not because he had seen too
much. but because there were not more
things left to see. He had managed
somehow to keep his enthusiasms
through everything. and they made
life worth living. He felt. too. GER
tain elation, like a spirited horse. ct
turning toward home, but Washington
had not much to offer him, and the
thrill did not last His big bag and
his hatbox. pasted over with foolish
labels from continental hotels, were
piled in the corner of his compartment,
and he settled back in his seat with
pleasurable sense Of expectancy. The
presence in the next room OF a very
smart appearing young woman was
prominent in his consciousness. 1t gave
him an uneasiness which was the be-
ginning of delight. He had seen her
for only second in the pasSageway,
but that second had made him hold
himself little straighter. why Is
it." he wondered, that some girls
make you stand like footman the mo-
ment you see them?" Grenfall had
been in love too many times to think OF
marriage His habit Of mind was still
general. and he classified women broad
". At the same time he had feeling
that in this case generalities did not
apply we'll. There was something about
the girl that made him hesitate at la
beling her Glass A or B or H." What
it was he did not know, but unaccount-
ably she filled him with an affected
formality. He felt like bowling to her
with a grand air and much dignity.
And yet he realized that his successes
had come from confidence.
At luncheon he saw her In the din
Ing car. Her companions were elderly
persons. presumably her parents They
talked mostly in French. occasionally
using a German word or phrase. The
old gentleman was stately ana austere,
with an air of Difference to the young
woman which Grenfall did not under
stand. His appearance was very strik-
ing, his face pale and heavily lined,
mustache and imperial gray. the eye
brows large and bushy and the jaw
and chin square and firm. The white
haired lady carried her head high with
unmistakable gentility. They were all
dressed in travelling suits which sug-
gested something foreign. but not Vien-
na nor Paris; smart, but far from
American tastes.
Lorry watched the trio with great
interest. Twice during luncheon the
young woman glanced toward him
carelessly and left an annoying impress
sion that she had not seen him. AS
they left the table and passed into the
Cows that fail
Your C0WS to breed, espe-