The Washington times., 1904-02-28


MSM the Majestic. Four bells were
W. just sounding, and nearly all the
passengers had gone below. The
great expenses of shadOwy deck
seemed silent and deserted.
A door opened from the smoking-room.
and a young man, of fashionable APP
pearance. stood moment in the flood
of light. Then he closed the door be-
hind him, and. after pausing at the rail
to scrutinize the aspects of the sea and
sky. he started forward on a lonely
promenade, walking with slow, exagger-
ated strides.
Thorndyke Allan was slender of figure
and rather below the medium height.
but he bore an air Of conscious superior
ity that never forsook him on even the
most trivial occasions. His manner was
studiously deliberate and impressive.
His face might be called aristocratic
looking. 1t was long and sharp and
very pale. with an arched nose and thin.
bloodless lips. which curled readily into
an almost imperceptible sneer. His
sparse hair, growing high off the fore
head, was almost colorless. and brushed
down fatty from a part in the middle.
The eyes were Of a faded. almost trans
parent blue. rather small than large.
and possessed of peculiar restlessness.
He belonged to an exclusive set In
New Yorks social world. Having no
special occupation to interest him. he
had learned to derive his chief pleasure
in life from a sort of secret satisfaction
with himself. It had become a second
nature with him to pose. His real char
acter, moreover, was in many respects
the very opposite of his assumed one.
Beneath the surface, for instance, he
was extremely nervous and shy. At
the slightest emergency his heart would
futter violently; cold perspiration moist
ened his hands, and a helpless sensation
overcame him. On such occasions, he
was conscious Of appearing stiff, and
the possibility of being ridiculous fright
ened him. In short, like many people
who have been pressed into the social
mold. he was continually ashamed Of
his inherited feelings. and endeavored
to suppress the smallest trace of them
in his actions. He desired, above all
things 10 be considered an experienced
and accomplished man of the world, the
Quintessence of social etiquette.
The Majestic had left New York on
the previous afternoon, and for more
than a day Thorndyke Allan had been
living in state Of tremendous antici-
patton. The night before his departure
Delaney Drake had found him at the
club, and announced the news; the Van
Rensselaer, Browns were booked for his
ship
Miss Van Rensselaer, Brown was a
welI-known Washington belle. strictly
good form and very exclusive, with
widespread newspaper reputation for
her brilliant accomplishments. Her
fathers fortune. variousIy estimated
and commented upon, was a matter OF
public concern, emitting the family, as
il did, TO an unquestioned position in
Americas aristocracy. The success of
Miss Van Rensselaer's Browns debut
had naturally found its accompaniment
in the usual rumble of small talk. Not
the least important of the conjectures
thus set afloat was her prospective en-
sagement to a foreign nobleman of dis
tinguished lineage, who had been a
guest Of her fathers while on a diplo-
matte mission to our country.
Delaney Drake was an ardent adj
mireT of the Washington heiress. He
congratulated Thorndyke Allan on his
good luck. and gave him letter of in
PRODUCTION.
The talk Of a foreign marriage, he said,
was nothing but newspaper calumny.
Miss Van Rensselaer, Brown herself had
confded TO him her sentiments in the
matter. If ever she contemplated
change of residence. she had affirmed.
her inclination would carry her no
farther than New York. Thereupon De
lancey Drake drew his own conclusion.
"a week on an ocean steamer. my
boy, IS a deuced good place for persua-
sion. and-and, you know-well. I envy
you the chance"
And so saying. he had thumped Thorn
dyke Allan emphatically on the back.
while they ordered drinks.
The first twenty-four hours OF the trip
had been rough and foreboding. and as
far as Thorndyke Allan could discover,
neither Miss Van Rensselaer, Brown nor
her father had appeared on deck That
afternoon, however. a change had taken
place; the storm waves were gradually
left behind. and. with the rising Of the
moon. had come a beautiful evening
The indications seemed to assure the
continuance OF fair weather. As Thorn
dyke Allan scanned the horizon he
looked forward with a mingled feeling
Of Impotence and hesitation to his Of
fetal introduction on the morrow
Little by little. as ne paced to and
fro, he fell 10 silent musing He
thought back on the words of Delaney
Drake. and added n luster 10 their
meaning. He pictured TO himself the
exchange Of formalitics with Mr.. Van
Rensselaer, Brown. the scene OF his sub
the gratifying impression his appear
ance must produce. Then, pis magma
ton gradually spreading wings. he
passed through a charming series Of
tete-a-tctes in secluded corners Of the
deck, in which his dignified behavior
found ready response in the eyes Of the
Washington beauty. until gradually she
assumed in his presence an attitude of