The San Francisco call., 1904-03-06

dAQ -
She now fiuttered about in a wrap
per, and with a piece OF black net tied
tight over her forehead. Through this
the forms Of dark circular curls out
lined themselves like silhouettes. Mrs.
Willers had no warpaint on, and
though she looked a trifie warm. was
much more attractive in appearance
than when decorated with her pink and
white complexion and her spotted veil.
Edna. who was already dressed, was
beautiful. fair-haired child of twelve.
The struggles she had seen her mother
pass through, with her eyes bright and
her head high had developed in her a
-precocity of mind that had not spoiled
the sweet childishness Of a charming
nature. II would be many years yet
before Edna would understand that
. she had been the sheeJ-anchOr Of the
mother who was TO her so clever and
so brave. the mother who, in her mo-
ments cf weakness and temptation, had
found her child the one rock TO cling TO
in the Welter Of life.
Mrs. Tvillers retired to the bedroom
10 dress. occasionally coming to the
doorway in various stages Of deshabille
10 give instructions to the child. Her
toilet was accomplished with mutilated
rites. and by the time the sacrificial
moment came Of laying on the rouge
her cheeks were too flushed with eX-
citement 10 need it, When she did ap-
pear II would have been difficult TO rec
ognize her as the woman of an hour
earlier. Even the black silhouettes had
passed through a metamorphosis and
appeared as a fun Of careless curls.
The first guest TO arrive was the man
she had spoken Of as Essex The ladies
Ct the windows below had been struck
into whispering surprise by his appear
snce. San Francisco was still enjoying
it's or ginal reputation as a land OF
picturesque millionaires, who lived lives
- u lawlessness and splendor. Men OF
position still wore soft felt hats and
buttoned themselves tight into Prince
Albert coats when they went down to
business in the morning. Perhaps in
the Travelled circles, where the bonanza
kings and their associates lived after
. European models, there were men who
bore the stamp OF metropolitan finish.
as Barry Essex did. But they did not
visit Sutter street bOarding-houses nor
wear silk hats when they paid after
noon calls. San Francisco was still in
that sta ge when this form Of headgear
was principally associated in its mind
with the men who drew teeth and
sold patent medicines on the sand lots
behind the City Hall.
Barry Essex, anywhere. would have
been a striking figure He was hand
some man Of some thirty years, tall
and spare, and with a dark, smooth
shaven face where the nose was high
and the eyes Veiled and cold. He
looked like q person Of high birth. and
. there were stories that he was, though
by the left hand. He spoke with an
English accent, and. when asked his
nationality. shrugged his shoulders, and
said il was hard TO say what ii was
his father had been a Spaniard, his
mother an Englishwoman, and he had
been born and reared in France.
That he was a man OF ability and
education, superior TO the work he was
doing as special writer on Jake Shack
letOn's paper The Trumpet, was obvi-
Gus. But san Francisco had become
SO used to mysteriOusly interesting
strangers. that come from no one
knows where and suggest an attrac-
lively unconventional history, that the
particular curiosity excited by Essex
soon died. and he was merely of mo-
.nent as the author Of some excellent
articles on art literature and music in
The Sunday Trumpet.
He greeted Mrs. Wnlers with
friendly fellowship. then let a quick.
surreptitiOus glance sweep the room.
She saw il. knew what he was looking
for but affected unconsciousness. His
manner was touched by the slightest
suggestion Of something elaborate and
theatrical, which, in Mrs. Willers' mind,
seemed TO have some esoteric connec-
ton with the silk hat. his he now
after slowly looking about for safe
place Of eposit-handed 10 Edna with
the careless remark: will you put
this down somewhere, Edna?"
The child took it, flushing slightly.
She was accustomed 10 being made
much Of by her mothers guests. and
EsseE's manner stung her little girls
pride. But she put the hat on the
piano and retired TO her corner, behind
the refreshment table.
A moment later she opened the door
to Jake Shackleton. Mrs. Willers, red
checked and triumphant, felt that this
was indeed a proud moment for her.
She said as much drawing an amused
laugh from her second guest. He, too,
had swept the room with quick, In
veStigating glance. This time Mrs.
Wnlers did not affect unconsciousness,
and said briskly:
NO. our young lady hasn't come yet.
Youu have 10 try and put UP with me
for q while"
Il would have been difficult for the
eye Of the deepest affection to see in
the Comstock millionaire the emigrant
of twenty-five years before. A mother
might have been deceived The lean
figure had grown chunky and heavy.
The drawn face was Low not full-it
was the type Of face that would never
be full-but was lacking in the seams
that had then furrowed il. The hair
was gray, worn thin on the temples,
and the beard, trimmed and we'll
tended, was gray, too. Perhaps the
strongest tie with the past was that
tn w. suggested he same hard, fine
- giry energy. II still shone in
his ow, Iight-colored eyes, and sun
was 10 be seen in his lean muscular