Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1905-1906, 1906-01-22
CHAPTER III.
INTRODUCES MY HEROINE.

Let me begin at the beginning. The
boat had been two days out OF South
ampton before the fog cleared away.
On the afternoon of the third day
Warburton curled up in his steamer
chair and lazily viewed the blue Octo-
Der seas as they met and merged with
the blue October skies. do not recol-
lect the popular novel of that summer.
but at any rate it lay Tapping at the
side of his chair, forgotten.
At this particular moment this hero
of mine was going over the monotony
of the old days in Arizona, the sand
deserts, the unlovely landscapes, the
dull routine. the Indifferent skirmishes
with cattle-men and Indians; the pa
gan bullet which had plowed through
his leg. And now it was all over; he
had surrendered his straps; he was a
private citizen, with an income suf1i-
cient for his needs 1t will go a long
way. $4,000 year, If one does not
attempt to cover the distance in
SIS 900 motor-car; and he hated all
locomotion that was not horse-f1esh.
For nine months he had been wan
dering over Europe, il not happy. at
least in satisfied frame of mind.
Four of these months had been delight
fully passed in Paris; and as his no.
mad excursions had invariably termin-
ated in that queen of cities, l make
Paris the starting point of his some
what remarkable adventures. Besides,
it was in Paris that he first saw her.
And now, here he was at last, home
ward-bound. That phrase had
mighty pleasant sound; 1t was to the
ear what honey is to the tongue. Still,
he might yet have been in Paris but
for one thing: She was on board this
very boat.
Suddenly his eyes opened full wide,
bright with eagerness.
1T is she!" he murmured. He
closed his eyes again, the hypocrite!
Permit me to introduce you to my
heroine. Mind you, she is not my Gre
alton; only Heaven may produce her
like, and but once. She is well worth
turning around to gaze at. Indeed l
know more than one fine gentleman
who forgot the time of day, the i'm
| portant engagement, or the trend of
his thought, when she passed by.
She was coming forward, leaning
| against the wind and inclining to the
uncertain roll of the ship. A gray
raincoat fitted snugly the youthful,
plunged into the pockets. You may
be sure that Mr.. Robert noted through
his half-closed eyelids these inconse-
| quent details. A tourist hat sat
j! jauntily on the fine light brown hair,
that color which has no appropriate
/ metaphor. Cat least, have never
/ found one, and / am not in love with
her and never was) Warburton has
described to me her eyes. so am pos
tive that they were as heavenly blue
as rajah's sapphire. Her height is
OF no moment. What man ever trou-
: bled himself about the height of a
woman SO long as he wasn't under
sized himself? What pleased War.
burton was the exquisite skin. He
was always happy with his compari-
sons. and particularly when he likene6
her skin to the bloomy olive pallor OF
young peach. The Independent
stride was distinguishing American
All. the charm of these women who
are my -countrywomen! They come
they go. alone. unattended, courageous
without being bold, self-reliant without
being rude; inimitable In what ar
amiable frame of mind Nature must
have been on the day she cast thes,
molds! But I proceed. The youns
woman's chin was tilted, and warbur
ton could tell by the dilated nostrils
that she was breathing in the gale
with all the JOY of living. filling hel
healthy lungs with it as that rare
daughter of the Cyprian Isle nigh
have done as she sprang that mor1
from the jeweled Mediterranean spray
that beggar's brooch of Neptune's.
Warburton's heart hadn't thrilled 81
since the day when he first donnet
cadet gray. There was scarce an,
room for her to pass between his chat
and the rail; and this knowledge fillet
the rascal with exultation. Neare
and nearer she came. He drew in hi
breath as the corner of his foot-res
(aided by the sly wind) caught he
rain-coat
Il beg your pardon!" he said, sittin
, up.
!, She quickly released her coat, smile
\ family, and passed on.
Sometimes the most lasting impress
sions are those which are printed mos
/. lightly on the memory. Mr.. Rober
says that he never will forget tina
!, first smile. And he didn't even kno'
:, her name then.
l was about to engage your after
: ton with a description of the villia1
but on second thought ! have decide
. that it would be rather unfair. Fo
: at that moment he was at disadvar
tage. Nature was Furnishing him fc