The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-06-02
Tenth Page

Lghorn, where he was on board yacht
called the Lola, of which he represented
himself as owner"
"He left Rannoch very suddenly" re-
marked Bartlett. eve understood that
he was engaged to marry Muriel. If 80,
I'm sorry for her, poor girl"
"What" cried Durnford, starting up.
"That man to marry Muriel Leith-
COURT"
"Yes," I said. "WhyY
But his countenance had turned pale,
and he gave no answer to my question
eff these same Leithcourts are really
friends of yours, Durnford, old fellow,
I'm sorry I've said anything against
them," the Major exclaimed in IN apollo
gctic tone. "Only the end of my visit
was so abrupt and SO extraordinary, and
the company such mixed one, that
well, to tell you the truth, the people
are mysterious lot altogether"
perhaps our Leithcourts are not the
same as those Jack knows" l remarked
in order to escape from rather difficult
situation; whereupon Durnford, as
though eager to conceal his surprise,
said with forced laugh, "Ohl probably
not" and reseated himself at table. Then
the Major quickly changed the topic of
conversation, and afterwards he and his
friend passed along to their table and
sat down to eat.
could not help noticing that Jack
Durnford was upset at what he had
learnt, yet / hesitated just then to put
any question to him. resolved to mp
proach the subject later, so as to allow
him time to question me II he wished TO
do 30.
After smoking an hour we went across
to the Empire, where we spent the even.
ing in the grand circle, meeting many
men we knew and having rather pleas
ant time among old acquaintance. If
a man who had lived the club life of
London returns from abroad, he can al
ways run across someone he knows in
the circle of the Empire about 10 o'clock
at night. Jack was, however, not his
old self that he had been before dinner.
His brow was now heavy and thought
full, and he appeared deeply immersed in
some intricate problem for his eyes were
fixed vacantly when opportunity was af-
forded him to think, and he appeared to
desire to avoid his friends rather than
to greet them.
After the theater l induced him to
come round to the Cecil, and in the
wicker chair in the big portico before
the entrance we sat to smoke our final
cigars. 1t is favorite spot of mine
when in London, for at afternoon, when
the string band plays and the Americans
and other cosmopolitans drink tea, there
is continual coming and going, a little
panorama of life that to student of
men like myself is intensely interesting
And at night it is just as amusing to sit
there in the shadow and watch the peo-
pie returning from the theaters or
dances and to speculate as to whom and
what they are. AT that one little corner
of London just off the Strand you see
more variety of men and women than
perhaps at any other spot. All grades
pass before you, from the pushful Amer.
lean commercial man interested in pat
ent medicine, to the proud Indian Rajah
with his turbaned suite; from the va.
riety actress to the daughter of a peer,
or the wife of a millionaire pork-butcher
doing Europe.
you've been bit down in the mouth
tonight, jack" l said presently, after
we had been watching the cabs coming
up, depositing the homecoming jewellers
from the Savoy or the Carlton.
eyes," he sighed. Sand surely l have
enough to cause me--after what I've
heard from Bartlett"
"Whatl Did the facts he told us con.
vey any bad news to your" | inquired
with pretended ignorance.
EYES," he said hoarsely, after brief
pause Then he added: Bartlett said
you could tell me what happened UP in
Scotland where Leithcourt had shooting.
Tell me everything" he added with the
air OF man in whom all hope is dead.