Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-20
THE MAN ON THE BOX By HAROLD MacCRATH Author of The Grey Cloak" Puppe Crown"
Bv HAROLD MIGRATE
Copyright, 1so4, The Bobbs-Merrill Company.
CHAPTER II.
yTRODITCEs 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 I 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 suffi-
 cient for his needs: It will go long
 way, $4.500 year, if one does not
 attempt to cover the distance in a $5,000 motor-car; and he hated all locomotion that was not horse-fesh.
 For nine months he had been wan dering over Europe, if not happy, at least in a satisfied frame of mind. Four of these month had been delight fully passed in Paris; and as his mo- mad excursions had invariably termin- ated in that queen of cities, 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 i. a mighty pleasant sound; it 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. 4sis. 4ss.ss5s-.s-.:.-s s...~.,.s 2
 Suddenly his eyes opened full wide, bright with eagerness.
 Tt Is she!" he mufmured He closed his eyes again, the hypocrite!
 Permit me to introduce you to my heroine. Mind you, she is not my cre~ ation; only Heaven may produce her like, and but once. She is we'll worth turning around to gaze at. Indeed I 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, rounded figure. Her hands were plunged into the pockets. You may be sure that Mir. Robert noted through his half-closed eyelids these inconse- quent details. A tourist hat sat jauntily on the fine light brown hair, that color which has no appropriate metaphor. (At least, have never found one, and I am not in love with her and never was) Warburton has described to me her eyes. so am pos- itive that they were as heavenly blue as a rajah's sapphire Her height is Of no moment. What man ever trou.I bled himself about the height of a Y 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- 1 sons, and particularly when he likened her skin to the bloomy olive pallor of young peach. The independent stride was distinguishingly American. An. 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. Tn what an amiable frame of mind Nature must have been on the day she cast these molds! But I proceed. The young 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 her healthy lungs with it as that rare daughter of the Cyprian Isle might have done as she sprang that morn from the ieweled Mediterranean spray. ,; that beggar's brooch of Neptune's. l
 Warburton's heart hadn't thrilled so since the day when he first donned cadet gray. There was scarce any room for her to pass between his chair and the rail: and this knowledge filled he rascal with exultation. Nearer and nearer she came He drew in his breath as the corner of his foot-rest laided by the sly windD caught her -ain-coat
 q beg your pardon." he said. sitting ID.
 She quickly released her coat. smiled aintly, and passed on.
 Sometimes the most lasting inpres- , ions are those which are printed most [ tightly on the memory. Mir. Robert , avs that he never will forget that irst smile. And he didn't even know ' Ter name then.
 vas about to engage your stten- q ion with description of the william. q mt on second thought I have decided hat it would be rather unfair. For t that moment he vas at a disadvan- | age. Nature was punishing him for . few shortcomings. The steward that fight informed Warhurton. in answer : 9 his inquiries. that he. the william. . las dreadfuIIy seasiek. and vas beg ing him the steward. 10 scuttle the hip and have done with it I have " doubts regarding this Mir Robert '. ] inclined to fippancy at times. It -ssn't sezsiekness. and after all is aid and done. it is putting 1t harshly :. } caH this man a william I recant rue viIliany is siusys based upon ssl- shnesS- Remember this. ny wise 1eS.