Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-01-27
CHAPTER II.
INTRopUCEs - HERoINE.

hthploh DeIOre 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 az any rate &c lay tapping az the
side of his chair. forgotten.
At this particular moment this hero
OF mine was going over the monotony
Of the old days i'm Arizona. the sand
deserts. the unlovely landscapes. the
duh routine the Indifferent shrmishes
with cattle-men and Indians 'he pa
gan bullet which had plowed through
his leg. And now 60 was all over: he
had surrendered his straps. he was a
private citizen. with an income sufH-
cient for his needs. IL will go a long
way. $4,000 year. IL one does not
attempt TO cover the distance fin a
$1,000 motor-car. and he mated an
locomouon that was not horse-aesh.
For nine months be- had been wan
dcring over Europe. NJ not happy. at
least in a satisfied frame of mind.
-Four of these months had been delight
fully passed en- Paris. and as his no.
mad excursions had invariably termin-
ated In that queen OF cities. I make
Paris the starting point of his some
what remarkable adventures Besides.
Sc was in Paris that ne first saw her
And now. here ne was M last. home
ward-bound. That phrase had
mighty pleasant sound. 90 was to the
ear what honey is 20 the tongue. Stnl.
he might yet have been I'm Paris but
for one thing: She was on board this
very boat
Suddenly his eyes opened ful wide.
bright with cagorness.
1T is she," he murmured. He
closed his eyes again. the hypocrite,
Permit me 90 introduce you 10 my
heroine. Mind you. she IS not my Gre
alton: only Heaven may produce her
Ike and but once. she is well worth
turning around 20 gaze at Indeed
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 aud inclining 10 the
uncertain roll OF the ship. A gray
raincoat fitted suucly the youthful
rounded figure. Her hands were
plunged into the pockets You NAV
be sure that Mr. Robert noted through
HIS half-closed eyelids these incense
queut details a tourist hat sat
iauntily on the fine light brown hair.
that color which has no appropriate
metaphor. CAT least. have never
found one. and am not I'm love with
her and never was) Warburton has
described 90 me her ewes. so I am nos
itiFe that they were as heavenly blue
as a rajah's sapphire Her height IS
OF no moment What man ever iron
bled himself about the HEIGHT OF n
woman so long as he wasn't under
sized himself? What plensed War
burton was the exquisite skin. He
was always happy with his comparl-
sons. and particularly when he likened
her skin TO the bloomy olive pallor OF
young peach. The independent
stride was distinguishingly American
All, the charm Of these women who
are my countrywcmen, They come
they 90. alone. unattended. COURAGEOUS
without being bold. self-reliant without
being rude; inimitable. In what an
amiable frame OF mind Nature must
nave been on the day she cast these
moldsi But I proceed. The voung
woman's chin was tilted. and Warbur-
ton could tell by the dilated nostriIs
that she was breathing In the gale
with all the JOY Of living. filling her
healthy lungs with il as that rare
daughter of the Cyprian Isle might
have done as she sprang that morn
from the jeweled Mediterranean spray
that beggar's brooch OF Neptune's.
Warburtcn's heart hadn't thrilled so
since the day when he first donned
cadet gray. There was scarce any
room for her 10 pass between his chair
and the rail; and this knowledge filled
the rascal with exultation. Nearer
and nearer she came He drew in his
breath as the corner of his foot-rest
(&ided by the sly wind caught her
rain-coat.
Il beg your pardon!" he said. sitting
up.
She quickly released her coat. smiled
family and passed on.
Sometimes the most lasting impress
sions are those which are printed most
lightly on the memory. Mr.. Robert
says that he never will forget that
first smile. And he didn't even know
her name then.
was about 10 engage your atten-
ton with a description Of the william.
but on second thought | have decided
that IL would be rather unfair. For
at that moment he was at a disadvan-
tage. Nature was Furnishing him for
a few shortcomings. The steward that
night Informed Warburton, in answer
TO his inquiries, that he, the william,
was dreadfully seasick. and was beg
ging him. the steward, to scuttle the
ship and have done with Il. | have
my doubts regarding this Mr.. Robert
is inclined to fiippancy at times. It
wasn't seasickness; and after all Is
eat a. Il. l..