Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-02-20
Chapter NV
"THEY tell me, sir, that Missls
Marie-that is, AIissis Dur
novo-has gone back to her

spacious CABIN allotted to him. The
owners. of the steamer had thought it
worth their while to make the finder of
the simiacine as comfortable as cir
cumstances allowed. The noise of that
great drug had directed toward the
west coast of Africa that floating scum
the alert for some new land of promise
'Who told you that?' asked Jack,
drying his hands on a towel.
"One of the stewards, sir; man
that was laid up at Sierra Leone in
the hospital"
Jack Meredith paused for Il moment
before going on deck, He looked out
through the open portfolio toward the
blue shadow. on the horizon which was
Africa, a country that he had never
seen three years before and which had
oil along been destined to Influence his
whole life.
ut was the hest thing she could do
he said 1T is to be hoped that she
will be happy"
Yes, sir, it is. She deserves it, if
that goes for anything in the heavenly
reckoning. She's fine woman; n good
woman that. slr.''
YES"
Joseph was folding shirt very care.
fully.
"a bit dusky," he said, smoothing
out the linen folds reflectively, "but
shouldn't have minded that if l had
been marryin' man, but I'm not"
He laid the shirt in the portmanteau
and looked up. Jack Meredith had
gone on deck.
While Maurice and Jocelyn Gordon
were still Mt dinner that same even
ing messenger came, announcing the
arrival of the Bogamayo in the roads.
the meal. Maurice Gordon was liable
to be called away at any moment thus
by the arrival Of a steamer. 1t was
not long before he rose from the table
and lighted a.cigar preparatory to go,
ing down to his Office. where the cap
tain. of the steamer was by this time
probably awaiting him. TWAS full
moon, and the glorious golden light of
the equatorial night shone through the
high trees like a new dawn. Hardly
star was visible; even those of the
southern hemisphere pale beside the
southern moon.
Maurice Gordon crossed the open
space Of cultivated garden and plunged
into the black shadow of the forest.
His footsteps were inaudible. Sud-
denly he ran almost into the arms of
man.
'Who the devil is that?" he cried.
Meredith" answered voice.
"AIeredith-Jack Meredith, is that
you?"
Yes"
well, I'm bowed" exclaimed
Maurice Gordon, shaking hands; 'like-
wise glad. What brought you out here
again?"
"Oh, pleasure" replied Jack, with his
face in the shade.
Pleasure? You've come to the wrong
place for that. However, I'll let you
find that out for yourself. Go on to the
bungalow. I'll be back In less than an
hour. You'll find Jocelyn on the veran-
ln."
ACA N1duliCc lC1l uOl JONGlSA NSuL
out into the veranda. 1t was the be-
ginning of the hot season. AT midday
the sun on his journey northward no
longer cast shadow. Jocelyn could
not go out in the daytime at this period
of the year. For fresh air she had to
rely upon a long, dreamy evening in the
yeranda.
No f,, How al al,nt,
while the moonlight, red and glowing
made pattern on the floor and On her
white dress with the shadows of the
creepers. The sea was very loud that
night, rising and falling like the breath
OF some huge sleeping creature.
Jocelyn Gordon fell into reverie
Life was very dull at Loango. There
was too much time for thought and too
little. to think about. This girl had only
the past and her past was all com
prised in few months-the few
months still known at Loango as the
simiacine year. She had lapsed into a
bad habit Of thinking that her life was
oyer, that the daylight of it had wanet
and that there was nothing left nov
but the gray remainder of the evening
She was wondering now why it had al
come, why there had been any daylight
Mt ALL, Above these thoughts she won
dered why the feeling was still in her
heart that Jack Meredith had not gone
out of her life forever. There was nc
reason why she should ever meet him
again. He was, SO far as she knew,
rlsip1 IN
year ago, although she had never seen
the announcement of the wedding. He
had drifted into Loango and into her
life by the merest accident. and now
that the simiacine plateau had beer
finally abandoned there was no reason
why any Of the original finders should
come to Loango again.
And the creepers were pushed aside
by one who knew the method OF theil
growth. A silver glory Of moonlight
fell on the veranda floor, and the MAJ
of whom she was thinking stood be
fore her.
Your she exclaimed.
Eyes"
She rose, and they shook hands
Lucy Stoou loohllS Ut eicu OlueF loE L
few moments. and thousand things
that had never been said seemed to bt
understood between them.
"Why have you Gomez" she asked
abruptly.
ITO tell you n story
She looked up with a sort of hall
smile, as If she suspected some pleas
antry of which she had not yet de
tected the drift.
"a long story" he explained, "wllicl
has not even the merit of being anus
Ing. Please sit down again"
She obeyed him.
The curtain of hanging leaves ant
flowers had fallen into place again
The Swallowed tracery was on he
dress and on the floor once more.
He stood In, front of her and told hel
his story, as Sir John had suggested