Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-06
THE CAPTAIN OF THE KANSAS
By LOUIS TRACY, :.
Asthos of 1.-The Wings of the Morning." Etc
tcspyr.sht, isos, b Ddward J. Cisde)

French count, but denizen of Martin
ique-most probably defeulting valet or
clerk. No one troubled to inquire further
about him. His passage money was re-
funded and he was bundled ashore.
Courtenay's view was that he had heard.
by some means. Of Isobers intended de-
parture from Valparaiso. and deemed it
good chance of winning her approval
OF his countship. seeing that such titles
are not subjected to serious investigation
in South America Suarez took his
Fuegian bride up country. where Mr.:
Barring and DIR. Christobal established
| them on a small ranch.
Isobel renewed her voyage somewhat
chastened in spirit. But her volatile ma
ture soon survived, the shocks it had re-
caived. BY the time the Kansas put her
ashore at Tilbury. to be clasped in the
| arms of tinid and fearful aunt. she
was ready as ever for the campaign of
glory she had mapped out in London and
Paris.
|. And she was success. too. Her
fathers victory over the copper ring, her
own adventures, which lost nothing in
the telling, and her vivacious selt-confi-
dence. carried her into society with a
whirl. Recently. her engagement to an
impecunious peer was announced.
Capt Courtenay. r. N. and his wife
are not such distinguished personages,
but their romance had sequel worthy of
Its unusual beginning. They were mar
ried quietly week after the Kansas
reached London. There was some war
scare in full blast at the moment. and a
lord of the admiralty who deigned to read
the newspapers thought 1t was a pity
that smart sailor should not risk his
life for his country rather than in behalf
of base. commerce. So he looked up
Courtenay's record, and found that it was
excellent, the young lieutenant's reason
for rpS}Qnip0 his commission hairo no
necessity of supporting his mother when
her estate was swept away by a bank
failure. The sea lords made him first
rate offer of reinstatement in the service,
at higher rank, without any loss of
seniority and they went about the bust
ness with such dignified leisure that Dr.
Christobal had time to find out. through
men whom he could trust. that Elsie's
small estate in Chile contained one Of the
richest mines in the country. He secured
bid of many thousands of pounds for
1t, and advised Mrs. Courtenay to accept
half in cash and half in shares of the ex-
plotting company.
Hence, there was no need for Courte-
nay to decline a new career in the mag
nificent service which Mr. Boyle once
smiled at, and Elsie became a prominent
figure in that very select circle which
clusters around the ports mostly favored
by his majesty's ships.
1t was not unreasonable that Gray
1 SIOulu SO JACK 10 chile 10 take charge or
Elsie's mine, nor that. Mr.. Boyle should
become captain and Walker chief en-
gineer of the Kansas. but there was one
wholly unexpected development which
fairly took Elsie's breath away when she
heard of it.
She was with her husband in London.
While passing the National Gallery one
day he remembered the picture by Claude
which deals with the embarkation of
saint Ursula and her eleven thousand
virgins. A painter herself Elsie had an
artists appreciation of the vanity which
led Turner to bequeath his finest can
vases to the nation with the proviso that
they should be placed cheek by jowl with
those of his great rival. the Lorrainer. So
fat fox terrier was given in charge Of
catalogue seller; and they passed up the
steps.
1t was a students day. and the gal
leries were crowded with embryonic
geniuses. Courtenay waxed sarcastic
anent the rig of Claude's ships: he was
laughing at the careless grace with which
standing in boat just putting off from a
wharf, when lady cried, sharply:
George, how careless of you! You are
sitting on my mahlstick.''
Sorry. my dear" said tall thin man.
rising from a camp stool
Good gracious. it's Mr.. Tollemache."
whispered Elsie.
Cad. so it is Let's hail him.
Tollemache's solemn face frightened
when he heard the hail. He introduced
his wife. an eminently artistic being, who
answered to the name of Jennie She at
once enlisted Elsie in an argument as to
atmospheres, but Tollemache drew
Courtenay aside.
Got married when reached home that
trip" he explained. THE wife comes
here every Thursday. an 1 have to carry
the kit. Rather rot. isn't it?''
1T is certainly change from stocking
the donkey boiler and bowling over Ala
culofs like nine pins"
That's what 1 tell her, but she says
the Indians were Boeotian, and the land
scape, as 1 describe 1t, had the crude COL
oring of the Newlyn school, which she
abominates, She thinks Turner might
approve Of Suarez in his black and white
stripes, but the Guanaco crater reminds
her of Gustave Dore, who always exag-
gerated his tone values. I learn that sort
of gable by heart. Jennie's a good
sort. yet sometimes she talks rot"
George said Mrs Tollemache. pack
up my portfolio. We are going to lunch
with your friends. Mrs Courtenay and
have SO much to talk about. We find we
think like on many points. I am de-
lighted to, have. met your wife, Capt
Courtenay My husband raves about
her,
$50 do I ma'am." cried Courtenay gal
lantly, yet with subtle glance at Elsie
which told her he meant what he said.
CThe end.)