Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-01

England, 1t Is
scarcely worth while to mention his
migration as an achievement OF CIV
ilization Moreover, 1t was known that
he had eaten of human flesh, but 1t was
not with the gusto of those ancient Fills
who banqueted on salubrious sailors and
munchable ministers whenever they had
the simultaneous chance and appetite.
He was one Of three survivors of the
Inflated Graceby polar expedition. and as
such he had been obliged to subsist for
some days on whatsoever was set before
him by the cook, a discreet but overpow-
ering person who certainly would have
been the sole survivor If the relief expe-
dition had been delayed few days long
er. But that portion of Mr.. Cannable's
history sounds much better In whispers
and 1t does not look pretty In print. He
never repeated it of his own accord. The
newspapers told 1t for him when he was
too weak and exhausted to deny or af-
firm.
His uncle, Sir John Bolingbroke. sent
him out from London soon after his re-
turn from the frozen north to represent
great financial interests on the cotton
exchange at New Orleans. For two years
the young man stuck manfully to his
post in the southern city. but 1t was an
irksome restraint to one whose heart was
turbulent with the love of travel and ad-
venture. Just at the time when he was
ready to resign his position and HE him
self into the jungles of the Amazon on
an exploring expedition two things hap
pened. either of which was in itself suf-
ficient to stay him for the while. In the
first place, his uncle died and left him
100000 in good English money. and In
the second place he met Agatha Holmes
The 100000. it is but just to say.
might not have kept him from the equa-
tor. but it is doubtful If all. much less
any specific portion Of the globe, could
have induced him to leave Agatha
Holmes. And SO 1t was that Mr.. James
In New Orleans for many months. estima-
bly, employed in the business Of evolving
a plan that might permit him to journey
to the worlds end with 100000 in one
hand and a certain girls future In the
other.
The months and the plans were profit
able. it seems. for one splendid evening
saw him at the altar rail beside the fair
est girl in all the southland. the queen OF
q thousand hearts. Agatha Holmes be-
came Mrs. Cannable, and thereby hangs
a tale. 1t would appear. from all the
current but unpublished records, of So
cial Louisiana, that Agatha had gone
about shattering hearts in a most unin-
territorial but effective fashion up to the
time Mr.. Jimmy Cannable refused to be
routed. Certainly 1t is no blot upon this
fair young coquettes fame to admit that
she had nlighted herself to at least four
was equally her own affair If she took
every womans privilege of shifting her
fancy before she was ready to marry.
Unluckily for Agatha. however she neg
lected to dsengage herself properly from
the most recent sutton next before Mr..
Cannable. In SO far as that worthy was
concerned the engagement still OBJ
tanned for he. poor chap. was down in
Patagonia somewhere surveying for rail-
roads and did not have the slightest
means of ascertaining her change OF at
lection. How was he to known that she
had married Jimmy Cannable, and how
was he to know that she had forgotten
his very existence without a single pang
OF remorse? He only knew that he had
starved himself to give her diamond
ring, TO say nothing of the wonderful old
ruby heirloom that had been in the fam
lily for centuries.
He told her at parting that no power
on earth could keep him from some day
retaining the heirloom and with 1t the
hand of the girl who was TO wear it all
her life.
One day, out of the past and up from
the wilds. came the word that Harry
Green was on his way home after an abb
sence of three years Agatha Holmes had
been Mrs. Cannable for three months and
she had forgotten young Mr.. Green as
completely as II he never had been a part
of her memory. A cablegram addressed
to Agatha Holmes one day was delivered
to Agatha Cannable. 1t simply said:
Am coming back at last for the ruby.
Harry" and it was sent from London.
She found herself wondering what he was
doing in England and how long II would
be before he could reach New Orleans,
but II did not dawn upon her for three
full days that he still ima gined himself
to be her tardy but accepted fiance. Then
In the fuilness of her joy she sat down
and laughed over his ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
his chagrin-when he learned that she was
another mans wife.
At first thought she decided to tell Jim
my the news. permitting him to enjoy the
fun as well. but the discretion which
shapes woman's ends forestalled the i'm
pulse. There was much she could not ex-
plain In justice to herself to say nothing
OF the other man who had gone away
with her In his heart True. it may not
have been difficult TO keep her immaculate
In a heart surrounded by Patagonians. but
there was something disturbing In the
fact that he had been constant, after ALL
She recalled, with a slight shiver (Which
grew with time, by the way). that she
had sworn to kill herself rather than to
marry any one but Harry Green. It also