The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-09
CHAPTER XIII.
The Long Search.

Mr.. Valentine Arthur Langford was
wearily pacing the quarterback of his
magnificent yacht. the Southern Cross.
Mr.. Langford was an intensely disap-
pointed aud cmbittered man. He had
made two ventures which, by stretch
of language in one case at least, could
be called matrimonial, and both of
them had resulted in disaster. Death
opportunely had relieved him of one
wife; the other, who had stood in the
place Of the former without the legal
ceremony or the spiritual benediction,
had vanished under circumstances so
mysterious that he had no idea whether
she was alive or dead. On a certain
night, some three years ago, he had a
dim remembrance that he had behaved
like brute TO woman. His remem-
brance was only dim as to details; it
was entirely clear as to the fact.
What had happened as result Of his
conduct he could not clearly state. The
next morning the crew had found him
lying insepsiblc on the cabin floor with
a fractured skull. The woman was
gone, also the power boat which had
trailed astern of the yacht in the pleas
ant weather Such was his physical
condition that when he was not un-
conscious he was delirious. He had
been able TO give no coherent account
Of affairs, and equally unable to give
any directions as 10 the future move
ments of the yacht. which had been
bound nowhere IN particular upon a
pleasure cruise.
The old sailing master and captain,
much distressed by the situation and
the emergency in which he found him
self suddenly plunged. decided that his
best course, in fact his only course, was
10 get back TO civilization and doe
tor as soon as possible. He had in
staDtly put the yacht about and headed
for the nearest land where he might
hope TO get suitable care for his ter
ribly i'll young employer. He pushed
the yacht 70 the utmost speed and in
three weeks dropped anchor in Homo
lulu, Just in time to save the Young
man S life Indeed. for a long time it
was touch and go as to whether his life
could be saved at all, and it was not
until nearly year had elapsed before
the Southern Cross sailed for San
Francisco with Il weak and shaky. but
convalescing. owner on her quarterback.
The departure Of Katharine Brenton
with Valentine Langford had made a
great sensation. but IL was nothing TO
the sensation which ragged when if be.
came known that Valentine Laugford
had returned without her. She was a
woman Of too much importance, she
mad played too large part in the af
fairs of the world, civilization had
manifested too much interest in her
to allow her to drop out Of its sight
without at least making an effort to
fnd her. The position Of Mr.. Valen-
tine Langford became Interestingly DIFF
hcult in the face of storm Of in
qniry. Mr. Langford s previous mar
TIiage was. fortunately for him, un-
known; but the world had had COM
p!ete and adequate idea Of the terms
of the union which had been entered
upon so bIithelv between Laugford and
Miss Brenton that the first question
that met him when ne came back alone
WAS as to which one had repeIited Had
The woman come to her senses had
the man grown tired of her, had they
parted, and where was the woman?
These were the queries which were put
TO HIM with the direct simplicity Of
The American public through its impe-
nous representatives.. the reporters. And
TO these questions Mr.. Langford could
return no adequate answer whatever
eXcent the truth, which he could not
bring himself TO tell. He declared that
she had left the yacht in the South
seas, that he did not know her pres.
ent whereabouts, and refused to say
anything further, privately or in public
Miss Brenton had no near relations;
what was everybody's business was
nobody's. and presently public interest
In her declined, She and her philoso-
ply were practically forgotten by all
but Langford himself.
Fortune, which had done him some
evil turns. here, however, interposed to
his advantage The lady who legally
bore his name departed this life and
left him Il free man. Brute though he
had been. Laugford was not without
some strong idea of honor and deccncy.
Indeed, no had enjoyed long and un-
disturbed hours of meditation upon his
sins of omission and commission during
his period of convalescence, and the
calm consideration Of character and