The San Francisco call., 1909-03-21

How was he TO know that Calendar had
not arrived and found his way to her?
When at length she appeared on tne
threshold Of the apartment, bringing
with her the travelling bag and look
ing wonderfully the better for her
ninety minutes repose and privacy, the
relief he experienced was so intense
that he remained transfxed in the mid
die Of the floor. momentarily able
neither to speak nor to move.
On her part, so tagged and distraught
did he seem, that at sight of his care
worn countenance she hurried to him
with outstretched. compassionate hands
and low pitiful cry of concern. for
getful entirely of that which he him
self had forgotten-the emotion she
had betrayed on parting.
"Oh, nothing wrong" he hastened TO
reassure her. with a sorry ghost of his
familiar grin: only I have lost Hobbs
and the satchel with your things; and
there's no sign yet OF Mr.. Calendar.
We can feel pretty comfortable now.
and-and I thought it time we had
something like a meal"
The narrative Of his adventure which
he delivered over their dejeuner a la
fourchette contained no mention either
Of his rebuff at the American consul
late or the scratch he had sustained
during Hobbs murderous assault; the
one could not concern her, the other
would seem but a. bid for her sympathy.
He counted ii a fortunate thing that
the mates knife had been keen enough
to penetrate the cloth of his sleeve
without tearing it; the slit It had left
was barely noticeable. And he pur-
posely diverted the girl with flashes OF
humorous description. so that they
discussed both meal and episode in a
mood OF wholesome merriment.
1t was concluded, all too soon for
the taste of either, by the walters an
nouncement that the steamer was on
the point of sailing.
Outwardly composed, inwardly quak-
ing they boarded the packet, meeting
with no misadventure whatever-if we
are TO except the circumstance that,
when the restaurant bill was settled
and the girl had punctiliously sur
rendered his change with the tickets.
Kirkwood found himself in possession
OF precisely one franc and twenty cen
times.
He groaned in spirit to think how
differently he might have been fixed,
had he not in his infatuated spirit OF
honesty been so anxious to give Cal
endar more than ample value for his
money,
An inexorable anxiety held them both
near the gangway until 1T was cast OF
and the boat began to draw away from
the pier. Then, and not till then, did
an unimpressive, small figure of a man
detach itself from the shield of a pile
OF luggage and advance to the pier
head. No second glance was needed
TO identify Mr.. Hobbs; and until the
perspective dwarfed him indistinguish-
ably, he was to be seen, alternately
waving Kirkwood ironic farewell and
blowing violent kisses to Miss Calen-
dar from the tips of his soiled fingers.
So he had escaped arrest.
At first by turns indignant and re-
lieved to realize that thereafter they
were to move in scenes in which his
hateful shadow would not form an es
sentially component part, subsequently
Kirkwood fell a prey TO prophetic ter
rors It was not alone fear of retri-
button that had induced Hobbs to re-
linquish his persecution-or SO Kirk
wood became convinced; If the mates
calculation had allowed for them the
least fraction Of chance to escape
apprehension on the farther shores
of the channel. nor fears nor threats
would have prevented him from sailing
with the fugitives. Far from
having left danger behind them on the
continent, Kirkwood believed in his
secret heart that they were flying to
encounter it beneath the smoky pail
OF London.