Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-08-11
CHAPTER V.
THE ENGLISH INVADE.

CHAPTER V.
THE ENGLISH INVADE.
n HE granddaughter of Jack
Wyckholme, attended by two
maids, her husband and his
valet. a clerk from the cham
bers of Bosworth, Newnes & Grape
win, a red cocker, seventeen trunks
and carload Of late novels, which
she had been too busy to read at home,
was the first of the bewildered Legal
tees to set foot upon the island of
Japat.
She was very pretty, very smart and
delightfully."- arrogant after Il manner
of her own.
Mr.. Saunders was the polite but ex-
cessively middle class clerk who went
out to keep the legal strings untangled
for them. He was soon to discover
that his duties We're even more COM
prehensive.
1t was he who saw to 1t that the
luggage was transferred to the lighter
which came out to the steamer when
size dropped anchor off the town Of
Arafat; it was he who counted the
pieces and haggled with the boatmen;
1t was lie who carried off the hand
luggage when the native dock boys
refused to engage In the work; it was
he who unfortunately dropped suit
case upon the hallowed tail of the red
cocker, an accident which ever after
ward gave him tenacity of grip that
no man could understand.
If Lady Deppingham expected a roy
al welcome from the inhabitants of
Japat she was soon to discover her
error. Not only was the pictured
scene of welcome missing on the aft
ernoon of her arrival but an orerpow-
ering air of antipathy smote her in the
face rs she stepped from the lighter,
conquest in her smile of Cancellation.
She glanced from right to left down.
the lines of swarthy islanders and saw
nothing in their faces but surly, bitter
unfriendliness. They stood stolidly,
stonily at distance, white robed lines
of resentment personified.
Not a hand was lifted in assistance
to the bewildered visitors; not a word,
not smile of encouragement escaped
the lips of the silent throng
SIS there no British agent here?" she
demanded imperatively. perhaps lit
tie more shrilly than usual
No one deigned to answer. Chances
of Indifference. even scorn, passed
among the silent lookers-on. but that
was all.
"Does no one here understand the
English lansuasc?r she demanded. 81
don't mean you, Mr.. Saunders" she.
the suit case down abruptly and
stepped forward, again fumbling his
much fumbled straw hat. This was
the moment when the red cookers
tail came to grief. The dog arose with
an astonished yelp and fed TO his mis-
tress. He had never been so out
rageously set upon before in all his
nampered life. Selling the opportuni-
ty to vent her feelings upon one who
could understand. even as she poured
soothings upon the insulted Pong,
whom she clasped in her arms. Lady
Agnes transformed the unlucky Saun-
ders into target for Il most ably di-
rected volley of wrath.
Lord Depringham. a slow and cum
bersone young man, stood by nervous
ly lingering his eyeglass. For the
first time he felt that the clerk was
better than a confounded dog after all.
My dear" he said. waving Saunders
into the background, 81 think it was
an accident. The dog had no business
going to sleep He paused and in
serted his monocle for the purpose of
looking up the precise spot where the
accident had occurred
''oh. rubbish. exclaimed her lady
ship. 81 suppose you expect the poor
darling to apologize"
"-All this has nothing to do with the
case. We're more interested in learn
ing where we are and where we are to
go. Permit me to have a look about"
His wife stared after him in amaze
ment as lie walked over to the canvas
awning in front of the low dock build
ing. actually clbowing his way through
a group of natives. Presently lie came
back. twisting his left mustachc
Tho fellow in there says that the
English agent is employed in the bank.
It's straight up this street BY Jove!
he called it n street. don't you know"
he exclaimed. disdainfully eying the
narrow. dusty passage ahead.
There's the British flag, my lord,
just ahead. See the building to the
right, sir?" said Mr. Saunders, more
respectfully than ever and with real
gratitude In his heart.
$50 it is! That's where he is. L
wonder why he isn't down here to
meet us?''
Very likely lie didn't know we were
coming" said his wife Jelly.
well, we'll look him up. Come
along, everybody. Oh, say, we can't
leave this luggage unguarded. They
say these fellows are the worst robbers
east. of London"
1t was finally decided, after rather
subdued discussion, that Mr.. Saunders
should proceed to the bank and rout
out the diatory representative of the
British government. Saunders looked
down the sullen line of faces and
blanched to his toes.
Tell him we'll wait for him." pur-
sued his lordship. But remind him,
- him, that it's ineXpressibly hot
down here i'll the SUM-"
They stood and watched the misera-
bic Saunders tread gingerly up the
filthy street his knees crookins out
wardly from time to time. very much
as II he were contemplating an instan-
taneous sprint in any direction but
the one he was taking. Even the
placid Deppingham was somewhat dis
turbed by the significant glanccs that
followed their cmissary us he passed
by each separate knot of natives.
Il do hope Mr.. Saunders will come
back alive" rlurmured bromley, her
ladyship's maid. The others started,
for she had voiced the general thought
He wont cone back at all. Brom-
ley. unless he comes back alive" said
h inrJ ,,.itI L..