Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-27
CHAPTER I.
Destiny and the Babu.

happened temporarily to be the sole Oc-
cupsnt. Mr.. David Amber put aside the
nlagaznn over which he had been dream
ing and looked out Of the window. catch-
Ing a glimpse of woodland road shining
white between Sombcr walls of stunted
pine. LaziIy he consulted his watch
Its not for nothing. he observed
penSivelH. that this railroad wears its
reputation: we are consistently late
His gaze again diverted to the flying
countryside. noted that it had changed
character. pine yielding to scrub oak and
second growth-the ragged vestments of
an area some years since denuded by fire
place to cleared land-arable acres golden
with the stubble of garnered harveSts or
sentineled with unkempt shocks of corn.
In the south simmer of laughing
gold and blue edged the faded horizon
Eagerly the young man leaned forward.
dark eyes tightening. lips parting as If al
ready he could taste the SAVIOR of the
sea.
Then, quite without warning, deep
elbow of the bay swept up almost to the
railway, its surface mirrorlike, profoundly
blue. profoundly beautiful
L tH1ilh. Sdlu tie udNeleT, SOlClv- 1
think it's mighty fine to be alive and
here.''
He lounged back comfortably again
smiling as he watched the wheeling land
scape. his eyes glowing with expectancy.
For his cares were negligible, his content
boundess: he was experiencing. for the
first time in many years. a sense of free
dom akin to that felt by a schoOlboy at
the beginning of the summer vacation.
|, W.
tie time belonged equally to A forgotten
yesterday and uncontemplated tomor
row: he existed only for the confident to-
day. He had put behind him the haunts
places that lay before him was almost
childlike in it's fervency: he would. in
deed. have been quite satisfied if assured
that he was TO find nothing to do save
to play aimlessly in the sun. But, in
point of fact. he looked forward to an
employment much more pleasurable: he
was off to shoot duck with his very dear
friend. MIR. Anthony Quain of Tangle
wood Lodge. Nokomis, l.. /.
Again the whistle bawled uncannily,
and the train began to moderate its speed.
Objects i'll the foreground that otherwise
had been mere streaked blurs assumed
recognizable contours North of the line
string of squat. square. unlovely
road. drifted back. A brakeman popped
head and shoulders into the car and out
again, leaving the echo of an abrupt bark
to be interpreted at the passengers leis-
ure. From the other door colored por-
ter emerged and. fixing his lonely charge
with hungry eye, relentlessly bore down
upon him.
1.-The mex is yo' stashun, sub" he an
nounced. ominously brandishing an i'm
mense whisk broom. shell All bresh
yo' OFF,"
Not with my consent replied Amber.
with disarming naivete. I'D much rather
get off in the usual way.
Rising. he squared himself against the
onslaught of the broom: but the darky,
eyes opaque with incomprehension, held
his hand.
"Ah dunnos All connect wifi that. subj"
he admitted, regretfully.
"Never mind. Go ahead and disperse
the dust
Vas. subj Tardily convinced that his
passengers intentions were both humor-
Gus and benign, if difficult. the porter
chuckled and fell to with will. For
several seconds the whsk broom played
like chain lightning round the young
mans person. leaving him imma culate.
Shell Ali TEX yo' things, subj"
Please. Amber parted with the eN-
pected coin and waved the negro down
the aisle with his luggage, then followed
him.
Slowly iolting across a rutted, dusty
road, the cars stopped. Amber. alight-
ing, found himself upon length OF
DOdFuVilk plstlloilu anu confronted DN d
distressngly matter-of-fact wooden struc-
ture. combining the functions of waiting
room and ticket and telegraph offices.
From its caves depended a weather-wOrn
board bearing the legend "NOkOmis.'
The train. pausing only long enough to
disgorge from the baggage car a trunk
or two, and from the day coaches a thin
trickle OF passengers. flung on into the
wilderness. cracked bell clan1ing some
what dSdainfully.
he MI al he
erstwhile patrons of the road and the
station loafers-for the most part hall
marked natives of the region-stragglins
off upon their several ways. some afoot.
a majority in diapidated surveys and
buckboards. Amber watched them go
with unassumed Indifference; their type
interested him little. But in their COM
pany he presently discovered one. fig
ure SO thoroughly foreign and aloof in
attitude that it caught his eye and
having caught. held it, clOuded with per-
pleXity.
Abruptly he abandoned his belongings
and gave chase, overtaking the object of
his attention at the far end of the sta
ton
"Dogsott,'' he cried. Il say. Doggott!"
His hand, falling lightly upon the mans
shoulder, brought him squarely about. his
expression transiently startled, if not a
shade trucuient.
Short and broad d. vet compact OF body
he was something rOund-shouldered, with
the stoop of those who serve. In mask
of immobility. full colored and closely
shaven his lips were thin and tight. his
eyes steady. gray and shallow: coun-
tenance neither dishonest nor repellant
but one .nscrutable. Standing solidly.
once halted there remained a suggestion
of alertness in the fellows pose.
.Doggott. what the deuce brings you
here? And Mr.. Rutton?"
Amber's cordially educed no response
The gray eyes. meeting eyes dark. kind
ly and penetrating, flickered and fell; SO
much emotion they betrayed, no more. and
that as disingenuous you could wish.
.Doggott,' insisted Amber. discOn-
certed. Surely you haven't forgotten
me-Mr. Amber?
The man shook his head. Beg pardon,
SIR he said. you've got my nyme andy
enough. but | don't know you, and"
But Mr.. Rutton?
rs d party I've never card of. if you'll
excuse my sayin' so, no more'n | ave of
yourself. sir.
Well began Amber. but paused. his
face hardening as he looked the man up
and down. uoddnlg slowly.
..Per'aps' continued Mr.. Dcggott. un-
abashed, You mistyke me for my
brother Emery Dossott. L, was 'ome. in
England larst | card of i'm. We look
Il deal alike. I've been told"
"You would be-" admitted Amber. drly;
and shutting his teeth upon his Inherent
contempt for liar. lie swung away. ac-
,Inowledsing with curt nod the civil
Good afternoon. sir. that followed him.
The man lad disappeared bye the time
Amber regained his kit bag and gun
GA Sc standing over which he SURVEYED his