The San Francisco call., 1909-01-03
~And Some There he Who Have ,Adven-
lures Thrust Upon Theniy
CHATTER ii

Eantable, that Mr.. Calendar. fig
urarively washed his hands of
Mr..- Kirkwood. Unquesti onably
IT. kirkwood: considered himself wen
sd OF Mr.. Calendar. when the latter
. had gone his way. Kirkwood, mindful
Of tie fact that his. Doat train would
leave St Pancras at half after II, set
about his packing and dismissed from
3 AEs thoughts the incident created by the
tat .cheVaier G.industrie, and at
= O'Clock or thereabouts; let hiEaself out
Of his room. dressed. for the; evening. a
llEsl<- ralncoat. over ONE arm. in the
ether hand a: cane-the dEizzle having
ceased.
A storid .BritisA lift lifted him down
20 the ground floor OF the establish
ment Ia something short Of FIVE min
ptes. Paussng in the of5ce long enough
10 settle his bin. and. leave instructions
70 -Haye nss. luggage conveyed to the
boat train he received with entire equa-
ninity. the affable benediction of the
clerk. IN whose eyes ,heestfIi figured as
a millionaire. and passed or. to. the
LOBBY. where he surrendered hat. coat
and stick 20 the cloakroom attendant
ere enterihg the dining room.
The hoEr. was q trifie early for a
LONDON diE1ner, the handsome room but
moderately. filled with patrons Kirk
WOOD q osorhed the fact Unconsciously
and Without. displeasupe; the earlier.
the Better lie was determined to con-
sulne his last. ciyilized meal 6as he
chose .tO-.consfder it, At his serene leis-
ure5 10 lsves fully his ebbing moments in
= the world re. which ne was born, TO
drink 70 its eloying dregs one ultimate
dra aglat .:of luXEry.-
A benignant sFaiter bowed him into
a. cliaiT BY 4 corner table in. juxtaposi-
a
EhfcAx swayipg fmpereeptibly the
closed-- lta1ig5ngs, Were waited gentle
gusts OF the London evenings sweet.
damp bresth-
KirlZwood settled himself with an in
auoible sigh OF pleasure. He was din
ing for the last time in heaven knew
how fong. IN a first class restaurant.
With q. deferential flourish the waiter
brought him the menu Gard He had
served is his time many an American
nlJlEonaire''; he had also served this
Mr. Kifkwood and respected him as
IN tb9t. he that. he eomPrehended the
sFt ~ dining.
Firteen minutes later the waiter de-
parted, sejoicing, his order complete
To distract 2 conscience whispering
OF .extravagance Kirkwood lighted a
cigarette.
The room was gradually filing with
later arrivals; It was the most favored
restaurant. IN London, and, despite the
radiant costumes of the women. its
atmosphere remained sedate and rest
a. cab .cEattered down the side street
on which c1e window opened.
- ~ 2 nearby table q woman laughed,
suietly happy. .Incuriously Kirkwood
glanced. her. way She was bending
. forgZard5 smiling fiattering her escort
with ahe GdQration Of her eyes They
We're -foverSs alone in the wilderness Of
tse. .cFofsded restaurant They seemed
le-fI a&ppy
- irkW-OQd was conscious % a strange
paRg. Of emotion. II took him some
4iEe 70. comprehend that it was envy
<::.1ze -yTas. alone and lonely. For the
afifsc ffnie he realized that no woman
had lever looked upon him as the
'E-oEsan II. the adjoining table looked
pB6n hey lover. He had found time to
: 1e5ys jp: but one mistress-his art,
Ard 'Re. was renouncing her.
Ee was painfully conscious Of what
: he<.baG pfissed. had fOst-or had not
: yet IoEndc the love. Of woman.
3 q. The sensation was curious new,
uniQue.,i .,in- his experience.
HIS csEarstte burned down to his
fnSers as he.=sat pondering. Abstract
ed{y lie gEound its FIRE out in an ash
tray
The waiter set before him a silver
tureen. cQs-ered
He sat up and. began to. consume his
soup. scarce doing it justice His
dream troubled isim-his dream Of the
love Of woman.
Froin a little: distance his waiter re-
gareed hiTn with an air Of disappoint-
ments In the course OF an hour and
e. half he aweke, te discover the at
tendant IN the act Of pouring very hot
and black. coffee from a bright silver
POT iHto a demitasse Of fragile porce-
lain. kirlIwood slipped a single lump
Qf sugar into the cup. gave over his
cigar case TO be filled, then leaned
back. deliberately lighting a long and
slender pahetela as preliminary to a
last lingering appreciation Of the scene
of which has was a part.
He reviewed II through. narrowed
.eyends. razlly; yet with some slight
surprise. sseeming to see it with new
vision. with. eyes from which scales
Of :ignorance had dropped.
This long. and brilliant dining hall.
with its ouiet perfection OF proportion
ana appointment, had always gratified
his love. of the beautiful; tonight il
pleased him 10 an unusual degree. Yet
81 was the same as ever its walls tinted
q deep rose. with their 'hangings OF dull
cloLls OF go1Q. lIs lights olScrirni-
natingly clustered and -discreetIy
shaded. redoubled in half a Aun-
dred mirrors, It's subdued simmer OF
plate and glass. its soberly festive
sssemblage OF circumspect men and
women splendidly gowned. its decor
ously muted murmur OF voices pene-
trated and interwoyen by the strains
OF hidden string orchestra-csressed
his senses as always. yet with a
difference. Tonight. he saw it q room
populous with lovers. lovers insensibiy
paired, man unto woman attentive,
woman OF man regardful.
He had never understood this before:
This much he had missed IN life.
It seemed hard to realize that one
must forego II all forever.
Presently he found himself acutely
self-eonsciOus. The sensation puzzled
hin; and without appearing to do so,
he traced f. from effect to cause; and
found the cause in a woman girl.
rather. seated at a table the third
removed from hfn, near the farther
wall Of the room.
Too considerates and too embarrassed
TO return her scrutiny openly. look
for look yet felt sure that however
temporarily he was become the object
Of her intent interest.