The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-24

They descended, the man leading At
the foot without a glance to right or
tsft. be advanced TO the edge Of the
stage. leaning out over the rail as II
endesvoring 70 locate the rowboat- At
once the girl appeared. moving to his
side
But. Mr.. Mulready-"
The girls words were drowned by
prolonged blast on the boatswain's
whistle at her companions lips: the
. shorter one followed in due course. Cal
endar edged forward from Kirkwood's
side
But what shall we do If my father
isn't here7 wait7"
no; best not TO; best to get on the
Alethea as soon as possible, Miss Calen-
dar. We can send the boat back"
~'once aboard the lugger the girl is
mine'-eh. Mulready?-to say nothing
OF the lootr
II Calendars words were jocular HIS
tone conveyed q different impression
entirely Both man and girl wheeled
right about to face him. the one with
q strsnEled oath. the other with low
cry.
The deviIr exclaimed Mr.. Null
ready.
"ohi Ny fether!" the girl voiced her
recognition OF him
Not precisely one and the same
person" commented Calendar suavely.
'But-er-thanks. just as much
You see. AfuIready. when make an ap-
pointment I keep it"
Wed begun to get a bit anxious
about you" Mulready began de-
fensively
$50 I surmised. from what Mrs. Hal
lam and Mr. Kirkwood told me.
Well?"
The man found no ready answer. He
fell back a pace to the railing. his
features working with his deep cha
grin The murky flare OF the gas lamp
overhead fell across a face handsome
beyond the ordinary. but marred by
sullen humor and scanned with indul-
gence; a face that seemed hauntingly
familiar until Kirkwood IN a fash OF
visual memory reconstructed the por-
trait OF a man who fingered over
dining table, with two empty chairs
for company. This. then. was he whom
Mrs. HAllam had left at the Pless;
tail. strong man, very heavy about the
chest and shoulders.
why. my dear friend" Calendar was
haunting him, you don't seem over
soyed TO see me. for all your wild
anxiety! Pom my word. you act as II
you hadn't expected me-and our en-
gagement so clearly understood. at
that. Why, you fooli"-here
the mask OF irony was cast. did you
think for q moment I'd let myself be
nabbed by that zap from Scotland yard?
Were you banking on that? give you
nay faith I ambled out under hts very
nose! Dorothy. my dear" turn
ing impatiently from Mulready.
where's that bag?"
The girl withdrew a puzzled gaze
from Mulready's face lit was apparent
to Kirkwood that this phase of the
affair was no hore enigmatic to him
than TO herb and drew aside a corner
OF her cloak. disclosing the gladstone
hand.
Il have it, thanks to Mr.. Kirkwood,"
she said quietly.
Kirkwood chose that moment to ad-
vance from the shadow. Mulready
started and fixed him with troubled
and unfriendly stare. The girl greeted
him with note OF sincere pleasure in
her surprise.
why, Mr.. Kirkwoodi But I
left you at Mrs. Hallam's"
Kirkwood bowed. smiling openly at
Mulready's discontinue
by your fathers grace. I came with
him." he said. You ran away without
saying good night. you know. and I'm
a Jealous creditor"
She laughed excitedly. turning to
Calendar. But you were to meet me
at Mrs. Hallam's7"
'Mulready was good enough to try
10 save me the trouble. my dear He's
an unselhsh soul Mulready. Fortunate
~ It happened that I came along not
I'VE minutes after he'd carried you OF.
How was that. Dorothy7"
E1cE BAdICe WaFeTeo uneaSliy between
the two, Mulready and her father. Tho
former, Struggling to declare his in
difference, turned HIS back squarely
upon them. She frowned
He came out OF Mrs. Hallam's and
got into the four wheeler. saying you
had sent him to take your place, and
would 5oin US on the Alethea"
"so-oi How about It. Mulready7"
The man swung back slowly. What
you choose to think" he said, after q
deliberate pause.
We'll. never mind, Wen go over
the matter at our leisure on the
Alethes."
There was in the adventurers tone
a menace, bitter and not to be ignored,
which Mulready saw At to challenge.
4 think not" he declared; ct think
not I'm weary Of your Anticipated
suspicious. It'd be plain to any one