The San Francisco call., 1910-10-23
CHAPTER L

to his lodgings above the Family
liquor store, Arnold kissed his
bride to be: he held her against the cold
railing. brushing the hair from her eyes.
a curiously remorsefui rapture on him
AZ the touch OF her warm lips. the re-
nembrance q her helplessness. her
fears. her trust The lights Of the city
down the hilI were on her face, the
gray Jew town stared at her through
the slant OF the rain--it was monstrous
under the dark The little mountain
girl clung to the man. hiding herself
from the portent OF the unknown city,
the evil shapes Of the trades fogs steal
ing from the sea Through the humble
OF the night the Lime Point fog-horn
moaned.
Arnold looked down at the girls
head, be twisted wisp OF her fair,
damp hair. wondering at the fight
within him, the sweetness OK this faith
against the knowledge that he did not
love her
MY little picture girl" he whispered.
his gentle testing giving way before her
distress; you do care, don't you2"
'But can't go to your rooms" she
answered. through half-sobs. "no-not
till we're married.
Sylvia, IN San Francisco no one cares
what you do. just thought you'd
want TO nuf your hair. See, this curtis
wet-and this-and this prettiest one
Of ALL just wanted you TO look
your best for that crazy crowd at
Sedainfs, where we'll dine"
his right hand slowly withdrew from
his trousers pocket. He had no money
nothing. Their clothes were damp
with fog; the girl trembled IN his arms:
again she murmured: "No-no. Wait
II couldn't"
"Pil stay outside IL you'd rather he
answered, In q strange simplicity for
him--a dark. lean-faced, fauItIessly
dressed young man Of the city. politi-
clan OF the street. idler OF the midnight,
a "rounder'' the town would have told
you. kid. til do Just as you wish all
my life long"
Above her rain-wet cheeks her gray
eyes smiled gratefully; always his gen
tleness won its way with her, and
laughing. he clasped her and ran up
the remaining steps TO the door that
faced on Happy alley.
'No-no." she protested; John. we
mustn't" but, laughing still, feelfng
delicious novelty in her reproof.
Arnold placed her through the doorway
and. bending, kissed the gloved hand
he held. lie had a secret love of the
theatric, CLOSING It over with HIS belit-
a.
stood without in the drip from the
ancient gable, looking down Washing
ton street to where a blur Of water
streal0ed lanterns and the snarl of gut
and kettledrunls from a green lattice
on Portsmouth square set forth the
wedding OF Wo Hop Loey, the fish
merchant.
WAY can't you love herr" he NUT
tered shes good and fine and true
the only true thing in all your life
ana nothing stirs you-nothing!"
And through the fog drift among
the mountains to the north he watched
q single star it was from there she had
come-the country -up-fn-back beyond
the Menoocino ranges and the cloud
wrapped coast.
The girl within the room turned up
the dim gas and looked about, sniff
ing the smell Of tobacco, leather. gun
OIL, roseieaves and liquors which was
not unpleasing- Beyond the light she
made out q long table, q huge side
board, a black old piano, and on a
couch Mexican serape with broad
bands OF req and green vivid in the
gloom.
Over the furniture and on the floor
were scattered books, Magazines, sheet
music, neckties, hats, pipes, tobacco
boxes. glasses and decanters Appar-
emily nothing was ever set Alright The
old sioeboar6 held dishes OF exquisite
coiorings silver and ware os oriental
lacquer; on the table was a brass bra
zier across whose top were the dried
stems OF dozen roses whose petals
We're falling upon typewriter; from
the portfosos and music sheets on the
piano rose q reproduction of The Mar
quise, but the marble, like everything
else, was dusty and hidden in ali sorts
OF careless accumulationa The walls
were hung with Aleut baskets. Igor
rote war clubs, Moro head dresses.
bolos, spears, grass plated arrow cases
ano-in cleared space-was a dirty
cavalry saddle with ragged boots, a
saber and the silk guidon OF a troop.
Beyond was a hodgepodge of amateur
water colors, indifferent oil paintings.
duiled photographs OF men and women.
camps and horses, ships. houses and
landscapes; while in the farther corner.
by the gloom OF the chamber, an i'm
nense and hideous Chinese god of gilt
paper and tinsel cloth was staring at
the country girl
She watched II for awhile. half an
prehensiye that the malignant face
would move. and then nurmured:
NO, II won't harm me-it's his-every-
thing here is his-his home-ourst'
Sylvia Spring turned to glance in the
mirror. She was small and fair as a
woman IN a story. with adorable pref
tiness; her face. delicately pink to the
ears and the wayward light hair-a
demure. merry little face with eyes
now gravely gay, but which had, in the
sunlight, a CLEAN OF the seas green.
And she was gowned IN the very smart
est that Trinity county could music.
for the astonishing romance of its
South Fork heiress and the city fellow
who had wandered over the mountains
last summer 70 put on the home tai
ent production OF ''Pinafore" for the
benefit OF the Ladies' Aid OF the Meth
odist church. It was there she met
him-by the third rehearsal she had
discovered that he was q marvellous
person; and he that she owned SOC
acres Of redwoods near Camp Nine
where the new railroad was coming.
IT IS something to have a sweetheart
over whom ali the other girls are
crazy" Sylvia. the orphan OF a
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