The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-08-21

ping from him, and the old life wit
4 its once familiar characters appeare
/ unreal and phantasmagoric.
Straneely enough-so stranger
that he could not account for it
the most distinct memory Of tn
days which seemed slipping from
him, and the old life with its one,
gay round of pleasure, was his ad
venture on the moor and his meetinl
with the girl of the mill. It coul4
scarcely be said that she haunted
him; but. as he wandered about the
Docks, the quiet streets. and the
1oisier thorouehfares of the East
End Of London, he face often ap-
pearod before him and he recalled
the sound OF her voice.
One day he Was standing on the
quay Of one of the docks meditatiye-
Iy eyeing the shipping, when "A trim
/ ly built schooner came TO her moor
/ lngs She was a beautiful vessel. and
looked as if she were built for pleas
ure rather than for commerce: and
Ronald wondered what she was do.
ing there. lie made some inquiries
Of one OF the dock officials: but the
man could give him no information
beyond hat which was conveyed in
the reply:
Come in for stores, | should think
sir. Looks like gentleman's Yacht
don't she, sir? Neatest little vessel
I've seen for some time. Pears as
If she was fast, too Belongs to
some gent or other, ! suppose"
Ronald eyed her curiously for
some time, then returned to Mr.,
Podtord's. The next day he went
down to the Docks; he found that
the schooner was still in her place.
and, after regarding her with re.
heWed curiosity, t was turning away
when suddenly, he felt a hand on
his shoulder. lie swung round sharp
.y, thinking that he was caught at
last, and that he should face a de-
tecllye; but, to his great relief, he
saw that the hand belonged to
man with whom he had had some
slight acquaintance in the past which
had become SO vague and dream-like |.
TO him. The man who had accosted
him was a short, thick-set, wry per
son with "A shrewd face and a RESI-
less and alert manner, and looked .
strange mixture of the sea captain
and the gentleman about town.
why, by George he exclaimed;
1t is Desborough! How do you do?
What are you doing down here. of
all places in the world?"
Ronald stared at him with a puz.
lied frown; he could not remelber
the mans name.
You've forgotten me. | see we
only met once or twice,-you remem-
Der, at my cousins, Lord Galwort-
tys? My name is Vane-,Harry
Vane."
"Of course" said Ronald, in his
Tree and easy way. Il remember per-
'ecty. How are you Vane? And.
'ome TO that, what are you doing
lere?"
I've run in for stores,' replied '
'ane. That's my schooner"-he q
erllel his head towards the vessel; Il
nd, If it isn't rude question, what
rings you in these parts" e
Ronald colored and hesitated for p
moment; and Vane who was d
nan of the world, and had met with I
ONE strange experiences, hastened II
D add: /
Anyhow, I'm glad to see you We a
idn't see much if each other when d
re met; but that was my misfortune
ather than my fault. Where are you
laying? Let's go and have a drink.
know a quiet pub here where they
eep a decent whisky"
He led the way to one of the pub
c-houses near the Dock. ordered
rinks and in a covert, but inof- 4
'nsive way, eyed Ronald curiously
nd with interest.
Look here" he said filling a very
lack briar with a very strong to-
acco, I'm awfully glad I've met
)u, Desborough--"
By the way" said Ronald, you'd
etter call me Robert Carew. It's my
ame at present, at any rate" Z
Vane nodded. That's all right
e said quickly. TT shall be Robert
arew, as you say. I'm not going to
SIX you why you've changed your =
anne, or what you're doing about
lie docks here. Every mans business
his own and no one else's: and T.