The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-09
CHAPTER XII.
Harry Vane.

CHAPTER XII.
Harry Vane.
Fortunately for Ronald, he was one
Of those men who can readily adapt
themselves to circumstances. That
these persons are more numerous
than may readily be supposed is
proved by the fact that Englishmen
of gentle birth and luxurious habits
can, when they are compelled by cir
cumstances, not only face hardship
and privation without growing, but
make themselves fairly happy under
conditions which at one time, and
even to themselves, would have SEEM
ed impossible.
For instance. how many tenderly
nurtured youths of good families take
their lives in their hands and go out
to the colonies and still wilder places,
earning their daily bread, and some
times a very small quantity Of 1t, in
ways at which the ordinary farm la
hourer. we'll housed and fed, and well
paid into the bargain, would turn up
his nose! 1t is a well-known fact,
and much to our credit as a nation,
that a vast army Of young English
men, we'll born and nursed in the lap
of luxury, are carrying themselves
honestly and nobly in remote places
Of the earth. packing oranges at five
shillings day, making roads, telling
trees, keeping livery stables, working
as farm hands, and doing it all not
only uncomplainingly, but cheerfully.
Ronald Desborough was one of this
kind Of men. But, indeed, he had no
very great hardship to endure while
under Mrs. Podford's hospitable roof.
It was modest little place enough,
but was clean and comfortable, and
the food. though plain, was good and
well-cooked. The house was frequent
ed. as Smithers had said. by seafaring
folk, who were out all day, busy with
their ships, returning in the evening
to substantial meal, in which vege-
tables figured prominentIy-for your
sailor looks forward to them when he
comes on shore-which was served in
a fairly large room that served as
dining-room, drawing-room, and
smoking-room in one
Ronald's fellow boarders were most
quiet, self-contained. and somewhat
dignified sea captains, and were so
absorbed in their own affairs that
they evinced no curiosity concerning
those Of their fellow inmates They
ate their substantial meal almost in
lit UP their pipes that they began to
talk; and then it was in a sparing and
reserved manner.
Ronald. being a stranger, generally
played the part of a listener; and lie
was greatly interested in the by no
means fluent conversation; indeed, ne
picked up a great deal Of information
as he sat in the place allotted to him
and smoked his pipe with the rest.
He saw Smithers now and again: they
| would exchange a word or two when
times he and Smithers would take q
walk around the square. On these
occasions they were always accom-
panied by one or two of Mrs. Pod
ford's numerous offspring, who ap-
peared to possess, in no slight degree
the acuteness Of their parent; so that
Ronald and Smithers were compelled
to converse in low tone of voice, or
to adopt the time-honoured expedient
of spelling such words as might give
a clue to the subject Of their talk;
and this expedient was not always
| successful, owing to the fact that
Ronalds method of spelling generally
| differed from that of Smithers.
Every day Ronald went down to
tse Docks in search of a berth; but
just at that time freights were ruling
low and, in consequence, the shipping
business was somewhat stagnant;
| there was no demand for even q man
of Ronald's appearance and qualifica
tons. 1t was rather a sickening bust
ness, and Ronald had plenty Of time
for meditation and reflection. Not
seldom it seemed to him as if he were
moving in a dream-world, as if he
had actually lost his identity, and as
if Robert Carew'' were a totally dis