Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-24
II G
| Social Bucaneer
BY Frederic s. Isham
the Bobbs Merrill Company.
BY Frederic s. Isham
Copyright 1s1o by the eobbs- Merrill Company.

dentally of course, some of the Gold
berg specialties to my 'swaggel
friends as he calls them"
Should be included in that class?'
She laughed in spite of herself,
Can you ask? But in this instance
l will forbear all mention of the spe.
cialties, even at the risk of my en-
ployer's displeasure."
Thanks" Her eyes began to show
slight impatience. But If you"
Il am afraid you will think me un-
gracious" in a matter-of- tone
but"
You prefer to walk"
1T is my custom. You see l can not
afford to cultivate the motor taste"
MOP" He was very eccentric, she
concluded.
The daintily gloved fingers again
touched one Of the handles of the ma
chine. He lifted his hat and tall
graceful, he stood smiling at her. His
expression was very impersonal; the
look Of one pleased by the contempla-
tion of something charming. So a
connoisseur might regard an imper-
ishable work of art, that held enshrin-
ed spark from the Elusive flame OF
the beautiful.
She bowed at that moment to some
one passing on horse, well-put-up
stalwart man of about irty-five, with
blond hair and sleepy looking eyes
The young fellows glance followed
hers; then swung back.
Isn't that" He paused.
Sir Archibald Bamford. An east
ern traveller and scholar Of note," she
added perfunctorily. 'Au revoir!"
The car glided away as noiselessly
as it had approached. Mr.. Bruce stood
smiling after it. Then he seemed to
forget his intention to exercise, and
sank on to bench. People went by;
people looked at him. His eyes stud
led the green foliage. The squirrels
scampered; the children played; he did
not move. Not far distant fellow in
shabby attire who had long been
watching him, threw himself now on
the green and stretched himself luXu-
riously.
This here game is about the best
I've had for some time" said the man
in shabby attire to himself. "DoZing
on the green! I'll have to ask Mr.,
Bolger, the chief. to label this job: To
be continued in our next!'"
But the game" was so easy the man
fell asleep. He awoke with a start, a
guilty twinge of conscience, and look
ed quickly toward the bench where he
had last seen Mr.. Bruce. The "shad-
ow" breathed a sigh Of relief; that
gentleman was still there. On his knee
sat child, one of the tots of the park
and he was talking to it. At the mo-
ment Mr.. Bruce's face wore an illu-
sive, innocuous expression, not unlike
that of the strange deity of the child
in the heather temple at Canton. II
would have puzzled one to say wheth-
er the young man was interested
amused, or only ironically sedulous
over a mite of human book whose
pages would record-what? No doubt
the usual commonplace story.
Mr.. Bruce at length set this bud
ding document of life gently down;
bade it go to ''nursie" (talking with a
policeman); then observing the day
was waning, the young man got up
and stepped again briskly on his way
That evening he passed in the Sc
clusion Of his rooms. They were oddly
furnish from a western standpoint. In
one corner a pale light sifted down
upon a beautiful silver Kwan-on, god
dess of mercy. Where had Mr.. Bruce
procured it? A museum would have
given large sum for it. Two ancient
Chinese gold screens. with ever vernal
foliage of powdered malachite, had
been set in one of the walls. A single
vase, which had been a-making when
the Celestial Kingdom was in it's in
fancy, reposed on an unpretentious
stand.
An anomalous note-it might have
been so intended-a single red bud
one such as Marjorie Wood had worn
that day in her gown, stood out on q
straight stem from the receptacle. II
constituted a ringing, singing little bit
of color. A faint smile swept Mr.
Bruces lips as he looked at it.
He was not especially fond of roses
yet he had purchased this one and Sc,
it there, out of place, in the wonder
full old vase. For few moments he
continued to regard it; then started
His keen sense detected another scent
than that of the bud. He knew many
perfumes and their classfications well
had studied closely the odoriferous
principles of balsams and plants, the
endless combinations sold under fan.
cy names. Some one had been In his
rooms. A lady! One who used la
vendre ambree as a scent.
For some time Mr.. Bruce sat think.
ing. Then he walked over to the
Kwan-on and looked at it steadily; the
eyes seemed to change in the shadows
to become more mysterious. a sudder
gleam of intelligence, enlightenment,
sprang from Chatfield Bruce's gaze
He sank down before the lovely greer
of the cypress and the pine, with the
imperishable white plum blossoms
shining between, an amused look ir
his eyes. From consideration of la
vendre ambree. his thoughts led him
where? He put out his hand for
book.
The Japanese play. What pecu.
| liar. whimsical, human document!
And what coincidence that made
back in feudal times, there shoulc
have been Truly was there nothing
new under the sun, Bruce fingered
the delicate parchment; regarded the
| beautiful Japanese characters. He
play that part. And commanded to
| by her?
The lamp shone softly as he Contin.
ued to read. An insect fluttered near
He waved ii from distinctions; ther