Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-31
I h G
| Social Bucaneer
Ry Frederic s. Isham
copyriaht 1s1o by Bobbs Merrill Company
By Frederic s. Ishom
CHAPTER VII.
Incidents.

serve the sunset. He had to manoeu-
yer deftly to this end, but finally was
enabled to avail himself of an oppor-
tune break in conversation to step into
a slightly secluded angle of the house.
There, he seemed to forget his sur
roundings, to become wholly absorbed
i'm shifting hues and effects. These in
turn had faded and now, from the
darkening dome, shone myriad of
critical stars.
A moment Bruce yet continued to
regard them, his face pale in the white
light; then abruptly wheeled. AS he
stirred, some one in the shadow, not
far off, who had been observing him,
also moved: but the young man SEEM
ed not to have noticed this person.
Had he done so, it is unlikely Mr..
Bruce would have recognized in him
the individual he had seen in the spick-
and-span white restaurant several
weeks before, sitting near Mr.. Samuel
Page. The nondescript eyes the young
fellow had studied in the mirror on
that occasion were now dimmed by
glasses just in the least shaded; Al
Imperial" adorned Mr.. Bolger's chin.
and mustache, conservatively
French, his upper lip.
The detectives gaze was puzzled as
Mr.. Bruce walked away; he peered
down the hill below where the young
man had been standing, but only the
spectral trees and the dim landscape
afar met his look. He fancied that
in one of the bushes half discernible
below he could hear a sound as OF a
person moving, but was not sure. He
concluded at length 1t was only the
rustling of the leaves and turned to
the grosser flare of the artificial lights
in lamps and lanterns now illumining
the grounds and gardens.
He saw Mr.. Bruce again, his face no
longer wearing that intent, rapt look,
but marked with an expression. at
once light and conventional. Withal,
keenly alert! While Chatfield Bruce's
lips breathed witticisms or permitted
themselves platitudes, his eyes SEEM
ed to see, to telegraph good deal to
his brain. He talked now to Colonel
Manyan, a nearby resident, and Mr..
Bolger vaguely felt the young fellow
was intuitively weighing. considering
the rough and the fine points of that
particular individuality. Why? Through
a habit of quiet analysis?
The military, or eX-military man
(he had retired, or been retired. from
the army seemed rather an important
person; a bachelor. Financial adver-
sity had, the detective knew, buzzed
about his ears; he appeared, however,
one not easily abashed by creditors.
His bearing was more erect than that
of many people who pay their bills.
Bolger approached; while seeming to
study the architectural outlines of the
new house, he strove to catch their
words. He heard but part of them.
Their conversation was conventional;
1t bore upon Uncle Sans bizarre little
group of islets in the Far East. Then
the tones of others intervened; among
them. Miss Flossie Burke's. That
Young woman talked gaily: the obser-
yer noticed, however. a slight irrele-
vancy in her replies. He became also
presently aware she took a furtive In
terest In something, or somebody be-
yond those she conversed with.
The green eyes, lifting capriciously,
now this way, then that, seemed TO
focus, for a moment, on the clean-cut
profile of Chatfeld Bruce. Bolger
looked thoughtfully down; when he
lifted his gaze again, Bruce had gone.
Perhaps 1t was q part Of his social
policy to bestow upon any one but a
few moments of his time and atten-
ton. Miss Flosse Burke, however,
still remained near; she was not con-
versng quite 80 rapidly az she had
been. the least touch Of constraint had
fallen on her gaiety. Bolger now
studied an almost imperceptiblc petu-
lancy Of the girls full red lips; then
his eyes shifting. met those of Mr..
Goldberg, not far from them.
There was family preoccupied eX-
preston on that persons face. The
observer could guess at the cause.
Had the host become somewhat anN-
ious at Sir Archibald's non-appear-
ance? No doubt he had given one or
two of his guests to infer that the dis
tnguished visitor whose family occu-
pied several pages In Burke's Peerage.
was going to be there, and the news
had become disseminated throughout
the gathering. People glanced quick
". uuestioningly at every new conner;
the late arrivals fell under mild bane
of silent disapproval because they
were not some one else.
Mr.. Bolger was also slightly disap-
pointed. He had wanted to see Sir
Archibald. The latters acceptance OF
the invitation to be present at Mr.
Goldberg's that evening the detective
had regarded as a fortunate coinci-
dence: he even found I'm 1t subject for
thought. There were acts within acts
I'm this drama he did not understand
He wanted to converse with Miss
Burke to become acquainted with her
hut refrained for reasons of prudence
That young woman might have heard
his voice once or twice on other oc-
casions. Her faculties were keen. Sc
he discreetly annexed unto himself 4
gossipy old dowager and asked her to
supper, which was now announced.
Chatfield Bruce had been delegated
to take Miss Goldberg in-or rather
out. for the elaborate collation. was
served out of doors, beneath th'
greenwood trees. There were hunets
and many tables that would accom-
modate from six To eight or ten guests
Mr.. and Mrs. Goldberg. the latter a re-
fined pretty woman. were at one nI
the tables and the former called to Mr.
Bruce and his daughter 10 join them
Bolger found another table close by.
At Mr.. Goldberg's table were, also
Miss Flossie Burke. Colonel Manyan
and two other couples. Miss Burke
,,h, uoo nnnOaite Mr. Bruce and Miss