The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-09


t1nct person from Ronald Desborough,
the heir to an ancient title. The past
seemed slipping from him, and the
old life with it's once familiar charac-
tiers appeared unreal and phantas-
magoric.
Strangely enough-so strangely
that he could not account for it
the most distinct memory of the days
which seemed slipping from him, and
the old life with it's once adventure
on the moor and his meeting with the
girl of the mill. It could scarcely be
said that she haunted him; but, as he
wandered about the Docks, the quiet
streets; and the noisier thoroughfares
of the East End of London, her face
often appeared before him and he re-
called the sound of her'voice.
One day he was standing on the
quay of one of the docks meditatively
cycling the shipping, when a trinity
built schooner came to her moorings.
She was a beautiful vessel, and LOOK
ed as if she were built for pleasure
rather than for commerce; and Rom
aid wondered what she was doing
there. He made some inquiries of
one of the dock officials; but the man
could give him no information be-
yond that which was conveyed in the
reply:
Come in for stores, I 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. I suppose"
Ronald eyed her curiously for some
time, then returned to Mrs. Podford's.
The next day he went down to tho
Docks; he found that the schooner
was still in her place, and, after re-
garding her with renewed curiosity,
he was turning away when, suddenly,
he felt a hand on his shoulder. He
swung round sharply, thinking that
he was caught at last, and that he
should face a detective; but. to his
great relief, he saw that the hand be-
longed to a 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, wiry person with a shrewd face
and restless and alert manner, and
looked strange mixture of the sea
captain and the gentleman about
town.
''Why, by George" he exclaim ed !;
sit 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-
zled frown; he could not remember
the mans name.
you've forgotten me, 1 see; we
only met once or twice-you remem-
Der, at my cousins, Lord Gal
worthy's? My name is vane-Harry
Vane."
''Of course!" said Ronald, in his
free and easy way. 81 remember per-
fectly. How are you vane? And,
come to that, what are you doing
here?"
i've run in for stores,'' replied
Vane. That's my schooner''-nc
jerked his head towards the vessel;
land, If it isn't rude question, what
| brings you in these parts?"
Ronald coloured and hesitated for
| moment; and Vane, who was a man
of the world, and had met with some
strange experiences, hastened to add:
Anyhow, I'm glad to see you. We
| didn't see much of each other when
we met; but that was my misfortune
rather than my fault. Where are
you staying? Let's go and have q
drink. know a quiet pub here where
they keep a decent whisky
He led the way to one of the pub
| lic-houses near the Dock, ordered
drinks, and in a covert, but inoffen-
sive way, eyed Ronald curiously and
with interest.
Look here" he said, filling a very
black briar. with very strong tobac-
CO. I'm awfully glad I've met you
| Desborough-''
"By the way" said Ronald, "you q
| better call me Robert Carew. It's my
| name at present, at any rate
Vane nodded. That's all right" ne
said quickly. cit shall be Robert Ca
rev, as you say. I'm not going to ask
| you why you've changed your name,
or what you're doing about the Docks
| here. Every mans business is his own
and no one else's; and I'm not cur
| ious; but suppose may take it that,