The San Francisco call., 1913-08-31

chair His exactly that OF a nostess
who is trying to collect at the end of dinner
Speaking Of romance said he to the company at
large. Nobody paid the slightest attention TO him
except the girl at his side who said GROSSLY:
Yes. but what want to know is. are you going to
motor 70 Red with US tomorrow morning' % are
not2 That's what want to know.
No." said Jimmy Rogers Yes mean. no. !
think promised to play in foursome with tne
Carterets and Jessica Ronalds-"
The people about table all talking very
fast and apparently listening not az all but he leaned
forward with determined CLEAN In his
Speaking Of romance he said loudly. Three
four his friends looked him and grinned and
presently there little silence. broken by an ola
gentleman the other end of the table, who said:
.Hey2 tWhat2 Chance? All. speaking OF chance.
reminds me Of something that happened Arthur
Benham and 81 No think it was in 'eo-tne
of 60. We in Berlin and
Jimmy Rogers sat back in his chair, and the girl
beside him gave a little giggle of delight
What's the use of trying to talk to this crowd OF
maniacs2' he demanded morosely- They won't give
you ehanee-not a chance ana tneyre an my
friends too. going drink myself to death
He had assortment Of things TO do it with he
had half glass sherry left from earlier stage OF
the dinner champagne. which had been given
him when he was not looking and a large glass
Of whisky and water. which he had asked for He
drank them ali scowling across the table at Sbyl
Carteret who had observed his struggles and was
making triumphant at him over his defeat
But when last the old gentleman's long story
about Arthur Benham and himself in the summer OF
go had come dull end. there fell another pause
Speaking Of romance" said Jimmy Rogers In
determined tone, his host grlnned down at MIN
and beat upon the table with his hand
Jimmy Rogers" said he is bursting with ro
mance-as usual Please. everybody listen to him or
he'll be all the evening Viens done, mon brave:
Quest que chanter2"
"A long time ago." said Jimmy Rogers. ~our little
friend Sibvl Carteret-novy engaged in making hid
eous face al me across the aforementioned the word
romance It reminded me of gentleman met this
morning that old public pier at the Neck
which nobody more except to fish from This
gentleman struck having the truly romantic
spirit He weather-beaten gentleman with an
experienced eye and he shabbily dressed He
looked like rather superior tramp Wnat called my
attention him the fact that he not fishing.
ike the other tramps on the pier. or sleeping IN
the with greasy newspaper over his lace, but
lying pile of bags OF something and looking
to I asked him if he watching for the
new big liner because 1t was Saturday morning. and
I knew she'd be going out Now here comes in the
romantic point Of view The shabby gentleman said
interested liners Gle called them ferry
boats.) He said:
like TO watch the tramps-the poor old rusty
ratty tramps. I like watch EN- go sneakng out
without anybody on the pier TO wave nanoAercniels
at Fem. and without any band to play like to won
der where they're going to and whatn happen to EN-
before they back again.
Think 0. the ports they're bound Rio
Buenos Aires (And he pronounced
Buenos Aires right. too.) or maybe the Horn
maybe round the Cape Perth and Melbourne
and sydney or right out East TO Hongkong and
Yokohama
all Maybe they'll break their poor cheap backs be-
froe they make landfalL Lots Of them do
4
7 asked been TO and he
stared al me and said Of course he had Everybody
He said he knew all the seas in the world and
the lands but that there were still some
places left. he was sure they'd be worth going
Jo-Ilke the others"
Mrs stanley. hostess gave little laugh of de-
lighted interest and capped hands together be-
.oh. what charming persons" she cried Jimmy.
dear. what a very charming person II only might
have been with you Tell I adore that kind
o man. you know" She caught her husbands eye
across the table laughed again. and Stanley grin
ned He understood his enthusiastic wife
rather better than do and it was never
ending satisfaction him that he could be as badly
in love with her as he was and at the same I1ae oe-
rive so much amusement from her little ways. which
we're so much franker and more open than the ways
OF anybody else he knew Her emotions were un-
usually near the surface. difficult for her
to conceal them When she embarrassed she
blushed an even. deep crimson; when she was angry
she suIked exactly like little child, and when she
pain she wept.
Just now she clapped her small hands and beamed
delightedIy upon Jimmy Rogers If she were not
quite years telling her fairy stories
Tell US moret More+" she begged.
~More?" said Jimmy Rogers "Oh, yes, have
saved best for the last-that is it would be the
best I'm sure if one could make it out asked this
chap what was doing here, and he said he look
ing for the break O. day Yes. just like that-the
break O day wouldn't explain what he
meant sounds poetical but bit obscure. and if
ANYBODY here can explain it I shall be glad"
The people about the table began laugh and
besiege Jimmy Rogers with questions, but Stanley
observed that his wife did not laugh the others
head down her face in partial shadow;
and after moment, her lift her champagne
glass drink from it. and he saw that her hand
shaking.
As instinctiveIy he would have TO help
her in another sort Of danger. he forward now
TO her attracting the attention OF Jimmy Rogers
and his other guests by rapid flow Of comment and
question
And ohw said that young presently. II al
most forgot This chap asked whose place this
said he'd house the hill He seemed
much interested in YOU Tommy so maybe he's burg
lar You'd best have everything locked up tight"
Stanley stole quick glance across the table and
sat with a little sigh OF relief. for his wife
seemed quite herself again, after ALL ne thought
il might have been moments pain faintness
But late that night he heard her stirring about in
her long after the household asleep. She
seemed to be walking up and down, he
thought he heard her Sob He was on the point OF
going n comfort her. but he held back He said
that il wanted him she MIN "
own accord Toward morning he rose and again lis
tened at door between the two but it
still there now went back bed quite easy
in mind.
bout mid LAT ofth he day