The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-15

LII
humdrum life must cease. The strict
est conventions had guided me from
earliest childhood Ny experience of
life had been limited to those things
which women OF education and means
enjoy-0r suffer, you please to take
it. Two years ago 1 chartered a yacht
and crulSed among the Lesser Antilles.
enjoying many adventures. Later l
crossed the Andes, and 1 have just re-
turned from Switzerland, where l ac-
complished some of the most difficult
ascents. l have clipping bureau en-
gagged to inform me of all rumors of
hidden treasure and sunken ships, and
I hope that of this something may
come, as l retain marine engineer
and corps of divers and can leave at an
hours notice for any likely hunting
ground. This may strike you as the
most whimsical self indulgence. Tell
me candidly whether my remarks so
affect you"
eff it were not that your benefac-
tons of all kinds have given you noble
eminence among American philanthro-
pists might be less biased in favor of
the sort of thing you describe, but your
gifts to orphanages, colleges, hospi-
talS"-
tAh!'' she interrupted, enough of
that Philanthropy in these times is
only selfish exploitation, the recreation
of the conscience stricken. But you
see no reason why" she pursud eager
~, "if I wished to dig up the Caribbean
sea in search of Spanish doubIoons, 1
should not do SO? Answer me frankly,
without the slightest fear
81 assure you, Miss Hollister that
such projects appeal to me strongly. 1
have often lamented that my own lot
fell in these eventless times. AS an
architect 1 proved something Of a fail
ure; as a chimney doctor lead a use
full life, but the very usefulness of it
bores me, and besides many people
take me for a sweep
81 dare say they do, for unfortunately
many people are fools. But am bent
upon adventure My physician pro-
nounces me good for ten years more
of active life, and 1 intend to keep
amused. If 1 were a young man like
you l should crawl through chimneys
no more, but take TO the open road. 1
resent the harsh clang Of these mean
ingless years. AS | walked among the
hills that lie behind the manor this
morning heard the bugles calling. l
should like to ask you further as to
your unusual profession, but errands
summon me elsewhere. However,
something tells me we shall meet
again.
She rose in her swift, birdlike fashion
and passed lightly down the room and
through the door. She had left dol
lar beside her plate to pay her check,
which noted called for only 10 cents.
I glanced at the cashiers desk. The
aureoled head had not reappeared, but
Immediately heard a voice murmur
ing beside me. I had believed myself
alone, and in my surprise l thought
some wizardry had made audible one
of the verses on the wall
What OF Rafaers sonnets, Dante's pic
ture-
1t waSshe whose aureoled head had
marked earlier in the receipt OF Gus
tom, the girl who had vanished as Miss
HOLSTER appeared. She was not tall,
and her eyes, saw, were brown. She
had clearly not climbed far the stair
way of her years, but her serenity was
the least bit disconcerttng.
Pardon me- began, ''but I am an
ignorant Philistine, and cannot cap the
verse you have quoted8'
There is no reason why you should
do so. It is the rule of the Asolando
that we shall attract the attention of