The evening world., 1914-04-06

poor coolies can carry those heavy
rice bags" she replied to the purser.
"Oh. they are used to it," carelessly.
The great gray stack Of paddy bags
seemed. in the eyes of the girl. fairly
to melt away.
by. Jove!" exclaimed the purser.
There's Parrot & Co.." He laughed
and pointed toward one of the torches.
Parrot & Co.? ] do not under
stand"
THAT big blond chap behind the
fourth torch. Yes, there. Sometime
IN tell you about him. Picturesque
She could have shrieked aloud. but
all she did was to draw In her breath
with n gasp that went SO deep IL
gave her heart a twinge. Her fingers
frightened upon the teak rail. Sud-
denly she knew and was ashamed of
her weakness. 1t was simply q re-
markable likeness. nothing more than
that; 1t could not possibly he any
thing more. Still. a ghost could not
have startled her as this living man
had dore.
"A chap named Warrington. But
over here that signifies nothing:
might just as well be Jones or Smith
or Brown. We call him Parrot & Co.
but the iff-raff have another name
for him-"The Man Who Never
Talked OF Home" For two or three
seasons he's been going up and down
the river. Ragged at times. pros
porous at others. Lately It's been
rags. He's always carrying that Raj
putana parrot You've seen tho kind
around the palaces and forts: saber
blade wings, long tail feathers, green
and blue and scarlet, and the ugliest
little rascals going. This one 10
trained TO do tricks"
But the mani" impatiently.
He eyed her. mildly surprised. "Oh
he puzzles US all a bit. you know
Well educated; somewhere back q
! course don't know; something
shady. probably. They don't tramp
about like this otherwise. For al
that, he's rather a decent sort; nc
hounacr Ike that rotter we left al
Mandalay. lie never talks about him
self I fancy he's lonesome again.
"Why not introduce him to me?"
Reg pardon?"
"IIl take all the responsibility. III
within" - ~.
eighth wonder OF the world" Thu
purser was distinctly annoyed. "Ant
II may be an impertinence on my
part, but l never yet saw an Ameri
can woman who would accept advice
or act upon It."
THANKS. What would you adviser
with dangerous sweetness.
mot to meet this man. It's irreg
ular. ! know nothing about him.
YOU had a father or brother OF
board
.'Or even a husband" laughing.
ly
laugh. You women go everywhere
and half the time unprotected.
Never quite unprotected. W.
never venture beyond the call o
gentlemen"
"That is true" Frightening. "Yo'
insist on meeting this chap"
Il do not insist; only. l am bored
and he might interest me for an hour.
She added: Besides, It may ammo
the others"
The purser grinned reluctantly
You and the Colonel don't get or
Well, III introduce this chap at ain
ner. If | don't. ."
Il am fully capable OF speaking t
him without any introduction what
ever" She laughed again. 1t vii
be very kind OF you
There were few passengers aboard
There were three fussy old Englis
maidens under tho protection OF
still fussier old colonel, who dis
agreed with everybody because hi
liver disagreed with him.
Upon these lrrawaddy boats tn
purser Is usually the master OF cere
monies in the dining-saloon. tn
captain and his officers rarely con
descended.
Elsa usually sat at tho purser'
right, and tonight she found tn
stranger sitting quietly at her side
The chair had been vacant since tn
departure from Mandalay. Evident
~ the purser had decided to b
, thorough In regard TO her wishes
1t would look less conspicuous I
make tho Introduction In this man
ner. And she wanted to meet thi
8 man who had almost made her or
out In establishment.
Miss Chetwood, Mr.. Warrington,
This was as far as the purser woul
unbsnd.
> The colonel's eyes popped: tn
hands OF the three maidens futteret
Warrington bowed awkwardly. fo
he was decidedly confused.