Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-05-26
CHAPTER VII.
Condolences.

every sound; a footstep in the hail
the shutting of a door, voice calling
in the street. And yet, Martina was
guilty of performing only what she
considered to be her bounden duty.
1t is the prerogative of fate to tangIe
or untangle the skein of human lives
but still. there are those who elect
themselves to break the news gentiy'
to lessen the shock of the blow whlch
fate is about to deliver.
my dear Mr.. Arthur:
do not know what to make
of if. His likeness to you is the most
unheard of thing. He is Il little big
ger and broader and he wears MS
heard longer. That's all the diner
ence. When he came on the poat
that night, it was like u hand clutch
ing at my throat. And you know now
romantic Elsa is, for all that she be-
lieves she is prOSaic. L am certain
she sees YOU in the stranger who calls
himself Warrington. If only you had
the foresight TO follow US, SAILING
or two later! And now they'll be to-
gether for four or five days, down 10
Singapore. | don't like it, There's
something uncanny in the thing. what
if she did forbid you to follow!
There are some promises women like
men to break. You should have fol-
lowed.
Neither Of us has the slightest idea
what the man has done to exile NM
self in this horrible land for ten years.
He still behaves like a gentleman,
and he must have been one in the
mast, But he has never yet spoken OF
his home, of his past, of his people.
We don't even know that Warrington
is his name. And you know that's
sign that something is wrong. L Won
der if you have any relatives by the
name of Warrington? l begin to see
that mans face in my dreams.
II am worried. For Elsa is puz-
zle. She has always been one to me.
I have been with her since oapy-
hood. and yet I know as little OF
what goes on in her mind as stranger
would Her father, you know, was
soldier, of fierce loves and hates; her
mother was a handsome statue. Elsa
has her fathers scorn for convention
and his independence, clothed in her
mothers impenetrable mask. Don't
mistake me. Elsa is the most ador-
able creature to me, and l worship
her: but l worry about her. l believe
that il would be wise on your part 10
meet US in San Francisco. Give my
love and respect to your dear beauti-
full mother. And marry Elsa as fast
as ever you can"
There followed some rambling COM
ments on the weather. the rains ana
the dust, the execrable food and the
lack of drinking water. The man who
eventually received this letter never
reached that part of it.
The day of sailing was brilliant and
warm. Elsa sat in chair on the
deck of the tender, watching the
passengers as they came aboard. A
large tourist party hustled about rum
mayed among the heaps of luggage
and shouted questions at their un-
happy conductor. They wanted 10
know where their state-rooms were,
grumbling about the size of the boat,
prophesied typhoons and wrecks, got
in everybody's way, and ordered other
peoples servants about. Never before
had Elsa realized the difficulties that
beset the path of the personal conduc-
tor. Whatever his salary was, ne
was entitled to il. 1t was all he got.
No one thought to offer him a little
kindness He was a human guide
book which has fares opened and shut
bow and when they pleased.
She saw Hooghly standing on the
bow. A steamer-trunk, a kit-bag. a
bedding-bag, and the inevitable par
rot cage, reposed at his feet He was
watching without interest or excite
ment the stream passing up and down
the gangplank. If his master came
very well; if he die not, he would get
off with the luggage. How she would
have liked to question him regarding
his master Elsa began to offer eX-
cuses for her interest in Warrington
He was the counterpart of Arthur El-
lison. He had made his fortune
against odds. He was Il mystery. why
shouldn't he interest her? Her mind
was not ice, nor was her heart stone
She pitied him. always wondering
what was back of it all. She would be
Il week in Singapore: after that their
paths would widen and become lost in
the future, and she would forget al
about him. save in shadowy way
She would marry Arthur whether she
loved him or not. She was certain
that he loved her. He had a comfort
able income. not equal to hers. bu
enough. He was, besides, her Owr
sort: and there wasn't any mystery
about him at all. He was as clear tC
her as glass. For nearly ten year:
she had known him, since his and hi:
mothers arrival in the small kentuck'
ian town. What was the use of hunt
ing a fancy? Yes, she would marry
Arthur. She was almost inclined t(
cable him to meet her in San Fran
cisco.
That there was real danger in hel
interest in Warrington did not occur
to her. The fact that she was nov
willing to marry Arthur, without an
alyzng the causes that had brOugh
her to this decision, should have warn
ed her that she was dimly afraid o
the stranger. Her glance fell upor
the mandarin's ring. She twirled i
round undecidedly. Should she wea
il or put it away? The question re
mained suspended She saw Crai'
coming aboard; and she hid her fac
behind her magazine. Upon secont
thought she let the magazine fall. Sh
was quite confident that the chapte
was closed Craig might be Il scoun
drel but he was no fool.
N