Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1915-04-07

1
ORIENT" Elsa asked.
Ten years." he answered gravely
That is long time"
Sometimes 1t was like eternity"
Il have heard from the purser Of
your good luck"
"Oh!" He stopped again and locked
the door of Rajah's cage. Il dare say
good many people will hear of It."
ut was splendid love to read
stories like that. but I'D rather hear
them told first-hand"
Elsa was not romantic in the sense
that she saw heroes where there were
only ordinary men; 1t was the OBJ
scure and unknown hero who appealed
to her: such one as this man might
be-
"Oh. there was nothing splendid
about the thing. simply hung on. "
Then thought struck him. "You are
travelling alone?"
With a companion" A peculiar
question. she thought.
1T is not wise." he commented.
MY father was a soldier" she re-
piled
1T isn't a question of bravery" he
explained. bit of color charging un-
der his skin. This world Is not like
your world. Women over here.
Oh, I've lost the art of saying things
clearly" He pulled at his beard en-.
barrassedly
Are you warning me against your
self"
why not? Twenty thousand pounds
do not change a man; they merely
change the public's opinion of him.
For all you know. may be the great
est rascal unhanged."
But you are not"
He recognized that 1t was not q
query: and pleasurable thrill ran
over him Had there been the least
touch of condescension in her manner
he would have gone deep into his
shell.
mo; there are worse men in this
world than |. BUT we are getting away
from the point, OF women travelling
alone in the East oh. know you
can protect yourself to certain ex-
tent. But everywhere. on boats. In
the hotels. on the streets. are men
who have discarded all the laws OF
of the social contract And
they have the keen eye of the kite and
the vulture."
To Elsa this interest in her welfare
was very diverting I'm other words.
they can quickly discover the young
woman who goes about unprotected?
Don't you think that the trend Of the
has taken rather a re-
turn. not as impersonal as It
should be?"
Il beg your pardon! Shall | go?"
mo. l want you to tell me some
stories." She laughed. Don't worry
about me. Mr. Warrington. have
gone my way alone since | was six.
.een. have travelled all over this
wicked world with nobody but the
who was once my nurse. Now,
ell me something Of your adventures
Ten years in this land must mean
l am always hunting for
Raschid, or Sindbad, or some
me who has done something out of
he ordinary"
He inclined against the rail and |
stared down at the muddy water "Ad.
He frowned little I'm |
lfraid mine wouldn't read like adven. |
ures There's no glory in being a
tevedore on the docks at Hongkong. a
toker on tramp steamer between |
Singapore and the Andaman islands,
What haven't l been in these ten
,ears?" with a shrug Can you fancy
ne deck-steward on P. & o. boat.
ucking old ladies in their chairs, stag.
,ering about with a tray of broth.
FOWLS, helping the unsteady to their
taterooms, and touching my cap at |
he end Of the voyage for few shill-
ngs in tips?"
Tell me more"
He looked into her beautiful face,
by genuine interest. and
wondered If all men were willing to
hey her.
1T always interests me to hear from
he mans own lips how he overcame
bstacles."
Sometimes didn't overcome them.
ran away. After all. the strike in
Ill was a fuke."
IT don't think so But 60 on" she
We'll, have been manager of
ocoanut plantation In Penang: I've
elped lay tracks in Upper India: had
hand in some bridges; sold patent
Medicines; worked In ruby mine;
zen a haberdasher In the Whiteaway.
.aidlaw shop in Bombay; cut wood In
he teak forests; helped exterminate
he plague at Chitor and Udaipur; and