The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-09-04

promise to call and have tea with you.
much against my better judgment"
"Oh. If you don't want to come :"
Don't want to comet"
Something in his eyes caused Elsa
to speak hurriedly. "Good-by until to-
morrow"
She gave him her hand for a mo-
ment, stepped into the carriage. which
already held Martha and the luggage,
and then drove off to the Strand hotel
He stood with his helmet in his
hand. A fine. warm rain was falling,
but he was not conscious O; it, 1t
seemed incredible that time should
produce such a change within the
space OF seventy hours. little more.
a little less AS she turned and waved
a friendly hand he knew that the desc
Iation which had been his for ten years
was nothing as compared to that which
now fell upon his heart She was as
unattainable as the north star: and
nothing. time nor circumstance. could
bridge that incalculable distance His
heart hurt him. He must see her no
more after the morrow. Enchantment
and happiness were two words which
fate had ruthlessly scratched from his
book of days.
Mr.. Hooghly had already started off
toward the town, the kit bag and the
valise slung across his shoulders. the
parrot cage bobbing at his side He
knew where to go; an obscure lodging
for men in the heart of the business
section. known In jest by the dere-
licts as the Stranded
Warrington. becoming suddenly
aware that his pose. II prolonged.
would become ridiculous. put on his
helmet and proceeded to the Bank Of
Burma. Today was Wednesday,:
Thursday week he would sail for Sin.
gapore and close the chapter. Before
banking hours were over his financial
affairs were put in order, and he
walked forth with two letters Of credit
and enough banknotes and gold to
carry him around the world If he so
planned. Next he visited pawnshop
and laid down a dozen mutilated
tickets, receiving in return hand
some watch. emerald cuff buttons.
some stickpins. some pearls and a
beautiful old ruby ring, gift OF the
young maharajah of Udaipur. The an.
cient Chinaman smiled. This was q
rare occasion Men generally went
out of his dark and dingy shop and
nevermore returned.
Much money. Can do now" affably.
Can do" replied Warrington, slip
ping the treasures into pocket What
a struggle it had been to hold them
Somehow or other he had always been
able to meet the interest, though. often
to accomplish this feat he had been
forced to 60 without tobacco for weeks
There is a vein Of superstition in all
Of us. deny 1t how we will. Warning
ton was as certain Of the fact as he
was of the rising and the setting OF
the sun, that II he lost these heir
looms he never could go back to the
old. familiar world, the world in which
he had moved and lived and known
happiness Never again would he part
with them. A hundred thousand dol
lars, almost: with his simple wants
he was now a rich man.
Buy ling?" asked the Chinaman
He rolled mandarin's ring carelessly
across the showcase. Gold: oil
heavy; velly old. velly good ling"
what does it say?" asked Warning
ton. pointing to the characters.
Good luck and plospelity; velly good
signs"
1t was an unusually beautiful ring
unusual in that it had no setting Of
Jade. Warrington offered three SOW
ereigns for it. The Chinaman smiled
and put the ring away. Warrington
laughed and laid down five pieces OF
gold. The Chinaman swept them VI
in his lean, dry hands. And Warning
ton departed. wondering II she would
accept such token.
BY four o'clock he arrived at the
Chinese tailors in the Suley Pagoda
road. He ordered suit of pongee. to
be done at noon the following day. He
added to this orders for four othe:
suits, to be finished within q week
Then he went to the shoemaker. to the
halter. to the haberdasher. All this
business because he wanted her Ia
realize what he had been and yet could
be. Thus vanity sometimes works Out
q mans salvation. And It marked the
end Of Warrington's recidivation.
When he reached his lodging house
he sought the Burmese landlady. She
greeted him With . smile. ana stid
little shake OF the hand. He owed
her money. but that was nothing. Had