The Spectator., 1915-05-07
CHAPTER XVlil-Continued.
COoYalGHT 6Y WE e06SJ-

lie saw her walk bravely the length Of the dining-room, out into the office What misfortune! Argument was out or the question. Elsa was not child, to be reasoned with. She was a woman. and she had come to wom- ans understanding of her heart To place before her the true angles of the case. the heartless punishment from the world she knew, the regret which would be hers later, no matter how much she loved the man. He pushed back his chair, leaving his coffee untasted.
 He possessed the deep understand ing of the kindly heart, and his one thought was Elsa's future happiness. Could he save her from the day when she would learn Romance had come from within? No. All he could do was to help find the man.
 He sent five cablegrams to Saigon, to the consulate, to the principal ho- tels-the most difficult composition he had ever attacked But because he had forgotten to send the sixth to meet the packet boat, against the pos sibility of Warrington changing his mind and not landing. his labor was thrown to the winds.
 Meaptime Elsa stopped at the office desk T left note for MT. Warning ton who has gone to Saigon see it in his key box. Will you please re- turn it to me?''
 The clerk did not hesitate an in- stant. He gravely returned the note to her. marveling at her paleness. Elsa crushed the note in her hand and moved toward the stairs. wondering if she could reach her room before she broke down utterly. He had gone. He had gone without knowing that all he wanted in life was his for the talk ing. In her room she opened the note and through blurred vision read what she had so happily inscribed the night before Paul love you. Come to me. Elsa" She had written it, unashamed
 She flung herself upon the bed. and there Martha found her.
 Elsa, child. what is it?" Martha cried, kneeling beside the bed. Child. what has happened?"
 Elsa sat up. seized Martha by the shoulders and stared into the faithful eyes. Well, l love this man War rington and he loves me. But he has gone. Cant you see? Don't you un. derstand? Have you been as blind as I? He is Paul Ellison. Arthur's brother, his twin brother And they obliterated him. It is Arthur who is the ghost, Martha. the phantom. An. l have caused you good deal of worry. and l am going to cause you and down the world. east and west, until find him. Shall go alone. or will you go with me?"
 Then Martha did what ever after en. deared her to the heart of the stricken girl-she mothered her. Elsa, my baby! Of course I shall go with you. always. For you could not love any man If he was not worthy"
 Then followed the strangest quest doubtless ever made by woman. From Singapore to Saigon. up to Bangkok. down to Singapore again: to Batavia. over to Hongkong, Shang- hai. Pekin, Manila, Hongkong again. then Yokohama. Patient and hopeful. Elsa followed the bewildering trail She left behind her many puzzled ho- tel managers and booking agents; for 1t was not usual for beautiful young woman to go about the world, inquir- ing for blond man with a parrot Sometimes she was only a day late Many cablegrams she sent. but upon her arrival in each port she found that these had not been called for Over these heart-breaking disappoint- ments she uttered no complaint. The world was big and wide; be it never so big and wide. Elsa knew that some day she would find him.
 In the daytime there was the quest; but, ah! the aights, the interminable hours of inaction, the spaces of time in which she could only lie back and think. Up and down the coasts. across islands, over seas, the journey took her. until one day in July she found herself upon the pillared veranda of the house in which her mother had been born.