The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1915-05-27
CHAPTER VII.
Condolences.


That night Martha wrote q letter.
During the writing OF 1t she jumped
at every sound: footstep In the hall.
the shutting of a door. voice calling
in the street. And yet, Martha was
guilty OF performing only what she
considered to be her bounden duty.
My Dear Mr.. Arthur: !. do not
know what to make Of It, His likeness to
you is the most unheard Of thing. He Ii
little bigger and broader and he wears
his beard longer That's all the differ
ence. When he came on the boat that
night, 1t was likesa hand clutching at my
throat. And you know how romantic
Elsa Is. for all she believes she Is prosaic.
am certain that she sees you in this
stranger who calls himself Warrington.
If only you had had the foresight to fol-
low us, sailing or two later! And now
they'll be together for four or five days.
down to Singapore. I don't like 1t.
There's something uncanny In the thing.
What II she did forbid you to follow?
There are some promises women like men
t, break You should have followed.
Neither Of us has the slightest idea
what the man has done to exile himself
in this horrible land for ten years. He
still behaves himself like a gentleman,
and he must have been one in the past.
But he has never 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 a sign that something is
wrong. wonder If you have any rela-
tives by the name of Warrington? be-
gin to see that mans face In my dreams.
am worried. For Elsa is a puzzle.
She has always been one to me. have
been with her since her babyhood and
yet know as little Of what goes on In
her mind as a stranger would. Her Ia
Their, you know. was soldier. or fierce
loves and hates: her mother was hand
some statue Elsa has her fathers scorn
for convention and his independence,
clothed In her mothers impenetrabie
mask Don't mistake me. Elsa is the
most adorable creature to me, and i wor-
ship her: but I worry about her. 1 be-
lieve that 1t would be wise on your part
to meet us in San Francisco. Give my
love and respect to your dear beautffui
mother. And marry Elsa as fast as ever
you can.
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, rummaged among
the heaps OF luggage, and shouted
questions at their unhappy conductor.
She saw Hooghly standing in the
bow. A steamer trunk. kit-bag, bed
ding-bag. and the inevitable parrot
cage, reposed at his feet. He was
watching without interest or excite
ment the stream passing up and down
the gangplank II his master came,
very well; If he did not, he would get
of 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 ELL
son. He had made his fortune against
odds. He was 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 1t all. She would be in
Singapore; after that their paths would
widen and become lost In the future.
and she would forget all about him.
save in a shadowy way. She would
marry Arthur whether she loved him
or not. She was certain that he loved
her. He was, besides, her own sort;
and there wasn't any mystery about
him at all. He was as clear to her as
glass. For nearly ten years she had
known him, since his and his mothers
arrival in the small pretty Kentucky
town. What was the use Of huntiag
fancy? Yes, she would marry Ar
thur. She was almost inclined to cable
him to meet her in San Francisco.
CTO BE CONTINUED.)