The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1915-05-20
CHAPTER IV-Contlnued.

Warrington rushed ashore to find
the dry-goods shop His social redemp-
ton was on the way, if vanity went
for anything. 1t was stirring and
tingling with life again. With the
money advanced by the purser he
bought shirts and collars and ties, and
as he possessed no watch, returned
barely in time to dress for dinner He
was not at all disturbed to learn that
the inquisitive German, the colonel
and his fidgety charges, had decided
to proceed to Rangoon by rail Indeed,
there was a bit of exultation in his
manner as he observed the vacant
chairs Paradise for two whole days.
And he proposed to make the most
OF 1t. Now his mind was as clear Of
evil as forest spring. He simply
wanted to play; wanted to give rein
to the lighter emotions so long pent
up in his lonely heart.
The purser, used to these sudden
changes and assertions in his passen-
ger lists, gave the situation no
thought. But Elsa saw mild danger,
all the more alluring because it hung
nebulously. What harm could there
be in having a little fling? He was
so amazingly like outwardly, SO aston
1Shingly unlike inwardly, that the stu
alton had for her subtle fascination
against which she was in nowise in
clined to fight. She was not wholly
ignorant of her power. She could bend
the man if she tried Should she try?
They were like two children, setting
out to play game with fire.
She thought of Arthur. Had he gone
the length of his thirty-f1ve years with
out his peccadillos? Scarcely. She
understood the general run of men
well enough to accept this fact. Whom
ever she married she was never going
to worry him with questions regarding
his bachelor life. Nor did she pro-
pose to be questioned about her own
past. Besides, she hadn't married Ar
thur yet; she had only promised to-.
And such promises we're sometimes
sengInIy broken, These thoughts
flashed through her mind, disconnect-
edly, while she talked and laughed.
1t never occurred to her to have Mar
tba moved up from the foot of the
table. Once or twice she stole glance
at the woman who had in the olden
days handled her on her knees. The
glance was a mixture of guilt and
mischief, like child's. But the glance
had not the power to attract Martha's
eyes. Martha felt the chances as
surely as if she had lifted her eyes to
meet them. She held her peace She
had not been brought along as Elsa's
guardian Elsa was not self-willed but
strong willed, and Martha realized that
any interference would result in es--
arrangement. In fact, Martha beheld
In Warrington real menace. The ex-
fraordinary resemblance would natu-
rally appeal to Elsa, with what results
she could only imagine. Later she
asked Elsa if she had told Warrington
OF the remarkable resemblance.
Mercy no! And what is more, /
do not want him to know. Men are
vain as a rule; and | should not like
to hurt his vanity by telling him that
i sought his acquaintance simply be-
cause he might easily have been Ar
thur Ellison's twin brother"
"The man you are engaged to marry"
well, Martha?"
81 beg your pardon, Elsa; but the
stranger terriies me. He is some
thing uncanny."
Nonsense! You've been reading
tales about yogi"
at is a terrible country"
at is the East, Martha, the East.
Here a man may wear dress suit
and a bowler without offending any
one"
"And a woman may talk to anyone
she pleases."
"You have been with me twenty
years." began Elsa coldly.
"And love you better than the whole
world! And wish could guard you
always from harm and evil. Those
hOrrid old Englishwomen
~Oh: so there's been gossip already?
You know my views regarding gossip.
80 long as / know that am doing
no wrong. ladies may gossip their
heads OF. I'm not kitten"
"You are twenty-five and yet you're
sOaly child
What does that signify? That
am too young to manage my own at
fairs? That ! must set my clock as
Others order? Good soul" putting her
arms around the older woman. Don't
worry about Elsa Chetwood. Her life
is her own, but she will never misuse
IT."
f"Oh. If you Were only married and
ssGttisd down."
-Ysu mean II ] we're happily married