The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-05-06

and the craving for adventure viii
come. Then I'll send for you"
He took her hand again, and this
time she did not draw it away. He
said in whisper:
And you'll go with me?'
Ethel stretched lazily and smiled at
him through her half closed eyes.
81 suppose so. Then heaven help
your'
why should we waltz" he cried.
ut will give us the suspense Of ex-
pectation."
Il want you! l need your he
pleaded.
Until the time comes for amputa-
tion?''
her hand suddenly.
well, | don't want you to have any
illusions about me. Chris. | have none
about you. Let us begin fair anyway.
It will be so much easier when the end
comes"
sionately. Il love you-love you with
every breath of my body, every thought
in my mind. every throb of my nerves.
l love you."' He kissed her hand re-
peatedly. Il love you" He took her
in his arms and pressed her to him.
She struggled with him without any
anger or disgust or fear As she put
him away from her she just said sim
ply:
please don't. It's so hot this morn
ing"
As she turned away from him she
was struck dumb Sitting beside the
table in the middle of the room, her
back turned to them. was the strangest.
oldest little figure Ethel had ever seen.
Who was she? How long had she
been in the room?
Ethel turned to Brent He was quite
pale now and was nervously stroking
his slight mustache.
Ethel was furious. 1t was incredible
that Brent could have been SO indis.
Greet.
How on earth did that creature get
there without their hearing or seeing
her?
Ethel went straight to the demure
little figure sitting OH the chair.
=,
Pegs journey to England was one Of
the unhappiest memories of her life.
She undertook the voyage deliberately
to lease her father. because he told
her it would please him. But beneath
this feeling of pleasing him was one
Of sullen resentment at being made to
separate from him.
She planned all kinds of reprisals
upon the unfortunate people she was
going among. She would he so rude
to them and so unbearable that they
would be glad to send her back ON the
next boat. She schemed out her whole
plan Of action. She would contradict
and disobey and berate and belittle.
Nothing they would do would be right
to her, and nothing she would do or
say would be right to them. She took
infinite pleasure in her plan of cam
paign. Then, when she was enjoying
the pleasure of such resentful dreams,
she would think of her father waiting
for news of her, Of his pride in her, Of
how much he wanted her to succeed.
She would realize how much the part
ing meant to him, and all her little
plots would tumble down, and she
would resolve to try to please her re-
lations, learn all she could, succeed be-
yOnd all expression and either go back
to America prosperous or send for her
father to join her in England. All her
dreams had her father either centrif-
ugally or centripetally beating through
them.
She refused all advances of friendship
aboard ship. No one dared speak to
her. She wanted to be alone in her sor-
row. She and Michael would romp on
the lower deck by favor of one of the
seamen. who would keep sharp look
out for officers.
This seaman-O'Farrell by name
took quite liking to Peg and the dog
and did many little kindly. gracious
acts to minister to the comfort of both
of them. He warned her that they
would not let Michael go with her from
the dock until he had first been quaran-
tined. This hurt Peg more than any
thing could. She burst into tears. To
have Michael taken from her would be
the last misfortune. She would, in
deed, be alone in that strange country.
She was inconsolabie.
O'Farrell at last took it on himself
to get the dog ashore He would wrap
him up in some sailcloths. and then
he would carry Michael outside the
gates when the customs authorities
had examined her few belongings
When they reached Liverpool O'Far-
rell was as good as his word. though
many were the anxious moments they
had as one or other of the customs
officers would eye the suspicious pack
age O'Farrell carried SO carelessly un-
der his arm.
At the dock a distinguished looking
gentleman came on board and after
some considerable difficulty succeeded
in locating Peg. He was well dress
eu. sui speaking, SISoFouS IuaH oi lof-
ty-fiye. He inspired Peg with an in
slant dislike by his somewhat authori-
tative and pompous manner. He in
troduced himself as Mr.. Montgomery
Hawkes.. the legal adviser for the
kingsnorth estate, and at once proceed
ed to take charge of Peg as a matter
of course.
Poor Peg felt ashamed of her poor
little bag. containing just a few
changes OF apparel, and her little pa