Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-18
A Man with . Past.

A Man With Past.
Tho oriental night air was stirleso.
Il vas without refreshmsnt: It became
Q labor and not an exhilaration to
breathe It. A pail Of sunocating dust
rolled above and about the Iyrawaddy
dotilla boat which, bufteted by the
strong, irregular current. strained as
IT, cables. now at the bow. now at the
stern, not dissimilar to the Les. rock.
ing of deserted swing. This sense,
ton was quito perceptible to the girl
who leaned over the bow rail- her
handkerchief pressed to her nose. and
gazed interestedly at the steep bank.
up and down which the sweating COO
Mes swarmed like Gargantuan rats. A
dosen torches were stuck into tho
ground above the crumbling ledge;
she saw the flames 20 one sees .
burning match cupped In smokers
hands, shedding light upon nothing
save that which stands Immediately
behind It.
She choked . little. Her eyes smart
ed. Her hps were slightly cracked.
and cold-cream seemed only to provide
q surer resting place for the impalpa-
Bile dust. II had penetrated through
wool and linen and silk. intimately. un-
til three baths day had become q
welcome routine. providing 1t WAS pos
sible to obtain water. Water. Her
tongue ran across her lips. Oh, for .
drink from the old cold pure spring at
home! Tea, coffee. and bottled soda;
nothing that ever touched the thirsty
spots in her throat.
She looked up at the stars and they
looked down upon her. but what she
asked they could not. would not. an
swer. Night after night she had
asked, and night after night they had
only twinkled as Of old. She had trav-
eled now for four months, and sti1l the
doubt beset her. 1t was to be leap
In the dark. with no one to tell her
what WAS on the other side. But Why
this insistent doubt? Why could she
not take the leap gladly. - . woman
should who had given the affirmative
to a man? With him she WAS csrtain
that she loved him. away from him she
did not know Whist sentiment really
abided In her heart. She vas wise
enough TO realise that something Wa
wrong; and there were but three
months between her and the inevitable
decision. Never before had she known
other than momentary indecision; and
It irked her to md that her clarity OF
vision was fallfbie and human Ike the
, rest Of her. The truth was, she didn't
know her mind. She shrugged. and
the movement stirred the dust that
had gathered upon her shoulders.
"A rare old lot OF dust; eh. Miss
! Chetvood? / wish we could travel By
night, but you cant trust this bloom
ing old 1rrawaddy after shutdown
| Charts are 80 much waste-paper.
! II never cease wondering how those
poor coolies can carry those heav,
rice bags" she replied to the purser
"Oh. they are used to IT," careiessly
The great gray stack Of paddy-bagi
/ seemed, in the eyes Of the girl. fairly
to melt away.
"By Jove!" exclaimed the pursef
There's Parrot & Col" He laughe<
and pointed toward one Of the torches
Parrot 4 Coz do not under
stand"
| That big blond chap behind tn
fourth torch. Yes, there. Sometim'
I'll tell you about him. Picturesque
du6er."
She could have shrieked aloud. b,r
ill she did was to draw In her breatl
with q gasp that went 20 deep It CAV
her heart q tvinge. Her fingers tight
ened upon the teak rail. Suddenly sh'
knew, and was ashamed Of her weak
ness. II was simply . romarksba
likeness, nothing more than that: !
could not possibly DO anything more
still, . ghost could not hsye startle'
her 40 this living man had done.
"Who IL he?"
I, "A chap named Warrington. Blu
over here that signifies nothing
might just - well b Jones or snit
or Brown. We call him Parrot Z c.
He's always carrying that Ra5putan
parrot. You've seen the kind aroun
the palaces and forts: sabsr-iik
wings, long tail.feathers, green IN
blue and scarlet, ana the uEliest littl
rascals going. This one 10 trained I
! do tricks"
4 "But the mani" impatiently.
He eyed her, mil6y surprised. "Ol
he puzzles us al . bit, you know. We
educated: somewhere back . gentl'
man; from the States. OF course
don't know; something shady. prosl
!, bly,. They don't tramp about like III
otherwise. For Ill that. he's rather
decent sort; NO bounder hke this 70
:, ter we left ct Mandalay. He neve
. talks about himself. fancy he's lool
some again"