The Spectator., 1915-03-12

been alone so much that haven't got over the trick of speaking my thoughts aloud"
 No harm has been done. The fault lay with me-"
 T used to learn whole pages from stories and recite them to the trees or to the parrot. It kept me from going mad. l believe. In camp l handled coolies; none of whom could speak a word of English. didn't have James with me at that time. So I'd declaim, merely to hear the sound of my voice. Afterward l learned that the cooiies looked upon me as a holy man. They believed I was nightly offering pray CTS to one of my gods. Perhaps was; the god of reason. All that seems like a bad dream now"
 Are you going to take Rajah with you?"
 Wherever go. Looks silly. doesn't it, for man of my size to tote around a parrot cage? But l don't care what people think. Life is too short. It's what you think of yourself that really counts"
 That is one of the rules l have laid down for myself If only we all might go through life with that idea! There wouldn't be any gossip or scan dal, then"
 Some day am going to tell you why l have lived over here all these years"
 T shouldn't, not If 1t hurts you"
 "On the contrary, there's a kind of happiness in unburdening ones con- science. l called that day in Rangoon for the express purpose of telling you everything, but couldn't in the pres ence of third person"
 But always remember that I haven't asked you"
 Are you afraid to hear it?"
 No. What I am trying to convince you with Is that trust you, and that give you my friendship without reser- vations."
 He laid his hand on hers. strongly. God bless you for that!" She liked him because there was lacking in his words and tones that element of f1attery so distasteful to her
 Would you like to sit next to me at the table?"
 May I?" eagerly.
 I'll have Martha change her chair for yours. Do you speak Italian?"
 Enough for ordinary conversation. It is long time since have spoken that tongue"
 Then. let us talk it as much as possible at the table. if only to annoy those around us."
 Craig had been eyeing the two. evil ly. Set the wind in that directions An idea found soil in his mind, and grew. He would put kink. as he vulgarly expressed it, into that affair. He himself wasn't good enough for her The little cat should see War ringtons ultimatum of the night be- fore burned and ranked, and a man of Craig's caliber never accepted the in evitable without meditating revenge, revenge of a roundabout character. such as would insure his physical safe ty. There was nothing loyal or gen. erous or worthy in the man. There is something admirable in great ras- cal; but a sordid one is pitiful thing. Craig entered the smokeroom and or dered peg. At luncheon he saw them sitting together. and he smoth cred grin. Couldn't play cards, or engineer a pool. eh? All right. There were other amusements
 That afternoon Martha chanced to sit down in a vacant chair. just out of the range of the cricketers. She lolled back and idly watched the batsmen. And then she heard voices.
 She is Elsa Chetwood. 1 remember seeing her pictures. She is a society girl. very wealthy. but something of snob"
 Martha's ears tingled. A snob, in- deed. because she minded principally her own affairs!
 They think because they belong to the exclusive sets they can break as many laws of convention as they please. We'll. they cant. There's al. ways some scandal in the papers about them There was some rumor of her being engaged to the duke of Whats his-name. but it fell through because she wouldn't settle fortune on him. Only sensible thing she ever did. prob ably"
 And did you notice who sat next to her at luncheon?"
 "A gentleman with past, Mir. Craig tells me"
 T dare say Miss Chetwood has a past, too, if one but knew. To travel alone like this!"
 Busybodiesi Martha rose indignant. ly and returned to the other side of the deck. She had lived too long with Elsa not to have learned self-repres-