The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-03
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or the tender, watchlnS 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 gaagpank. If his master came.
very well; If he did not, he would get
off 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 Eli
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 a 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 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 hunting
a fancy? Yes, she would marry Ar
thur. She was almost inclined to cable
him to meet her in San Francisco.
That there was real danger in her
interest in Warrington did not occur to
her. The fact that she was now will
ing to marry Arthur. without analyz-
ing the causes that had brought her
to this decision, should have warned
her that she was dimly afraid of the
stranger. Her glance fell upon the
mandarin's ring. She twirled it round
undecidedly. Should she wear it or
put it away? The question remained
suspended. She saw Craig coming
aboard and she hid her face behind
her magazine. Upon second thought
she let the magazine fall She was
quite confident that that chapter was
closed. Craig might be scoundrel,
but he was no fool
A sharp blast from the tenders
whistle drew her attention to the
gangplank. The last man te come
aboard was Warrington. He immedi.
ately sought James; and they stood
together chatting until the tender drew
up alongside the steamer of the Brit
ish-lndia line. The two men shook
hands finally, Warrington added
der. No one would have suspected
that the white man and his dark COM
panion had been 'shipmates," in good
times and in bad, for nearly a decade.
Elsa, watching them from her secure
nook. admired the lack of effusiveness.
The dignity of the parting told her of
the depth of feeling.
An hour later they were heading for
the delta
Elsa amused herself by casting bits
of bread to the gulls. Always they
caught it on the wing, no matter in
what direction she threw it. Some
times one would wing up to her very
hand for charity. its coral feet
stretched out to meet the quick back
play of the wings, it's cry shallow and
plaintive and world-lonely.
Suddenly she became aware of a
presence at her side.
A voice said: 1T was not quite
fair of YOU"
What wasn't?" without turning her
head. She brushed her hands free of
the crumbs.
you should have let me know that
you were going to sail on this boat"
"You would have run away, then"
Why" startled at her insight
Because you are little afraid of
me-" She faced him, without smile
either on her lips or in her eyes.
Aren't you?"
Yes. l am afraid of all things do
not quite understand"
There is not the least need in the
world, Mr.. Warrington. l am quite
harmless. My claws have been clipped.
] am engaged to be married, and am
going home to decide the day."
He's lucky man." He was aston
ished at his calm, for the blow went
deep.
Lucky? That is in the future. What
lonely thing gull Isl"
What a lonely thing a lonely man
isl" he added Poor fool! To have
dreamed SO fair dream for a single
moment! He tried to believe that he
was glad that she had told him about
the other man. The least this infor-
nation could do would be to give him
better control of himself. He had not
been out in the open long enough en-
tirely to master his feelings.
Men ought not to be lonely" she
said. There's the excitement of
work, of mingling with crowds, of 60
ing when and where one pleases.
Woman's lot is wondering and wait
ing at home. When l marry l sup
pose that l shall learn the truth of
that"
Perhaps 1t was because he had been
away from them so long and had lost
track of the moods of the feminine
mind; but surely it could not be pos
sible that there was real happiness in