Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-05-26
PARROT & CO.
By Harold MacGra tn.


your, world. Women over here
Oh, I've lost the art of saying things
clearly" He pulled at his beard en-
barrassedly.
Are you warning me against your
self"
why not? Twenty thousand pounds
do not change a man; they merely
change the public's opinion Of him.
For all you know, I may be the great
est rascal unhanged."
But you are not
He recognized that it was not a
query; and a pleasurable thrill ran
over him. Had there been the least
touch of condescension in her manner
he would have gone deep into his
shell.
mo; there are worse men in this
world than I. But we are getting away
from the point, of women travelling
alone in the East Oh, I know you
can protect yourself to a certain eX-
tent. But everywhere, on boats, in
the hotels, on the streets, are men
who have discarded all the laws Of
convention, of the social contract. And
they have the keen eye of the kite and
the Vulture"
To Elsa this interest in her welfare
was very diverting. In other words,
they can quickly discover the young
woman who goes about unprotected?
Don't you think that the trend Of the
conversation has taken rather a re-
markabIe turn, not as impersonal as it
should be?"
'I beg your pardon! Shall I go?"
mo. I want you to tell me some
stories" She laughed. Don't worry
about me, Mr.. Warrington. I have
gone my way alone since l was six
teen. I have travelled all over this
wicked world with nobody but the
woman who was once my nurse. Now,
tell me something of your adventures.
Ten years in this land must mean
something. I am always hunting for
Harun- or Sindbad, or some
one who has done something out of
the ordinary
He inclined against the rail and
stared down at the muddy water. Cad
venture?" He frowned a little. I'm
lures. There's no glory in being a
-stevedore on the docks at Hongkong, a
stoker on a tramp steamer between
Singapore and the Andaman islands.
What haven't I been in these ten
years." with a shrug. Can you fancy
me deck-steward on P. & o. boat
tucking old ladies in their chairs, stag.
gering about with tray of broth,
bowls, helping the unsteady to their
staterooms, and touching my cap at
the end of the voyage for few shill
ings in tips?"
Tell me more"
He looked into her beautiful face
animated by genuine interest, and
wondered if all men were willing tc
obey her.
ct always interests me to hear from
the mans own lips how he overcame
obstacles"
Sometimes didn't overcome them
I ran away. After all, the strike in
oil was fuke."
IT don't think so. But go on she
prompted.
well, I have been manager of q
cocoanut plantation in Penang; I've
helped lay tracks in Upper India; had
a hand in some bridges; sold patent
medicines; worked in a ruby mine;
been haberdasher in the Whiteaway
LaidlaW shop in Bombay; cut wood in
the teak forests; helped eXterminate
the plague at Chitor and Udaipur; and
never saved a penny. I never had ar
adventure in all my life"
why, your Wanderings were ad
ventures" she insisted. Think of th'
things you could tell"
And never WILL" a smile breaking
over his face.
How like Arthur's that smile was
thought the girl. Romantic person
never have any adventures. It is t.
the prosaic these things fall. Becaus
of their nearness you lose thei
values"
There is some difference between
romance and adventure. Romance
what you look forward to; adventur
is something you look back upon. Blu
1 always supposed adventure was tn
finding of treasures, on land and o.
sea; of flibustering; of fighting wit
sabers and pistols, and all that rigms
role. I can't quite lift my imaginatio
up to the height of calling my 81
months shovel-engineering on tn
Gale an adventure. 1t was brutal har
work; and many times 1 wanted t
jump over. The Lascars often got o,
of trouble that way"
ct all depends upon how we look
things" She touched the parrot Gag
with her foot, and Rajah Kissed. "Whf
would you say if I told you that We
unconventional enough to ask the pu
ser to introduce your"
The amazement in his face was a
swer enough.
t.DNn,t Vol s11nnnsen she went q