Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-06-16
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
CHAPTER VII.
Condolences.


That night Martha wrote a letter.
During the writing of it she jumped
at every sound; footstep in the hall,
the shutting of door, voice calling
in the street. And yet, Martha was
guilty of performing only what she
considered to be her bounden duty.
My Dear Mr.. Arthur: do not
know what to make of it. His likeness to
you is the most unheard Of thing. He IL
a little bigger and broader and he wears
bis beard longer That's all the differ
ence. When he came on the boat that
night. It was like hand ciutching at my
throat And you know how romantic
Elsa Is. for ell she believes she Is prosaio
I am certain that she sees you In this
stranger who calls himself Warrington.
II only you had had the foresight to fob
low US, a sailing or two later! And now
they'll be together for four or five days,
down to Singapore. I don't like it
There's something uncanny In the thing
What If she did forbid you to foIlowf
There are some promises women like men
to break. You should have followed
Neither of us has the slightest idea
what the man has done to exile himself
in this horrible land for ten years. He
still behaves himself like a gentleman,
anu uS uuuSI nave DSSu OI1S III lIl0 PAST
But he has never spoken Of his home,
Of his past, Of his people. We don't even
know that Warrington IS bis hafhe. And
you know that's a sign that something Is
wrong. I wonder if you have any rela-
.tives by the name Of Warrington? I be-
gin to see that mans face in my dreams.
I am worried For Elsa is puzzle.
She has always been one to me. have
been with her since her babyhood, and
Ivof Of hat IN in
her mind as a stranger would Her IA
Their, you know, was a soldier, of fierce
loves and hates; her mother was hand
some statue. Elsa has her fathers scorn
for convention and his independence,
clothed in her mothers impenetrable
mask. Don't mistake me. Elsa Is the
most adorable creature to me, and wor-
ship her; but I worry about her. I be-
lieve that it would be wise on your part
to meet US in San Francisco. Give my
love and respect to your dear beautiful
mother. And marry Elsa as fast as ever
you can.
The day Of sailing was brilliant and
warm. Elsa sat in a chair on the deck
Of the tender, watching 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, a 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 dowI
the gangplank. If his master came
very we'll; if he did not, he would ge
off with the luggage. How she woult
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 agains
odds. He was a mystery. Why shouldn'
he interest her? Her mind was no
ice, nor was her heart stone. Sh
pitied him, always wondering wha
was back of it all. She would be il
Singapore; after that their paths woul
widen and become lost in the future
and she would forget all about him
save in shadowy way. She woul
marry Arthur whether she loved hin
or not. She was certain that he love,
her. He was, besides, her own sort
and there wasn't any mystery abou
him at all. He was as clear to her a
glass. For nearly ten years she ha
known him, since his and his mother
arrival in the small pretty Kentuck
town. What was the use of huntin
fancy? Yes, she would marry Al
thur. She was almost inclined to cabl
him to meet her in San Francisco.
That there was real danger in he
interest in Warrington did not occur t
her. The fact that she was now will
ing to marry Arthur. without analyz