The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1915-06-03
CHAPTER vII-continued.

CHAPTER VIl-Continued.
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 1t round
undecidedly. Should she wear 1t or
put it away? The question remained
suspended. She saw Craig coming
aboard; and she hid her face behind
her magazine. Upon second thought
sNa ct the magazine fall. She was
quite confident that that chapter was
c'osad. Craig might be a scoundrel,
buJ ne was no fool
y sharp blast from the tenders
" lie drew her attention to the
gangplank. The last man to 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
Lsh-India line The two men shook
hands finally, Warrington added a
friendly tap on the Eurasian's shout
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 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 guils. Always they
caught it on the wing, no matter in
what direction she threw 1t. 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, its cry shallow and
plaintive and world-lonely.
- Suddenly she became aware of a
presence at her side.
A voice said: ut was not quite
fair of you"
What wasnt?" 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?"
eyes. l am afraid of all things do
not quite understand"
There is not the least need in the
world. Mr. Warrington. ! am quite
harmless. My claws have been clipped.
1 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
a lonely thing gull isl"
what a lonely thing lonely man
isl" he added Poor fool! To have
dreamed so fair dream for 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 | marry | sup
nose that shall learn the truth of
that"
Perhaps it 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
this young woman's heart Its evil
dence was lacking in her voice, in her
face in her gestures. He thought 1t
over with a sigh. He felt sorry for the
girl, sorry for the man; for it was not
nossible that girl like this one would
go through life without experiencing
that fash of insanity that is called the
grand passion.
He loved her. He could lean against
the rail, his shoulder lightly touching
hers. and calmly say to himself that
he loved her. He could calmly per-
NIT her to pass out of his life as a
cloud passes down the sea-rim. He
hadn't enough. but this evil must be,
fan HIM. Love! He spread out bis
hands unconsciOusly.
what does that mean?" she asked,
smiling nor. An invocation?