Charlevoix county herald., 1918-03-01
would have come tonight. Il cannot


barous to leave this poor girl helpless
In strange city; but I did not tel
her SO. l made light of the desertion
finding excuses for their absence, and
wondered who these people might
be who would marry in the Orthodox
Eastern Church.
Cosmopolitan as Is San Francisco
the Church of the Eastern Catholicism
has small following, and is little
known to most of the city's popula
ton. At the end of little park In
the north side, surrounded by stone
walls. it rears its domes and minarets
to the sky, and few Americans ever
pass its iron-barred gateway.
I'VE will be there at eleven"
promised her, land II your friends
come shall place you In their care,
II not, l will secure a room for you
in a hotel where you will be safe and
comfortable. Undoubtedly you Will
hear from them tomorrow II you do
not find them tonight"
"Yes," she said. II can learn Of her
tomorrow" II gsye her confidence,
80 l ventured q question which was
on my mind:
You say your friend arrived here
yesterday. You have heard from her
them"
mo. have received no word"
"How. then, do you know that she is
here?"
She flushed, shook her head, then
smiled bravely. Again / must be
mysterious" she answered. Il may
only repeat that do know. She came
yesterday"
1 could not insist. "Is this your
first visit to San Francisco" l ques-
Toned, to change the subject.
my first visit to your United
States" she replied. Europe l know
fairly and parts of South America.
but nothing at all of these northern
States"
1T is too bad that your first impress
sion should be spoiled by missing your
friends"
"Yes, 1t Is unfortunate; but have
learned through 1t that your Ameri-
cans are courteous and very kind"
She smiled at me, and II made my
forty-year old heart miss beat or
two. It was seldom that / had oppor-
tunity to sit opposite a young lady
OF her beauty and graciousness, re-
ceiving unearned compliments for my
self and my. country.
For all of two hours more tried to
make myself agreeable. telling her of
San Francisco which I knew so tho
roughly through the tired eyes Of a
newspaper man. 1t is an interesting
city, whose romantic history comes
more closely against the present than
most American places, and / had
grown up with it. II interpolated
too much of myself into my tale, she
gave no evidence Of lack of interest,
and 1 kept the shadow of anxiety from
her face.
1 was watching the time. Come"
/ said finally. I'VE will see il there
Is to be a wedding at the Greek
church tonight" l hated to bring
her back to present difficulties. but
she was brave.
"Is it time then?1 she asked, rising
TO let me assist her with her coat.
THE time has flown, "she added with
a glance of gratitude.
1T has been a pleasant evening for
me-" said with deep sincerity as we
went out into the street. The car
which passed the door would land us
within block of our destination, 80
l hailed it, and we found seats in its
open end. where the soft breeze
brought lightly to us the perfume of
the seas.
From my own land" she murmur-
ed. raising her face to catch its fresh
ness. "The spicy odor of my tropic
trees"
"You are homesick?" / asked.
Moves; a little bit homesick, /
think. This is such an event in my
prosaic life-my one great adventure
and 1t Is magnified by its strange
ness. grown to enormous size by my
fears. l am little frightened, little
homesick. You do not think me un-
grateful?"
II can understand"
New emotions have crowded In SO
fast-not all pleasant--and am very
young. I did not realize before how
young I am, not in years mean, but
in emotions. This is my first expert
ence of fear, anxiety mean before
you came to me. I do not know what
l should have done!"
She talked simply. speaking low,
and more to herself than to me, un-
der the influence of the wind which
came from of the sea; and /, listen
ing. heard every word. She was
tired little girl, under stress of din.
culties with which she had not the
knowledge of life to cope.
Il think you are very brave"
said.
mot that" she replied, shaking her
head. Even with you here, am far
from brave, and dread being alone
so much! But we shall hope to
find my friends, shall we not? And
then all will be explained. and you