The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-11-05
CHAPTER |.

Andrea Pellor stood on the edge of
the cliff at the back Of the Indian
Ocean hotel and gaZcd out across
twenty-five miles of moonlt bay. 1t
was not for lack Of partner that she
stood alone. She had promised this
very extra to four inSiStcnt men, but
had excused herself to one after an
other of them, "Just for moment.
Just while powder my nosc"
They had all seen her run up the
stairs in the main hallway; they had
not seen her travel steadily on
through the length Of the hotel and
come down the ladder-lille exit into
the garden. Why had she done It?
That was q question that she herself
could not have answered but that did
not occur to her as a matter for solu-
ton, so often had q similar impulse
snatcheu her momcntarily away from
q crowded world.
Andrea had a past, but very little
history. She was the only daughter
of Lord Pcllor Of Pellor a land-poor
baron who could distribute five titles
among his five sons but very little
cash. AS q result Andrea had lived
the life, if life you can call it, Of tab
ulatcd impoverished English gentle
women: Everything that the traffic
will bear for the men Of the family
and for the girl just enough frocks at
her coming out to disscmblc tho bait
that clothes the hook that catches THO
man with millions.
During her first season offers had
come to her; not the measured ad-
vanceS Of buyers in the marriage mar
kct, for about the brow Of such bud.
ding maidenhoOd as had been hers
there hangs a guardian halo that
blinds the eyes Of sane-aged men, but
the Oerleaping onslaughts of youth
maddencd hearts.
1t was in her fifth season that the
arbitcrs Of her fate raised the shears
of destiny and clicked them. He who
fell to her lot was q man OF humble
origin who had reached the ripe age
Of fifty-eight without ever having had
time to marry. His life, with q diff
ference, had been just as narrow, hide
bound and conventional as had hers.
The difference was that he had trav-
clcd the stercotypcd Dick Wilmington
trail to high finance rather than the
social highway. He had started out In
Africa with pack OF cheap jcwelry,
an open mind and an easy conscience
and had emerged after twenty-five
years as one Of the few Gcntlles in the
combine that controls the worlds dia-
mOnd output. His wealth was so great
that an ultimate pcerage was almost
matter of course. But, as usual, an
aristocratic marriage had to come
first.
The contract was as cold-bloodcd as
any ever perpctratcd by royal house
Allowances, carefully graded, were
stipulated to be paid at fixed times tC
Andrea's parents and to each OF hel
five brothers. She herself came In fol-
a large and inalienablc marriage set
tlement and was further secured ir
such details as to where the town res
idence was to be located as well as tt
the number and nature Of the country
places which were to be maintained
When the document was finally com
pletcd 1T was casually submitted II
Andrea for approval. Nobody dreamed
that she would doubt for q mOmen
that those in family authority were
most able to decide what was best To-
her and nobody was right. She merel.
skinned through the typewriter
pages Of the prcnuptial agreement, SAT
isfied herself that vast sum Of none.
was destined to the upkeep of Pellor
and drcamy-cycd with sudden memo
rles, nodded her adorable head in cor
sent.
All doubtless would have taken It
appointed course had not the Euro
pean war put In It's nightly discon
ccrting finger. Surprising things hap
pened in South Africa. Andrca's afI
anced sailed on twenty-fOur hours nc
tice. The diamond mines closed dowr
took short nap, and then suddcnl
awakened to the fact that Amcric
alone was demanding as much Of thei
product as had the whole world befOr
it turned its entire attention to NAL
Ing munitions and paying for then
Andrea's betrothed found himself hal
messed to his job, possibly for the dS
ration of the war. AS q result 1t we
decided In family cOnclave that 1t we
incumbent upon Andrea to take q.