The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1920-01-08
CHAPTER J..

| Andrea Pellor stood on the edge Of
| the cliff at the back of the Indian
liOcean hotel and gazed out across
| twenty-five miles of moonlit bay. 1t
was not for lack of partner that she
! stood alone. She had promised this
very extra TO four insistent men, but
/ had excused herself to one after an.
other Of them, Just for moment.
Just while powder my nose"
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-like exit into
the garden. Why had she done 1t?
That was question that she herself
could not have answered but that did
not occur to her as a matter for solu-
ton, so often had similar impulse
snatched her momentarily away from
a crowded world.
Andrea had past, but very little
history. She was the only daughter
Of Lord Pellor of Pellor, land-poor
baron who could distribute FIVE titles
among his five sons but very little
cash. As a result Andrea had lived
the life, il life you can call It, Of tab
ulated 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 dissemble the bait
that clothes the hook that catches the
man with millions.
During her first season offers had
come to her; not the measured ad-
vances of buyers in the maria ge mar
ket, for about the brow Of such bud.
ding maidenhood as had been hers
there hangs guardian halo that
blinds the eyes of sane-aged men. but
the o'erleaping onslaughts Of youth
maddened hearts.
1t was In her fifth season that the
arblters of her fate raised the shears
of destiny and clicked them. He who
F., fell to her lot was man of humble
origin who had reached the ripe age
of fifty-elght without ever having had
time to marry. His life, with diff.
ference, had been just as narrow, hide
bound and conventional as had hers.
| The difference was that he had trav-
eled the stereotyped Dick Wilmington
trail TO high finance rather than the
social highway. He had started out In
! Africa with a pack Of cheap jewelry,
an open mind and an cnsy conscience,
| and had emerged after twenty-five
J yenrs rs one Of the few Gentllcs In the
/ combine thdt controls the worlds dia-
mond output. His wealth was so great
that an ultimate pcerage was almost
a matter Of course. But as usual, an
aristocrntlc marriage had 10 come
| first.
| The contract was as cold-bloOded as
any ever perpeirated by royal house.
Allowances, carefully graded, were
! stipulated to be paid at fixed times to
| Andrea's parents and to each, of her
five brothers. She herself came in for
large and inalienablc marriage set
tlement and was further secured in
such details as to where the town res
idence was to be located as well as TO
the number and nature Of the country
places which were TO be maintained I
When the document was finally com
pleted It was casually submitted to
Andrea for approval. Nobody dreamed
that she would doubt for moment
that those in family authority were
most able to decide what was best for
her and nobody was right. She merely
skinned through the typewriter
pages of the prenuptial agreement, sat
sfied herself that vast sum OF money
was destined to the upkeep of Pellor,
and drenmy-eyed with sudden memo
ries, nodded her adorable head in con-
sent.
All doubtless would have taken its
appointed course had not the Euro.
pcan war put In lis nightly discon-
certing finger. Surprising things hap
pened In South Africa. Andrea's afli.
, Gnced sailed on twenty-four hours no
tice. The diamond mines closed down
4 took short nap, and then suddenly
awakened TO the fact that America
1 alone was demanding as much of their
product as had the whole world before
It turned its entire attention to max
ing munitions and paying for them.
$ Andrea's betrothed found himself har-
messed to his job, possibly for the du-
ration Of the war. As n result it was
decided In family conclave that It was
| incumbent upon Andrea TO take adj
vantage of n prOvldentlal detail OF two
of her brothers on the Nyassaland ex-
peditionary force and accompany
them, surrendering st. Georges chapel
for quiet marriage in the colonies.
II was n blow, but the fact that the
entire set OF tapered allowances
would not start until the sacrlaclal
ceremony had taken place more than
of e the loss in porlp Andrea start
ef cor Africa escorted moi only by the
rementloned brothers but by old
Y anty Gwen, hale ana hearty at sew
lty In spite or perhaps by reason, Of
having been frightened out of many
years growth. So here they were,
~ q. q 'Frr-- :.