The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-02-11
CHAPTER 1
The Amorous Hostess

Siaftha Quinn was unneriurhcd
Hers was a nina that confined s..
self 10 the essentials OF life. ia sus.
tenance and reproduction. Not Tor
her 70 plague herself with the com.
plcNltics ~ existence. with considega.
lions OF tho Hereafter or dispntniions
upon the various eroeds hy which its
happiness may be ensured "a mat.
ter upon which mcn have aiwaya
heen ready % send ono another upon
exploring voyages thiiheg or set
with the political opinions hy which
a nation Is fiercely divided. Not
even The preparations for war with
Holland, which were agitatlng men
so Violently, or The plague.scare based
upon reports % several cases In the
outskirts OF the cry, could dlaturb
tho serenity % her direct existence.
The vices of tho court. which afford,
ed such delectahle scandle for the
town. touched her moro nearly. aa
DID the circumstance that yellow
hird's'eyo hoods wcra now an the
rage with ladies Of fashion. and the
fae, that London was lost Ia worship
~ the beauty and talent Of Sylvia
FarquhaFSon. who vas appearing
with Mr. Bettcrton M the dukes
house IN The part Of Katherine in
Lord orrery's Henry tho Flnh"
Even 20. 20 Martha Quinn. who
very compcientiy kept tho Paura
Head, In pauts Yard. these things
were but tho unlmportant triiies that
gaFnish the dish q life. II was upon
iifc's main concerns that she coucen.
trated her attcation. * an that re-
gardcd meat and drink her learning
-aa became the hostess % 10 pros.
porous a housS-waa probably un.
rlyaied. Upon these talents was her
solid prosperity erected. she possess.
81. flrthsr-as became ire mother OF
six sturdy children OF assorted pa.
tcrniiy-a discerning eye Tor a fine
figure OF man.
II was 20 this fact aiiho he was
very FAR from HuspoctinE it-that
Colonel HOLES owed the good fortune
OF having lodged IN luxury for tho
past month without ever a reckoning
asked or 20 much a. a question on
the subject OF his means.
Mrs. Quinn mad assigned 90 his ex.
elusive uso n eozy nttis parlor be-
hind tho common room. on tho win
dpwaeat Of this ii,tlc parior he now
lounged. willis; Mrs. Quinn herself
and the day was long pas, In which
it had been her need or hablt With her
own plump hands 20 perform 50
mental an office removed from the
table tho remains OF his very solid
breakfast.
Observing him furttvsiy. With
furtiveness. indeed. that was almost
habitual 20 her. Mrs. Quinn pursued
her task. moving between table and
sidsboard. and hesita,ed 10 break IN
upon his abstraction She was a
woman on the short ssda OF middle
height. well hlpped and deep OF Dos
ON. but not excessively. Tho phraso
plump a. partridge might have
been Invented 20 describe her. In
age she cannot have been much ahorf
Of 40. and whilst not without a Ger.
tain honeiy comcliness. in no judy.
meat but her own could she have
becn accounted beautiful. Very hius
Of eye and VERY rudy % cheek. sha
looked the embodiment OF health: and
this rendered her no. unpicaslng. But
the disc>fnlng would have perceived
greed IN the full mouth with It's long
upper lip. and sly cunning
compensation 70 low intelilgenccs--ln
her vivid eyes.
Il remains. however. that she was
endowed with charms enough of per.
son and fortune 70 attract Coleman.
the bookseller from the corutr OF
Paul's Yard. and AppIeby. the mercer
from Paternoster Row. sho might
marry either OF them when she pleas.
ed. But she did not please. Her re-
gard for essentials rendered the
knock-kuces Of Appleby as repulsiyc
to her az the bowiegs of Coleman.
OF late. Il Is true. the thought Of MIR.
riags had been engaging her. She
realized tina, the ago Of adventure
touched It's end for her. and that the
time had come TO take n life compan.
Ion and settle sobcrly. Fifteen years
OF good management. prosperity. and
thrift at the Paui's Head had made
her wealthy. when she pleased she
could leave Paui's Yard. acquire a
modest demesne In the country, and
become ono OF the ladies' OF the land.
position for which aha felt herself
ernIncntly qualified. That which her
birth might lack. that in which her
birth might have done poor Justice 20
her nature. husband could supply.
Often OF late had her summing blue
eyes been narrowed In mental review
OF this situation. What she required
for her purposes was a gentleman
born and bred whom fortune had re.
duced in circumstances and vino
would. therefore. be modest in the
matter Of matrimonial ambitions. He
mus; also be a proper man.
Such man she had found at last
In Colonel HOLES. From tho moment
when a month ago he strobe into
her Inn followed by an urchin hhoul-
dering his vaiise and packages. and
delivered himself upon his imme-
dat. needs. she had recognized him
for the husband she sought. and
marked him for her own. At a
glance she had appraised him: the
tall. soldicriy figure. broad TO the
waist. thence spare to the ground;
the handsome face. shaven like u
Pnritan's. yet between clusters
Of goId-brown hair. thick as n
cavaliers periwig. tho long pear.
shaped ruby--a relic, no doubt OF
more prosperous dangling
from his rsht car: the long sword
upon whose pummel his left hand
rested with the easy grace Of long
habit: the assured poIse. tho ali
Of command. and pleasant yet au.
thoriiatlve voice. Al this she OBJ