The L'Anse sentinel., 1924-01-11
CHAPTER VIII

| A week after the liner Atlantic had
docked at Southampton, Sam Marlowe
might have been observed-and was OBJ
served by various Of the residents-sit-
ting on bench on the esplanade of
that repellent watering-place, Bingley-
on-the-Sea, In Sussex. All watering
places on the south coast Of England
are blots on the landscape, but. though
l am aware that by saying II I shall
offend the civic pride of some Of the
others, none are so peculiarly foul as
Bingley-on-the-Sea. The asphalt ON
the Bingley esplanade Is several de-
grees more depressing than the asphalt
on other esplanades. The Swiss wait
ers at the Hotel Magnificent, where
Sam was stopping, are in class Of
bungling incompetence by themselves,
the envy and despair Of all the other
Swiss walters at all the other Hotels
Magnificent along the coast. For
dreariness Of aspect Bingley-on-the-Sea
stands alone. The very waves that
break on the shingle seem to creep up
the beach reluctantly. as II 1t revolted
them to come to such place.
Why, then, was Sam Marlowe visiting
this ozoneswept Gehenna3 Why, with
all the rest Of England at his disposal,
had he chosen to spend a week at
breezy blighted Bingley2
Simply because he had been disap-
pointed In love. He had sought relief
by sinking Off alone to the most be-
nighted spot he knew, In the same
spirit as other men In similar circum-
stances had gone off to the Rockies to
shoot grizzly bears.
To a certain extent the experiment
had proved successful. II the Hotel
Magnificent had not cured his agony,
the service and the cooking there had
at least done much to take his mind of
1t. His heart still ached, but he felt
equal to going to London and seeing
his father. which, Of course he ought
to have done Immediately upon his ar
rival In England.
He rose from his bench and, going
back to the hotel to inquire about
trains, observed familiar figure In the
lobby. Eustace Hignett was leaning
over the counter. In conversation with
the desk-clerk.
"Hullo, Eustacei" said Sam.
"Hullo. Samr said Eustace.
There was a brief silence. The con-
versational opening had been a little
unfortunately chosen, for 1t reminded
both men Of painful episode In their
recent lives.
"what are you doing here3" asked
Eustace.
what are you doing herer' asked
Sam. =
II came to see you," said Eustace
leading his cousin out Of the lobby and
onto the bleak esplanade. A fine rain
had begun to fall, and Bingley looked,
II possible, worse than ever. II asked
for you at your club, and they told me
you had come down here"
what did you want to see me
aboutr"
"The fact is. old man. I'm In bit Of
q hole"
whats the matterr
ITS rather long story" said Eus-
tace deprecatingly.
60 ahead.
II don't know where to begin"
"Have dash at starting at the be-
ginning"
Eustace stared gloomily at strand
ed crab on the beach below. The crab
stared gloomily back.
"well, you remember my telling you
about the girl ! met on the boatr'
"Jane SomethingT
-Jane Hubbard" said Eustace rev.
erently. "Sam, love that girl"
II know. You told me-
But l didn't tell her. tried to
muster up the nerve, but we got to
Southampton without my having
clicked. What dashed difficult thing
q proposal IL to bring OF. isn't itf
didn't bring It on, and 1t began to look
to me as though 1 was In the soup.
And then she told me something which
gave me an idea. She said the Ben
netts had invited her to stay with
them In the country when she got to
England. Old Mr.. Bennett and his
pal Mortimer, Bream's father, were
trying to get house somewhere which
i they could share. Only so far they
hadn't managed to find the house they
wanted. When I heard that. l said,
Harr
Il - a