White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-04-13
CHAPTER X-Continued

"Lady Sylvia ST. Croix? That is
u am-that is to say-may / present
myself?-you are-who are your"
She stared at him in what seemed
undisguised establishment and drew
away her hand. But she stepped out
of the crowd and stood aside with him
on the dock.
''You have been sent to fetch me?
You are, suppose" she said, scan
ming his recherche attire, my cousins
groon?"
The voice, the accent, were, to be
sure, as utterly different from Meely's
as were the tone and manner of the
girl-a self-possessed, reserved man.
ner that made st. Croix her abject
slave-in spite Of her unfattering and
stupid mistake in taking him for
groom-heavens
II am your Cousin ST. Croix, Lady
Sylvia" he stammeringy explained.
"Oh?" with surprised lift Of her
fine brows. "How do you do?" She
offered her gloved hand and as he
took 1t it flashed upon him that he
would know Nicely Schwencktons
hands among q thousand-he would
know the very touch of them-he had
always thought her hands so unusual
for working girl. When this girl
drew off her gloves But how utter
ly absurd Though the resemblance
was truly amazing
An experienced traveller, st. Croix
knew how to expedite the tedious Gus
toms business and in very short time
he was helping Lady Sylvia into a
taxicab.
Seated at her side in the cab, lis
tening with strained attention to the
tones Of her voice. stealing glances at
her exquisite profile, noting the move
ments of her gloved hands Gf only
she'd take off her gloves), st. Croix
felt every minute more bewildered
more uncertain. There was some.
thing in the very atmosphere Of her
presence that made him feel as if he
were sitting beside Meely-yet the in.
congruity of identifying in any way
this elegant creature with Nicely
Schwenckton-her civilized speech
with Meely's Pennsylvania Dutch dia
lect, her grace with Meely's vulgar
clumsiness, her sparkling countenanct
with Meely's heavy dullness, the sim
plicity of her couture with Meely'
elaborate pompadour-
The wild absurdity Of his predica
ment in not being sure made him feel
as he told himself, "woozy!"
All at once he recalled that Nicely
had tiny brown mole under the lobe
of her ear-he had kissed it often
Her hands and that mole If he coult
only lift the lobes of Lady Sylvia!
ears and have look But suppose HI
found the mole there-what would /
mean and what would he do about it
Surely this was the weirdest expert
ence that had ever fallen to the lot O
man!
"You have changed so much sine
you were a child Cousin Sylvia! l.
never have recognized YOU" He pu
out feeler.
mo, of course you wouldn't Whe
you last saw me, 1 was homely littl
towheaded, bow-legged, pigeon-toe'
frecllle-faced kidd"
The words had vaguely familia
sound to ST. Croix. He seemed to hea
again the unaccountable indignatio
with which Nicely Schwenckton, ths
day in the woods on the hill, had r.
peated, "Bow-legged" His head swal
and he felt almost i'll.
Suddenly he turned In his seat an
looked straight into her eyes with
very definite and frank suspicion
"This," he inquired with what he fe
to be subtle cunning, his eyes probin
hers like gimlets, was of course yor
first crossing?"
"Well, I've crossed the Channel s
often that crossing the Atlantic didn
seem anything Why, I'd hardly kno
/ was on boat at all, crossing tt
Atlantic. Why, crossing the Atla
tic"
She was evading a direct answer
his question land covering the ia
by volubly chattering.
Seated opposite each other, presen
ly, in the dining car, he waited
strained suspense for the critical m
ment when their waiter would bril-
their order and Lady Sylvia would
obliged to remove her gloves; and
the same time he was wondering no
he could contrive to have look b
hind her ears for that tiny mole; Il
that mole could have been no part
makeup; he knew 1t too intimat
ly not to be quite sure that it die
come off
$50" she suddenly remarked, re.
ing her folded arms on the table III
bending forward confidentially, ''yO1
brother, Marvin, won't have me, W
he?"
st. Croix made an effort to conce
his surprise and embarrassment
this unexpected broadside. He felt
lacked delicacy.
"I'm afraid when he sees you, he
change his mind!"
"'Afraid'?"
II needn't tell you why-you know
''Tell me-" she smilingly invite
whats he like?"
"a queer bird Seems to hate h
comforts! Wants to live like no
carrier or q street-cleaner or a.
Why, he's gone and taken a teachir
job, If you'll believe me, for a pet
little salary that wouldn't keep me
gasoline! Insists on living simply al
working for his living"
The walters arrival with their foo
brought him up short.