Produced by David WidgerTHEIR PILGRIMAGEBy Charles Dudley WarnerI FORTRESS MONROEWhen Irene looked out of her stateroom window early in the morning ofthe twentieth of March there was a softness and luminous quality inthe horizon clouds that prophesied spring The steamboat which had leftBaltimore and an arctic temperature the night before was drawing nearthe wharf at Fortress Monroe and the passengers most of whom wereseeking a mild climate were crowding the guards eagerly scanning thelong facade of the Hygeia HotelIt looks more like a conservatory than a hotel said Irene to herfather as she joined himI expect thats about what it is All those long corridors above andbelow enclosed in glass are to protect the hothouse plants of NewYork and Boston who call it a Winter Resort and I guess theresconsiderable winter in itBut how charming it isthe soft sea air the low capes yonder thesails in the opening shining in the haze and the peaceful old fort Ithink its just enchantingI suppose it is Get a thousand people crowded into one hotel underglass and let em buzz aroundthat seems to be the present notion ofenjoyment I guess your motherll like itAnd she did Mrs Benson who appeared at the moment a little flurriedwith her hasty toilet a stout matronly person rather overdressedfor traveling exclaimed What a homelike looking place I do hope theStimpsons are hereNo doubt the Stimpsons are on hand said Mr Benson Catch them notknowing whats the right thing to do in March They know just as well asyou do that the Reynoldses and the Van Peagrims are hereThe crowd of passengers alert to register and secure rooms hurriedup the windy wharf The interior of the hotel kept the promise of theoutside for comfort Behind the glassdefended verandas in the spaciousoffice and general loungingroom seacoal fires glowed in the widegrates tables were heaped with newspapers and the illustrated pamphletsin which railways and hotels set forth the advantages of leaving homeluxurious chairs invited the lazy and the tired and the hotelbureautelegraphoffice railwayoffice and postoffice showed the newcomerthat even in this resort he was still in the centre of activity anduneasiness The Bensons who had fortunately secured rooms a month inadvance sat quietly waiting while the crowd filed before the registerand took its fate from the courteous autocrat behind the counterNo room was the nearly uniform answer and the travelers had thesatisfaction of writing their names and going their way in search ofentertainment Weve eight hundred people stowed away said the clerkand not a spot left for a hen to roostAt the end of the file Irene noticed a gentleman clad in aperfectlyfitting rough traveling suit with the inevitable crocodilehandbag and tightlyrolled umbrella who made no effort to enroll aheadof any one else but having procured some letters from the postofficeclerk patiently waited till the rest were turned away and thenput down his name He might as well have written it in his hat Thedeliberation of the man who appeared to be an old traveler thoughprobably not more than thirty years of age attracted Irenes attentionand she could not help hearing the dialogue that followedWhat can you do for meNothing said the clerkCant you stow me away anywhere It is Saturday and very inconvenientfor me to go any fartherCannot help that We havent an inch of roomWell where can I goYou can go to Baltimore You can go to Washington or you can go toRichmond this afternoon You can go anywhereCouldnt I said the stranger with the same deliberationwouldntyou let me go to CharlestonWhy said the clerk a little surprised but disposed toaccommodatewhy yes you can go to Charleston If you take atonce the boat you have just left I guess you can catch the train atNorfolkAs the traveler turned and called a porter to reship his baggage hewas met by a lady who greeted him with the cordiality of an oldacquaintance and a volley of questionsWhy Mr King this is good luck When did you come have you a goodroom What no not goingMr King explained that he had been a resident of Hampton Roads justfifteen minutes and that having had a pretty good view of the placehe was then making his way out of the door to Charleston without anybreakfast because there was no room in the innOh that neverll do That cannot be permitted said his engagingfriend with an air of determination Besides I want you to go with uson an excursion today up the James and help me chaperon a lot of youngladies No you cannot go awayAnd before Mr Stanhope Kingfor that was the name the traveler hadinscribed on the registerknew exactly what had happened by somemysterious power which women can exercise even in a hotel whenthey choose he found himself in possession of a room and wasgayly breakfasting with a merry party at a little round table in thediningroomHe appears to know everybody was Mrs Bensons comment to Irene asshe observed his greeting of one and another as the guests tardily camedown to breakfast Anyway hes a genteellooking party I wonder if hebelongs to Sotor King and Co of New YorkOh mother began Irene with a quick glance at the people at the nexttable and then if he is a genteel party very likely hes a drummerThe drummers know everybodyAnd Irene confined her attention strictly to her breakfast and neverlooked up although Mrs Benson kept prattling away about the youngmans appearance wondering if his eyes were dark blue or only darkgray and why he didnt part his hair exactly in the middle and donewith it and a full close beard was becoming and he had a good frankface anyway and why didnt the Stimpsons come down and Oh theresthe Van Peagrims and Mrs Benson bowed sweetly and repeatedly tosomebody across the roomTo an angel or even to that approach to an angel in this world aperson who has satisfied his appetite the spectacle of a crowd ofpeople feeding together in a large room must be a little humiliatingThe fact is that no animal appears