OCR Text |
Show ! CD HAROLD MADakAffl( m J Author f The Carpe t IromDadadSlr ! The Place o'flonsyiuoons.cfc. j COPYRIGHT BY TM 0OB3J-f1ZKVLL COnPAtlY & in the other's eves. "I shouldn't do it, Mallow." he said. "I shouldn't. Nothing Noth-ing would please me better than to have a good excuse to chuck you over the rail. Upon a time you had the best of me. 1 wa5 a sick man then. I'm in. tolerable good health at present." "You crow, I could break you like ai pipe stem." Mallow rammed his hands; into his coat pockets, scowling contemptuously. con-temptuously. He weighed fully twenty pounds more than Warrington. Crow! Warrington shrugged. In the East crow is a rough synonym for thief. "You're at liberty to return to In the East Crow Is a Rough Synonym for Thief! your diggings forward with that impression," im-pression," he replied coolly. "When we get to Singapore," rising slowly tr his height until rJs eyes were level with Mallow's, "when ve get to Singapore, Singa-pore, I'm going to ask you for that fifty pounds, earned in honest labor." "And if I decline to pay?" truculently. trucu-lently. "We'll talk that over when we reach port. Now," roughly, "get out. There-won't There-won't be any baiting done today, thank you." "Cockalorem!" jeered Mallow. Craig touched his sleeve, but he threw off" the hand roughly. He was one of the best rough and tumble fighters in tha Straits settlements. "You thieving beach-comber, I don't want to mess-up mess-up the deck with you, but I'll cut your-comb your-comb for you when we get to port." Warrington laughed insolently and picked up the parrot cage. "I'll bring the comb. In fact, I always carry it."" Not a word to Craig, not a glance ia his direction. Warrington stepped to the companionway and went below. Craig could not resist grinning at Mallow's discomfiture. "Wouldn't break, eh-r"' "Shut your mouth! The sneaking dock-walloper, I'll take the starch out of him when we land! Always had that high and mighty air. Wants folks to think he's a gentleman." "He was once," said Craig. "No use giving you advice; but he's not a. healthy individual to bait. I'm no "kitten "kit-ten when it comes to scrapping; but I -haven't any desire to mix things with him." The fury of the man who had given him the ducking was still vivid. He had been handled as a terrier-handles terrier-handles a rat. "I tell you he's yellow. And with a. hundred thousand in his clothes, he'lt be yellower still." A hundred thousand. Craig frowned and gazed out to sea. He had forgotten forgot-ten all about the windfall. "Let's go and have a peg," he suggested surlily. Immediately upon obtaining her rooms at Raffles hotel in Singapore, (and leaving Martha there to await the arrival of the luggage, an imposing impos-ing collection of trunks arid boxes and kitbags), Elsa went down to the American Amer-ican consulate, which had its offices irt the rear of the hotel. She walked through the outer office and stood silently si-lently at the consul general's elbow, waiting for him to look up. She wa dressed in white, and in the pugree or her helmet was the one touch of color, Rrjah's blue feather. The consul genera) gen-era) turned his head. His kindly face- . had the settled expression of indulgent indul-gent inquiry. The expression changed swiftly into one of delight. "Elsa Chetwood!" he cried, seizing: her hands. "Well, well! I am glad to sees you. Good gracious what a beautiful beau-tiful woman you've turned out to bef Sit down, sit down!" He pushed her into a chair. "Well, well! When I saw you last you were nineteen." "What a frightful memory you have! And I was going to my first ball. Yoi used the same adjective." "Is there a better one? I'll use it if there is. You've arrived just in time. I am giving a little dinner to the consuls con-suls and their wives tonight. You see, I've an old friend from India in town today, and I've asked him, too. Your appearance evens up matters." "Oh; then I'm just a filler-in!" "Heavens, no! You're the most important im-portant person of the lot, though Colonel Colo-nel Knowlton . . ." "Colonel Knowlton!" exclaimed Elsa. "That's so, by George! Stupid of me. You came down on the same boat-Fine! boat-Fine! Y'ou know each other." (TO BE CONTINUED.) It's got to be told. I should have avoided It if it had been possible. He is the owner of the plantation. Oh. 1 rather expected something like this. It's my run of luck. I was just recovering recov-ering from the fever. God knows how he found out, but he did. It was during dur-ing the rains. He told me to get out that night. Didn't care whether I died on the road or not. I should have but for my boy James. The man sent along with us a poor discarded woman, wom-an, of whom he had grown tired. She died when we reached town. 1 had hardly any money. He refused to pay me for the last two months, about llfty pounds. There was no redress for me. There was no possible way I could get back at him. Miss Chetwood. I took money that did not belong to me. It went over gaming tables. Craig. 1 ran away. Craig knows and this man Mallow knows. Can you not see the wisdom of giving me a wide berth?" "Oh, I am sorry!" she cried. "Thanks. But you see: I am an outcast. out-cast. Tonight, not a soul on board will be in Ignorance of who I am and what I have done. Trust Craig and Mallow for that. Thursday we shall be in Singapore. You must not speak to me again. Give them to understand that you have found me out, that I imposed on your kindness." "That I will not do." "Act as you please. There are empty chairs at the second-class table, among the natives. And now, good-by. The happiest hours in ten long years are due to you." He took off his helmet and stepped aside for her to pass. She held out her hand, but he shook his head. "Don't make it harder for me." "Mr. Warrington, I am not a child!" "To me you have been the angel of kindness; and the light in your face I shall always see. Please go now." "Very well." A new and unaccountable unaccount-able pain filled her throat and forced her to carry her head high. "I can find my way back to the other deck." CHAPTER XII. The Game of Gossip. During the concluding days of the voyage Elsa had her meals served on deck. She kept Martha with her continually, con-tinually, promenaded only early in the morning and at night while the other passengers were at dinner. This left a clear deck. She walked quickly, her arm in Martha's, literally propelling her along, never spoke unless spoken to, and then answered In monosyllables. monosyl-lables. Her thoughts flew to a thousand thou-sand and one things, futilely and vainly, vain-ly, in the endeavor to shut out the portrait of the broken mao. What was he doing, of what was he thinking, where would he go and what would he do? She hated night which, no longer offering sleep, provided nothing in lieu of it, and compelled her to remain in the stuffy cabin. She was afraid. Early Wednesday morning she passed Craig and Mallow; but the two had wit enough to step aside for her and to speak only with their eyes. She filled Craig wth unadulterated fear. Mallow dragged along the gambler whenever he found a chance to see Elsa at close range. "There's a woman. Gad! that beachcomber beach-comber has taste." "I tell you to look out for her," Craig warned again. "I know what I'm talking about." Mallow whistled. "Oho! You probably prob-ably acted the fool. Drinking?" Craig nodded affirmatively. "Thought so. Even a Yokohama barmaid bar-maid will fight shy of a boozer. I'm going to meet her when we get to Singapore, or my name's rot Mallow." Craig laughed with malice. "I hope you will. It will take some of the brag out of you. Say, let's go aft and hunt up the chap. I understand he's takn up quarters in the second cabin." "Doesn't want to run into me. All right; come on. We'll stir him up a little and have some fun." They found Warrington up in the stern, sitting on the deck, surrounded by squatting Lascars, some Chinamen and a solitary white man, the chief engineer's en-gineer's assistant. The center of interest in-terest was Rajah, who was performing his tricks. Among these was one that the bird rarely could be made to perform, the threading of beads. He despised this act, as it entailed the putting put-ting of a blunt needle in his Ize&k. He flung it aside each time Warrington handed it to him. But ever his master patiently returned it. At length, recognizing recog-nizing that the affair might be prolonged pro-longed indefinitely, Rajah put two beads on the thread and tossed it aside. The Lascars jabbered, the Chinamen grinned, and the chief engineer's en-gineer's assistant swore approvingly. The parrot shrilled and waddled back to his cage. I "Fine business for a whole man!" I Warrington looked up to meet the cynical eyes of Mallow. He took out his cutty and fired it. Otherwise he did not move nor let his gaze swerve. Mallow, towering above him, could scarcely resist the temptation to stir his enemy with the toe of his boot. His hatred for Warrington was not wholly due to his brutal treatment of him j Mallow always took pleasure in dominating domi-nating those under him by fear. Warrington War-rington had done his work well. He had always recognized Mallow as his employer, but in no other capacity; he had never offered to smoke a pipe with him. or to take a hand at cards or split a bottle. It had not been done offensively; but in this attitude Mai. low had recognized his manager's disapproval dis-approval of him, an inner consciousness conscious-ness of superiority in birth and education. educa-tion. He had with supreme satisfaction satisfac-tion ordered him off the plantation that memorable night. Weak as the man had been in body, there had been no indication of weakness in spirit. Occultly Warrinaton read the desire SYNOPSIS. 9 Wui -million, an American ad t-m urer. and J;im.-s. hiH s.-rvant, with a i-a. U par-roc, par-roc, tlie ro known up and down the Ir-riiwaddi' Ir-riiwaddi' as Parrot & Co., are bound for Rangoon. Elsa Chelwood, rich American girl tourist, sees Warri iik con and asks the purser to introduce her. lie tells her that v arrliiKton las beaten a syndicate and sold his oil claims for 20.000. Warrington puts Hajah. the parrot, through Ids tricks tor Elsa and they pass two golden davs together on the river. .Martha, Elsa's rompanion. warns her that there is gossip. gos-sip. In Rangoon. Warrington interferes 'n a row over cards caused by an enemy. Newell Craig, and threatens to shoot him unless he leaves town. Elsa is annoyed by Craig and stabs him with a hatpin. Warrington bids Elsa good-by. Warrington Warring-ton discovers Elsa on the Singapore steamer. Elsa tells him ot her engagement. engage-ment. He avoids Elsa. who thinks he may be ill and makes inquiries, regardless regard-less o the misinterpretation of her concern. con-cern. Craig Is aboard and is warned by Warrington. Warrington ceases to avoid Elsa. Craig stirs up evil gossip. Elsa tells Warrington of the hatpin incident and he hunts up Craig, on murder bent, only to find him stretched out drunk on deck. Warrington turns the hose on Craig. He tells Elsa that he is a man under a cloud and to be avoided, but Elsa refuses. She gets the cut direct from society passengers. passen-gers. CHAPTER XI Continued. For years Martha had discharged her duties, If mechanically yet with a sense of pleasure and serenity. At this moment she was as one pushed unexpectedly to the brink of a precipice, preci-pice, over which the slightest misstep would topple hea, The world was out of joint. "I wish we had gone to Italy," she remarked finally. "It would not have served my purpose pur-pose In the least. I should have been dancing and playing bridge and going to operas. I should have had no time for thinking." "Thinking!" Martha elevated her brows with an air that implied that she greatly doubted this statement. "Yes, thinking. It is not necessary that I should mope and shut myself up In a cell, Martha, in order to think. I have finally come to the end of my doubts, if that will gratfy you. From now on you may rely upon one thing, tp a certainty," Martha hesitated to put the question. ques-tion. "I am not going to marry Arthur. He is charming, graceful, accomplished; accom-plished; but I want a man. I should not be happy with him. I can twist him too easily around my finger. I admit ad-mit that he exercises over me a certain cer-tain indefinable fascination; but when he is out of sight it amounts to the sum of all this doddering and doubting. doubt-ing. It is probable that I shall make an admirable old maid. Wisdom has its disadvantages. I might be very happy with Arthur, were I not so wise." She smiled again at the reflection reflec-tion In the mirror. "Now, let us go and astonish the natives." There was a mild flutter of eyelids as sue sat down beside Warrington and began to chatter to him in Italian. He made a brave show of following her, but became hopelessly lost after a few minutes. Elsa spoke fluently; twelve years had elapsed since his last visit to Italy. He admitted his confusion, con-fusion, and thereafter it was only occasionally oc-casionally that she brought the tongue Into the conversation. This diversion, which she employed mainly to annoy her neighbors, was, in truth, the very worst thing she could have done. They no longer conjectured; they assumed, as-sumed, Warrington was too strongly dazzled daz-zled by her beauty tonight to be mentally men-tally keen or to be observing as was his habit. He never spoke to his neighbor; he had eyes for none but Elsa, under whose spell he knew that he would remain while he lived. He was nothing to her; he readily understood. under-stood. She was restless and lonely, and he amused her. So be it. He believed be-lieved that there could not be an un-happier, un-happier, more unfortunate man than himself. To have been betrayed by the one he had loved, second to but one, and to have this knowledge thrust upon him after all these years, was evil enough; but the nadir of his misfortunes mis-fortunes had been reached by the appearance ap-pearance of this unreadable young woman. "You are not listening to a word I am saying!" "I beg your pardon! But I warned you that my Italian was rusty." He pulled himself together. "But 1 have been rattling away in English!" "And 1 have been wool-gathering." ' "Not at all complimentary to me." j "It is because I am very unhappy; I It is because Tantalus and I are broth-i broth-i ers." "I wish 1 could make you forget." "On the contrary, the sight of you , makes memory all the keener." He had never spoken like that before. be-fore. It rather subdued her, made her regret that she had surrendered to a vanity that was without aim or direction. direc-tion. Farthest from her "thought was conquest of the man. She did not wish to hurt him. She was not a coquette After dinner he did not suggest the I usual promenade. Instead, he excused himself and went below. . They arrived at Penang early Mon-ay Mon-ay morning. Elsa decided that War Ington should take her and Martha on personally conducted tour of the pretty town. As they left for shore he produced a small beautiful blue feather; feath-er; he gave it to Elsa with the compliments compli-ments of Rajah; and she stuck it in the pugree of her helmet. "This is not from the dove of peace." "Its archenemy, rather," he laughed. "I wish I had the ability to get as furious as that bird, it might do me a world of good." "And how long is it since you were here?" "Four years," he answered without enthusiasm. He would not have come ashore at all but for the fact that Elsa had ordered the expedition. There was no inclination to explore the shops; so they hired a landau and rode about town, climbed up to the quaint temple in the hills, and made a tour of the botanical gardens. "Isn't it delicious!" murmured Elsa, taking in deep breaths of the warm spice-laden air. Since her visit to the wonderful gardens at Kandy in Ceylon Cey-lon she had found a new interest in plants and trees. She thoroughly enjoyed the few hours on land, even to the powwow Warrington had with the unscrupulous driver, who, at the journey's end, substituted sub-stituted one price for another, despite his original bargain. As they waited for the tender that was to convey tbem back to the ship. Elsa observed a powerful middle-aged man, gray-haired, hawk-faced, steel-eyed, steel-eyed, watching her companion intently. intent-ly. Then his boring gaze traveled over her, from her canvas shoes to her helmet. hel-met. There was something so baldly appraising in the look that a flush of anger surged into her cheeks. The man turned and said something to his companion, who shrugged and smiled. Impatiently Elsa tugged at Warrington's Warring-ton's sleeve. "Who is that man over there by the railing?" she asked in a very low voice. "He looks as if he knew you." "Knew me?" Warrington echoed. The moment he had been dreading had come. Someone who knew him! He Then His Boring Gaze Traveled Over Her. turned his head slowly, and Elsa, who had not dropped her hand, could feel the muscles of his arm stiffen under the sleeve. He held the stranger's eye defiantly for a space. The latter laughed insolently if silently. It was more for Elsa's sake than for his own that Warrington allowed the other to stare him down. The flame passed, leaving him as cold as ashes. "I shall tell you who he is later; not here." For the second time since that night on the Irrawaddy, Elsa recorded a disagreeable dis-agreeable sensation. It proved to be transitory, but at the time it served to establish a stronger doubt in regard to her independence, so justifiable in her own eyes. It might be insidiously leading lead-ing her too far away from the step-ping-off place. The unspoken words in those hateful eyes! 'I he man knew Warrington, knew him perhaps as a malefactor, and judged his associates accordingly. She thus readily saw the place she occupied in the man's estimation. esti-mation. She experienced a shiver of dread as she observed that he stepped on board the tender. She even heard him call back to his friend to expect him in from Singapore during the second sec-ond week in March. But the dread went away, and pride and anger grew instead. All the way back to the ship she held her chin in the air, and from time to time her nostrils dilated. That look! If she had been nearer she was certain that she would have struck him across the face. "There will be no one up in the bow," said Warrington. "Will you go up there with me?" After a moment's hesitation, she nodded. A moment after she felt the old familiar throb under her feet, and the ship moved slowly out of the bay. "Do you know that that man came aboard?" "I know it." The wide half-circle of eocoanut palms grew denser and lower i as they drew away. "This Is the story. |