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Show Aufhor of ThcCm-pGirroinDadadSu The Place Honeymoons, etc. COPYRIGHT BY Tti BOBBJ-rtElWLL COnPAMY W "Cc.ll in the morning. I'll it yw. know what the charges are." "1 forgot. Here are twenty pound. Yol ctn return the balance when 1 call, d am very grateful " "By the way. there is a man here by the name of Mallow," began thfa consul general. "Yes," interrupted Warrington, with a smile which was grim and cruel. "I expect to call upon him. He owes me something like fifty pounds, and I am going to collect it." Then he went out. The consul general dropped Mallow's Mal-low's perfecto into the wastebasket and lighted his pipe. Once more he read the cablegram. The Andes Construction Con-struction company. What a twist, what ar absurd kink in the skein! Nearly all of Elsa's wealth lay bound up in this enormous business which General Chetwood had founded thirty odd years before. And neither of them knew! "I am not a bad man at heart," he mused, "but I liked the young man's expression when I mentioned that bully Mallow." He joined his family at five. He waved aside tea, and called for a lemon-squash. "Elsa, I am going to give you a lecture." lec-ture." "Didn't I tell you?" cried Elsa to the wife. "I felt in my bones that he was going to say this very thing." She turned to her old-time friend. "Go on; lecture me." "In the first place, you are too kind-hearted." kind-hearted." "That will be news to my friends. They say I have a heart of ice." "And what you think is independence independ-ence of sprit is sometimes indiscretion." indiscre-tion." "Oh," said Elsa, becoming serious. "A man came into my office today. He is a rich copra grower from Pe-nang. Pe-nang. He spoke of you. You passed him on going out. If I had been twenty twen-ty years younger I'd have punched his ugly head. His name is Mallow, and he's not a savory chap." Elsa's cheeks burned. ' She never would forget the look in' that man's eyes. The look might have been in other men's eyes, but conventionality had always veiled it; she had never seen it before. "Go on;" but her voice was unsteady. un-steady. "Somewhere along the Irrawaddy you made the acquaintance of a young man who calls himself Warrington, familiarly fa-miliarly known as Parrot & Co. I'll be generous. Not one woman in a thousand would have declined to accept ac-cept the attentions of such a man. He is cultivated, undeniably good looking, look-ing, a strong man, mentally and physically." Elsa's expression was now enigmatical. enig-matical. "There's not much veneer to him. He fooled me unintentionally. He was quite evidently born a gentleman, of a race of gentlemen. His is not an isolated iso-lated case. One misstep, and the road to the devil." The consul general's wife sent a startled glance at Elsa, who spun her sunshade to lighten the tension of her nerves. "He confessed frankly to me this morning that he is a fugitive from justice. jus-tice. He wishes to return to America. He recounted the circumstances of your meeting." "Uncle Jim, 1 have traveled pretty much over this world, and I never met a gentleman if Warrington is not one." There was unconscious belligerency in her tone. "Ah, there's the difficulty which women will never be made to under stand. Every man can, at one time or ; another, put himself upon his good behavior. be-havior. Underneath he may be a fine rascal." "Not this one," smiling. "He warned me against himself a dozen times, but that served to make me stubborn. The i fault of my conduct," acidly, "was not in making this pariah's acquaintance ' It lies in the fact that I had nothing to . do with the other passengers, from choice. That is where I was indiscreet. . But why should I put myself out to - gain the good wishes of people for whom I have no liking; people I shall s probably never see again when I leave ) this port?" I "You forget that some of them wil.' i be your fellow passengers all the way i to San Francisco. My child, you know i as well as I do that there are some i laws which the Archangel Michael s would have to obey, did he wish to in-i in-i habit this earth for a while." : "Poor Michael! And if you do not obey these laws, people talk." "Exactly. There are two sets of - man-made laws. One governs the con-I con-I duct of men and the other the conduct I of women." (TO BIS CONTINUED.) stranger. "May 1 close the door':" The consul general, with a sense ot disappointment, disap-pointment, nodded. The biond man returned and sat down. "1 don't know how to begin, but I want you to copy this cablegram and send it under your own name. Here it is; read it." So singular a request filled the consul con-sul general with astonishment. Rather mechanically he accepted the slip of paper, adjusted his glasses, and read The Andes Construction company. New York: A former employee of yours wishes to make a restitution of $S.uoo. Willi interest inter-est to date. He dares not give his name to me, but he wishes to learn if this belated be-lated restitution will lift the ban against his coming to America and resuming his citizenship. Reply collect- i' "This is an extraordinary request to make o me, sir." "Could I possibly offer that to the cable operator? Without name or address? ad-dress? No; I could not do it without being subjected to a thousand questions, ques-tions, none of which I r'tould care to answer. So I came to you. Passing through your hands, no one will question ques-tion it. Will you do this favor for a poor unfortunate devil?" Oddly enough, the other could not get away from his original impression. The clothes, the way the man wore them, the clarity of his eyes, the abundant abun-dant health that was expressed by the tone of the skin, derided such a possibility pos-sibility as the cablegram made manifest. mani-fest. He forced the smile back to his lips. "Are you sure you're not hoaxing me?" "No. I am the victim of the hoax," enigmatically. "If one may call the quirks of fate by the name of hoax," the stranger added. "Will you send it?" The years he had spent in the consular con-sular service had never brought before him a situation of this order. He did not know exactly what to do. He looked out of the window, into the hotel ho-tel court, at the sky which presently would become overcast with the daily rain clouds. By and by he remembered remem-bered the man waiting patiently at his elbow. "What is your name?" "I'd rather not give that until I hear from New York. I am known out here by the name of Warrington." Warrington. The puzzlement vanished van-ished from the older man's face, and his eyes became alert, renewing from another angle their investigation of the stranger. Warrington. So this was the man? He could understand now. Who could blame a girl for making mak-ing a mistake when he, a seasoned veteran, vet-eran, had been beguiled by the outward out-ward appearance of the man? Mallow was right. He was a handsome beggar. beg-gar. "I promise to send this upon one condition." , "I accept without question," readily. "It is that you must keep away from 1 Elsa Chetwood, now and hereafter. You , made her acquaintance under false . pretenses." "I deny that. Not under false pre-, pre-, tenses." How quickly things went . about! "Let me tell you how I met her." The consul general listened; he listened lis-tened with wonder and interest, and more, with conviction that the young man had been perfectly honest. But the knowledge only added to his growing grow-ing alarm. It would not be difficult for such a man to win the regard of any I young woman. "And you told her what you had done?" I "Yes." "Your first misstep?" touching the 1 cablegram. "My first and only misstep. I was a I careless- happy-go-lucky young fool." The sky outside also had attraction foi Warrington. A thousand times a fool! r "How long ago did this happen?" "Ten years this coming April." "And now, after all this time, you wish to go back?" "I have wished to go back many times, but never had money enough I have plenty now. Oh, I made it hon estly," smiling. "In oil, at Prome Here's a cutting from a Rangoon pa per." The other read it carefully. It was romance, romance such as he liked tc read in his books, but which was mighty bewildering to have at his elbow in actuality. What a life the j man must have led! And here h was, with no more evidence of the conflict than might be discerned in th S manliness of his face and the breadtl 8 and depth of his shoulders. Hf a dropped the cutting, impatiently. .3 "Don't you believe it?" r" "Believe it? Oh, this? Yes," an swered the consul general. "What cannot believe is that I am awake, cannot quite make two and two equa four. I cannot . . . Well, you dc not look like a man who would rob hi: e employer of eight thousand dollars e . . . Parrot & Co. It's odd, but e recollect that title. You were a d Udaipur during the plague." lt Warrington brightened. "So that' e got about? I happened to be there working on the prince's railway." "1 will send the cable at once. Yoi will doubtless hear from New York ii the morning. But you must not se Miss Chetwood again." m "You will let me bid her good-by :e I admire and respect her more tha: d any other woman. She docs not knoi -e it, for as yet her soul is asleep; bu ;) she is one of those few women Go ii put on earth for the courage and corr m fort of man. Only to say good-by t n. her. Here in this orfice, if you wish. ?" "I agree to that." :t- "Tbank you again." Warrlngto ty rose. n "I am genuinely sorry for you. 1 they say no, what will you do?" te "Go back Just the same. I have ai id other debt to cancel." SYNOPSIS. 10 Warrington, an American adventurer. nd Jam., his servant, with . cage 1 1 parrot, par-rot, the trio known up and do r . the Ir rawaddy as Parrot & Co., are bound for Rangoon. Klsa Chetwood. rich American girl tourist, sees Warrington and asks the purser to Introduce her. He tells her that 'Warrington has beaten a syndicate and sold hC,"o?l clal, for 20.000. Warrington pi. is P.ajah. tli,Wrrot. through his tricks tat Klsa and they pass two golden days together on the river. In Rangoon War Tlngton Interfere, in a row over ca ds raused by an enemy, Newell Craig. Wsa Is annoyed by Craig and stabs him with a hatpin. Warrington discovers Elsa on the Singapore steamer. He avoids her. Craig V. aboard and Is warned by Warrington who ceases to avoid Elsa. Craig stirs up vll gossip. Elsa tells Warrington of the tiatpin incident and he hunts up Craig, on murder bent. He finds him stretched out -drunk on deck and turns the hose on him. At Penang Mallow, who drove Warrington Warring-ton from his plantation when -he learned his story, comes aboard. Warrington tells Elsa that Mallow and Craig both will tell that he spent money that did not belong to him over the gambling table to Cra g, and asks her not to speak to h m again. Mallow baits Warrington, who keeps his temper. CHAPTER XII Continued. Elsa straightened her lips with some lifljculty. She possessed the enviable faculty of instantly forming in her mind pictures of coming events. The little swelling veins in the colonel's :nose were as plain to her mind's eye as If he really stood before her. "Have "him take me in to dinner," she suggested. sug-gested. "Just what I was thinking of," declared de-clared the unsuspecting man. "If any-one any-one can draw out the colonel, it will be you." "I'll do my best." Elsa's mind was lull of rollicking malice. Contemplatively he said: "So you've been doiug the Orient alone? You are like your father in that way. He was never afraid of anything. Your mental men-tal makeup, too, I'll wager is like his. Finest man in the world." "Wasn't he? How I wish he could have always been with me! But why is it, everyone seems appalled that I should travel over here without male escort?" "The answer lies in your mirror, Elsa. Your old nurse Martha is no real protection." "Are men so had, then?" "They are less restrained. The heat, the tremendous distances, the lack of amusements, are perhaps responsible. By the way, here's a packet of letters for you." "Thanks." Elsa played with the packet, somberly eying the superscriptions. superscrip-tions. The old disorder came back into in-to her mind. Three of the letters "were from Arthur. She dreaded tc open them. "I must be going, then I'm not sure of my tickets to Hong kong." "Go straight to the German Lloyd office. I'll have my boy show you the way. Chong!" he called. A bright eyed young Chinese came in quicklj "Show lady German Lloyd office. AI same quick." In the outer office she paused for moment or so to look at the maga ziues and weeklies from home. The Chinese boy, grinning pleasantly peered curiously at Elsa's beautifu hands. She heard someone enl-fi ant quite naturally glanced up. The new comer was Mallow. He stared at her smiled familiarly and lifted his helmet Elsa, with cold unflickering eyes, of lered his greeting no recognition what ever. The man felt that she was look ing through him, inside of him, search ing out all the dark corners of hi: eoul. He dropped his gaze, confused Then Elsa calmly turned to the boy. "Come, Chong." There was something in the manne cf her exit that infinitely puzzled him ft was the Insolence of the well-bred hut he did not know it. To offset hi chagrin and confusion, he put on hi .helmet and passed into the private ol lice. She was out of his range of uo derstanding. Mallow was an American by birt: but had grown up in the Orient, hare ily. In his youth he had been beate and trampled upon, and now that h had become rich In copra (the drie kernels of cocoanuts from which o: is made), he in his turn beat an trampled, lt was the only law Jt knew. Ordinarily, when In Penang an Singapore, he b&haved himself, dran circumspectly add shunned promisct ous companions. But when he di drink heartily, he was a man to bi ware of. He hailed the consul general cordia ly and offered him one of his reall choice cigars, which was accepted. "I say, who was that young woma -who just went out?" The consul general laid down th -lgar. The question itself was harn less enough; It wa3 Mallow's way clothiug it he resented. "Why?" Ii Aked. "She's a stunner. Just curious you knew her, that's all. We can: down on the same boat. Hanged if shouldn't like to meet her. Do yc know her?" eagerly. "I do. More than that, I have a ways known her. She is the daughtc f the late General Chetwood, one i the greatest civil engineers of ot lime. When he died he left her se era! millions. She is a rcraarkab young woman, a famous beauty, know tavorably In European courts, and can't begin to tell you how many other accomplishments she has." "Well, stump me!" returned Mallow. "Is she a free-thinker?" "What the devil is that? What do you mean?" "Only this, If she s all you say she is, why does she pick out an absconder for a friend, a chap who dare not show his phiz in the states? I heard the tale from a man once employed in his office of-fice back in New York. A beach-comber, a dock-walloper, if there ever was one." "Mallow, you'll have to explain that instantly." "Hold your horses, my friend. What I'm telling you is on the level. She's been hobnobbing with the fellow all the way down from the Irrawaddy, so I'm told. Never spoke to anyone else. Made him sit at her side at table and jabbered Italian at him, as if she didn't want others to know what she was talking about. I know the man. Fired him from my plantation, when I found out what he was. Can't recall his name just now, but he is known out here as Warrington; Parrot & Co." The consul general was genuinely shocked. w "You can't blame me for thinking things," went on Mallow. "What man wouldn't? Ask her about Warrington. You'll find that I'm telling the truth, all right." "If you are, then she has made one of those mistakes women make when they travel alone. I shall see her at tea and talk to her. But I do not thank you, Mallow, for telling me this. A finer, loyaler-hearted girl doesn't live. She might have been kind out of sympathy." Mallow bit off the tip of his cigar. "He's a handsome beggar, if you want to know." "I resent that tone. Better drop the subject before I lose my temper. I'll have your papers ready for you in the morning." The consul general caught up his pen savagely to indicate that the interview was at an end. "All right," said Mallow good-naturedly. "I meant no harm. Just naturally nat-urally curious. Can't blame me." "I'm not blaming you. But it has ; disturbed me, and I wish to be alone tc think it over." Mallow lounged out, rather pleased 1 with himself. His greatest pleasure ir life was in making others uncomfort I able. The consul general bit the wooder end of his pen and chewed the splin ' ters of cedar. He couldn't deny tha: ; Ijf 1 ' i, I 3 "I Meant No Harm." s - it was like Elsa to pick up some den lict for her benefactions. Women ha no business to travel alone. It was a u very well when they toured in partie '" of eight or ten; but for a charmin u young woman like Elsa, attended by 8 spinster companion who doubtles dared not offer advice, it was decidec II ly wrong. And thereupon he dete d mined that her trip to Yokoham e should find her well guarded, d "I beg your pardon," said a plea; 11 ant voice. 1- The consul general had been s d deeply occupied by his worry that h 2- had not noticed the entrance of th speaker. He turned impatiently. H I" saw a tall blond man, bearded an y tanned, with tine clear blue eyes tin met his with the equanimity of th Q fearless. ie CHAPTER XIII. it- f After Ten Years. ie The consul general saw before hi an exquisite, as the ancient phras If goes, backed by no indifferent bref ie of manhood. He believed that hei I was a brief respite (as between acts m in which the little hypocrisies cou be laid aside. The pleasant smile c il- his high-bred face was all his ow 3r "And what may I do for you, sir 3f He expected to be presented with le ir ters of introduction, and to w hile aws v- a half hour In the agreeBle discussic le of mutual acquaintance. n "i should like a few jiinutes' prlva I talk with you," began the well-dressi |