Part 2 (1/2)
”Winnie,” said Kathlyn, ”I dread it”
Winnie set down the teacup; her eyes were bri
”What can it all one”
”Do you think----”
”No, no!” replied Kathlyn hastily ”Father soraph wires and railroads; it is only that he should forget us so long Who knows? He may have dropped down into Borneo He wanted some pythons, so I heard him say”
The elder sister did not care to instil into the heart of her charge the fear which was in her own
”Who knows but therelike that New Year's!”
The collie, released fro in In his exuberance he knocked over a cloisonne vase Both girls were glad to welcoave chase The dog headed for the outdoor studio, where they caught hi hih the , alert and tense He flew to the desk, found the envelope, steamed it open at the kettle, extracted the sealed envelope and Colonel Hare's note He sed his plans coer; he would use a lure instead With his ear strained for sounds, he wrote and substituted a note This houri of Sa'adi would not pause to note the difference in writing; the vitalness of the subject would enchain her thoughts It was all acco, he passed out into the fast settling twilight
They were shi+pping a lion to San Francisco, and the roaring and confusion were all very satisfactory to the trespasser
Midnight From afar came the mellow notes of the bells in the ancient Spanish mission The old year was dead, the new year was born, carrying with it the unchanging sound of happiness and ood and evil
”The packet!” cried Winnie
Kathlyn recognized in that call that Winnie was only a child All the responsibility lay upon her shoulders She ripped the cover from the packet and read the note
”Kathlyn: If not heard from I' it yourself to Allaha by first steamer
”Father”
”I knew it,” said Kathlyn calmly The fear in her heart had, as the brown man had anticipated, blinded her to the fact that this was not her father's characteristic blunt scrawl
”Oh, Kit, Kit!”
”Hush, Winnie! Ipaper?
Ah, there it is Let me see what boat leaves San Francisco to-morrow
The _Empress of India_, six a hter, too, Winnie You must stay behind and be brave and wait I shall come back I shall find father, if I have to rouse all India Now, to pack”
When they arrived at the station the passenger train had just drawn out For a while Kathlyn felt beaten She would be co
”Why not try the freight, then?” cried Winnie
”You little angel! I never thought of that!”