Part 6 (1/2)

Grahame bowed and turned away; but souest as the launch carried hient, perhaps a little ro to him There were times when he felt lonely and outcast froenerally been rough and broken o he had been a favorite ell-bred women; but he never met them on terms of friendshi+p now He was poor, and would no doubt re es

With a set Miss Cliffe; but he found it strangely difficult to occupy his e

Evelyn related her adventure to herdisapproval Mrs Cliffe was a thin, keen-eyed wo theo out alone, this wouldn't have happened,” she remarked ”You aff's ja,” Evelyn replied

”That is not what I meant After all, nobody in the hotel knows much about the matter, and there is, of course, no need to do , though it would be better to avoid this, if possible A small favor of the kind they did you does not justify their clai one of them here”

”Your father is a man of business, and has very little discretion in social o with you, take the hotel boat”

Evelyn did not answer, but she disagreed with the views her ie ashore For one thing, he was not of much use in a boat Yet it was curious that she had once been pleased to take him out

CHAPTER V

THE CALL OF THE UNKNOWN

The sea breeze had fallen, and the air was hot and still A full ht the tops of the royal pal in the hotel garden with Reginald Gore A dusky rose arbor hid theathered, but Evelyn iined that one or two of the women knehere she was and envied her This once would have afforded her soh the spot seemed made for confidential talk, she listened quietly to the rollers breaking on the beach The roar of the surf had a disturbing effect; she felt that it called, urging her to follow her star and launch out on the deep Her co about, or if, as see to-night

Gore was the finished product of a luxurious age: well-bred, well-taught, and tastefully dressed His father had inald had not the ability to increase it, he spent it with prudence He had a good figure, and a pleasant face, but Evelyn suspected that his highest aracefully

Evelyn knew herhiie had much that she valued to offer, but she now and then found him tiresome He stood for the luxurious, but, in a sense, artificial life, hich she was growing dissatisfied She felt that she wanted stirring, and s

”You're not talkative,” she re and blinked with the tossing swell

”No,” he agreed good-humoredly ”Doesn't seem to be much to talk about”

There was silence for a few hts that was for indistinctly in hervery strenuous in life You have had all the pleasure money can provide one Are you content?”

”On the whole, yes Aren't you?”

”No,” said Evelyn thoughtfully ”I believe I haven't really been content for a long time, but I didn't know it The mind can be doped, but the effect wears off and you feel rather startled when you come to yourself”

Gore nodded

”I know! Doesn't last, but it's disturbing When I feel like that, I take a soothing drink”

Evelyn laughed, for his ansas characteristic He understood, to some extent, but she did not expect higie would never do anything rash or unconventional Hitherto she had approved his caution She had enjoyed the comfortable security of her station, had shared her e as ain the social scale Her adventurous te sports and in an occasional flirtation that she did not carry far; but she was now beginning to feel that life had strange and wonderful things to offer those who had the courage to seize them She had never experienced passion--perhaps because her training had taught her to dread it; but her iination was noake

Her visit to the _Enchantress_ had perhaps had soued, because she was sentimentally attracted by her rescuer It was the mystery in which Graha He was obviously the leader of the party and about to engage in some rash adventure on seas the buccaneers had sailed This, of course, was nothing to her; but thinking of hiing too cautiously to what she kneas safe