If I hadn't been expecting to see you, I
wouldn't have known you."
"I doubt if I should have known you either," she returned drily.
CHAPTER II
MR. ABBEY ARRIVES
Stella accompanied her brother to the store, where he gave an order for
sundry goods. Then they went to the hotel to see if her trunks had
arrived. Within a few yards of the fence which enclosed the grounds of
St. Allwoods a man hailed Benton, and drew him a few steps aside. Stella
walked slowly on, and presently her brother joined her.
The baggage wagon had brought the trunks, and when she had paid her
bill, they were delivered at the outer wharf-end, where also arrived at
about the same time a miscellaneous assortment of supplies from the
store and a Japanese with her two handbags. So far as Miss Estella
Benton could see, she was about to embark on the last stage of her
journey.
"How soon will you start?" she inquired, when the last of the stuff was
stowed aboard the little steamer.
"Twenty minutes or so," Benton answered. "Say," he went on casually,
"have you got any money, Stell? I owe a fellow thirty dollars, and I
left the bank roll and my check book at camp."
Miss Benton drew the purse from her hand bag and gave it to him. He
pocketed it and went off down the wharf, with the brief assurance that
he would be gone only a minute or so.
The minute, however, lengthened to nearly an hour, and Sam Davis had his
blow-off valve hissing, and Stella Benton was casting impatient glances
shoreward before Charlie strolled leisurely back.
Pages:
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28