Adventure, June 1911 — page 188: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

374 spector Burns and Sergeant McQuade both signified their intention of going to London at once—the latter, however, to come down to The Oaks the following day for a final examination into the mystery. He did not believe for a moment that part of Li Min’s story which referred to the sudden death of Mr. Ashton, and still suspected the China- man of the crime. I was requested by Major Temple to accompany him and his daughter back to The Oaks, an invitation of which I was by no means slow to avail myself. The poor girl was greatly upset, and very much tired out, and we made haste to get her home as quickly as possible. I was given the same room [ had pre- viously occupied and we sat down to dinner with some show of cheerfulness, Miss Tem- ple looking especially charming in a green silk evening-gown which to my artist’s eyes made her a picture I longed to put on canvas. I told her so, and we were soon discussing pictures, and art generally, at a lively rate. Only the Major seemed de- pressed, and I imagine this came from his regret at the loss of the wonderful Emerald Buddha. What had become of the jewel { did not know, but I fancied that Mc- Quade’s hurried trip to London had some- thing to do with the search his men were making for the lost underground temple of Buddha. After dinner Major Temple excused himself upon the plea that he wanted to write some letters, while Miss Temple and I sat down before the fire in the library for our first real téte-a-téte. It had begun to rain heavily outside, with a stiff breeze blowing from the southwest, and it seemed wonderfully fine and warm and altogether delightful sitting here in the firelight with the woman I loved beside me. CHAPTER XVI I ASK MISS TEMPLE A QUESTION ISS TEMPLE,” I said, as we sat be- side each other on the big leather- covered settee facing the fire, “I want to thank you with all my heart for going up to London to see me. I know why you went and can never tell you how deeply I appre- ciate it.” She looked at me with her bewitching smile, which somehow made me feel both Adventure delightfully happy and yet vagtely un- certain of myself. “I had to e, Mr. Morgan,” she said, her voice tremBiing with the agony of her former suspicions of her father. “As soon as I knew the police were fastening their suspicions upon you, I knew I should be obliged to tell what I had seen. Had I found you in London, I should have told you everything and been guided by your advice.” “T wish you had found me there,” I said, “but as it is, everything has turneu ‘out well. Only I am sorry that you should have had ta undergo such a terrible experience.”’ ‘“Oh; it wasn’t so bad. They gave me a very comfortable room at the police station in London, and the matron was extremely kind. I might almost have enjoyed the experience had I not been suffering so about my father.” Her look of pain at the recollec- tion made me change the subject and talk of London and my friends among artists and musicians. “It’s the life I’ve always dreamed of,” she said, her cheeks flushing with excite- ment. ‘I’ve beer’ toso many places, Rome and Paris, and Vienna and Cairo, and the East you know, but I really know very little about them. ‘The outside I have seen, of course, but the real life—that I have missed. And now we are stuck down here, where we don’t know anybody, because father fancies it is good for-his health. I suppose it is, but it isn t real, joyous living. [I hardly feel alive.” “But you go to. London, don’t. zyour Your father spoke of his house theré.” “Oh, yes, but father’s friends are niostly professors. of Assyriology, and Egyptology and people of that sort, and they come and stay for hours and talk about scarabs and hieroglyphics and mummies and all that sort of thing. Sometimes I feel almost as though I were. about to become a mummy myself!” She certainly did not look it, with her wonderful color, and her large. and brilliant eyes. I could not help looking. deep into them as I replied, only half smiling::. “We must prevent that, at all costs. Let me help in preventing it.” She laughed nervously, but did not. ‘seem displeased at my remark. ‘TI think the experiences of the past week have caused us to know each other very well,” I went on, gravely, “and I hope you may think as much of the friendship which has come to us as I do.” “Are we, then, really friends?” she said COnmmiclboooks (©