The Woman of the Piece.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8080, 9 April 1906, Page 4

The Woman of the Piece.

A rolling sea, flockccl with sunshine nnd white caps, a brilliant sky, a swinging ship, a bteauier chair, ft pretty face, an unknown book —and amuck interested man ! The man was Iddings, a superb penman and a robber of the rich. He was a cool, laughing chap, good to look upon. There was a fine, intense masculinity about his face and figure that fascinated men, as well - but lie was not a woman hunter. If the boyish whiteness which characterised his attitude toward womankind had dominated his dealings with meii Iddings would have been a righteous if harmless, citizen. He walked the deck a little forward of the steamee chair and glanced respectfully now and than at the pretty face. " If she wonld only look down into my eyes as she looks upon that- book," he thought, "I'd be—why, I'd blush and wriggle like a kid, of course." They met at dinner on the second day after leaving Vanatta, aud on the third even* ing his steamer chair was drawn decently near her own. Iddings had boarded the steamer at "The Port," the woman, a few days later, at " The Esplana." " Are you going far ?" she asked. "No," be said huskily, "I stop off ftt Equato. "Oh!" " And I may ask where your are going ?" "To Equato, too " " Oh, but you mustn't 1" Iddings blurted quickly. 11 Excuse me, but not alone. Why, Equato isn't a good place for a 'girl to go. It's beautiful, but haven't you heard ?" " I have heard that criminals live there in safety because red tape makes extradition hopeless," she said slowly. "You have heard rightly. The Palm Equato, where you would have to stay—because no other hostelry is comparable to it—o, there is no spot in the world more beautiful than the Palms and grounds; yet it harbors the year around moro people of temporary and questionable opulence than anywhere 1 If you have another man's millions and reach some places it is possible to bring you back, but the chances are you will feel age stealing over you before the fruition of justice, and surender to the desire to see your native land once more before you die. If you had a con.ort, Miss Doutney, it would be well for you ' to see the Palms at night, when activities ire on, when the gardens and plazas about ire drenched .in moon and starlight, and • veet with magnolia and jasmine fragrance, Mid the broad, low hotel in the midst of all, 'avishing music and brilliance upon the. night! But it is not a paradise," he finished softly, '.'for women are as rare at the Paluis—as virtues are." "But, Mr. lilings," she asked, "why are you going to Equato?" He had forgoUen that for a few moments, and he was numbed by the shock of returning—as if his body had fallen to the deck. "At least I am a man," he said, clearing his throat, ■' and cannot be harmed. Besides,' the Palms is beautiful, and there is no • jlace where-one can study so easily the , types I told you of." " Then you arc an artist ?" "Men and newspapers have ocen good 1 enough to cali me one," lie laughed, and Lberc wa3 no lie in the words. Uisnnswer had seemed to dispel any suspicion she might have harboured. Yet Iddings could not get away from himself a second time, mi' away from the sense of shame which the presence of a good and guileless girl brought to him, -He might have been man enough to avoid her for the rest of the voyage had it not been for her destination—the harrowing thoughts of her unprotected in Equato. ! " And may I ask, Miss Doutney, why yo'u are stopping at Equato ?" , "Itsceius strange," she answered, "we have been acquainted such a little time, that I should teil von; and yet, some way, Mr. Iddings, you have made me trust you— " •• If I can't be of service to you by knowing Miss Doutney,". he said, softly, "I prefer ; not to know. If I can help you, tell me how , arid I'll do my part."

"I thank you for your generosity.. I have •i brother in Equato. It is hard to believe that he i& a degenerate, and, maybe, lie U not, hut he acts so dreadfully. He has left us in poverty, with his gambling and excesses. And now our mother is battling, I fear, a last illness.' She is quite old and heart-broken. It is with the hope that I may bripg Gerald back to his mother before she dies that I am going to Equato. At such a time you can readily understand that a girl must throw aside proprieties that hamper " You are! right, Miss Doutney, and I'm proud to know you, and the time comes that I can offer any assistance I will have no other business on hand, you may be 'sure." \ A large stock' of newspapers had been brought aboard at Vanatta, and these had .much to do with a big series of forgeries successfully carried out by a criminal named Parker. The consummate skill and daring with which the work had been accomplished, coupled with "other evidence, pointed lo the notorious Parton, alias Siddons, as the guilty party. Parton, alias Siddons, was a lively jumping particle that had so far escaped the fine tootheomb. This gentleman's photograph w«*s variously published but it was so wide of the mark that Iddings did not think it necessary to destroy the copies that fell under his hand. 41 One thing is certain,"fhe muttered, " I was lucky to get out of "The Port" before the excitement, and luckier still to get past Vanatta/' And about this time Miss Sarah Doutney took her seat on deck, and engrossed his thoughts. The voyage held streaks of rapture for Iddings. . The young woman's trouble, her trust in him, tlje rare qualities of her mind, and the beauties of her personality—these charms aroused all the good that was in him. - It was only during moments apart that he saw there could be no fruition of hopes compatible with his codethat her path and his diverged when her v mission was fulfilled. Thoughts like these caused him to look back in anger upon his life They were sitting together on the lost night. " Shortly after midnight," one of the ship ofiic«rs told them as he passed, " we will see I the lights of Equato, and to-movroW. morning you will wake in the harbour." "If you don't get sleepy and uiicCmfortable," he whispered, " and the night remains beautiful, will you sit here with me until Equato 1 s sparks prick the dark?" " Yes," she answered, " if you don't tire of your bargain." "Little fear-of that," he laughed. Ho was silent for a moment, and the langh was gone from his voice as he added: " This is , our last night on shipboard together." "Then you won't be going back?" she questioned uneasily. " Not for some time, I fear " "You have lain out a long course of study, among those types?" She seemed suddenly aniious to change the subject, and resumed before he answered : "You have been kind and good to mc, indeed—made me forget ill- : ness behind and the difficulties ahead. This would have been a miserable voyage lmd I been left alone with troubles preying upon my mind. Is the—is the gratitude of a woman worth it all?" "To be tfie companion of a delightful countrywomau and to help her with all my power in Equato will be far belter payment than you can imagine," he replied with feeling. : They talked wondrously low, wondrously long, their eyes upon the purple twinkling sea below or sea or stars above, or upon the v broad golden bridge which linked the ship to the moon. . And when the lover in the man' rose to his lips a distorted face would leap oefore him—the photograph of Parton, alias

Siddons. At lasfe far to the southward, a faint drop of red the first of many lights, trembled upon tbfi water. The following evening they were walking together through the grounds about the Palms. Iddings had been unable to learn anything of Doutney. The proprietor, in a manner profuse with courtesy, had answered no questions. " It is more beautiful than you said," the woman murmured, "but the faces of that gilded throng of men 1" "You ciln hardly blame them for looking at you," the man answered. " They are the outcasts, you know, and the sight of a beautiful woman—why, its like-a piece of heaven to them 1" Miss Doubtney stepped back sudde ly with an exolamation. Clutching Idding's arm, she pointed forward with her free hand. On one of the broad cane seats, a little to tho left of the path, and partially screened by palms reclined a body of a man. His hat had rolled down upon the turf. The moonlight showed these details, and instinct Wftde it plain to Iddings that the position of the stranger was that of one drunken, "It is he, 1 ' the woman exclaimed, trembling with indignatian. "To think that I should come for such a thing—and that you 1 ' She covered her face. " Come," said Iddings gently, "I'll walk with you back to tho hotel, anc| then I'll return and take care of him'. Trust me to do the right thing. He'll be got away in a couple of daya," She obeyed, but scarcely trusted herself to speak as they walked back. Iddings returned to the spot, tingling from the touch of a woman's hand and the gratitude in a woman's eyes. The caring of a fallen one seemed but a slight task for one s£o imbued with power. Young Doutney was limp, and appeared to have only enough consciousness to render him obsti.iate. Iddings half carried him back to tho hotel, saw him safely through a great variety of baths and sleeps, then led him to his own room in order that there might be no break of surveillance. Iddings marvelled at the young man. Doutney had no weak face. His lips were thin and firm, his eyes of the granite that is cold and enduring. This was not the face of a degenerate. From mumbled snatchesof talk the watcher learned that the other was all but ruined financially and harboring thoughts of suicide with peculiar resolution. On the following morning after sundry processes Doutney agreed to meet his sister. Iddings closed the door upon the two, and with a weary sigh set about restoring himself after the vigil. Two hours afterward a messenger brought him a hurried summons from Miss Doutney. She awaited him in tho lower hallway—rather, she hurried toward him distressed. " What shall I do, Mr. Iddings ?" .she exclaimed. "I don't seem able (o appeal to him. He says he won't go back with u\e. and he has slipped ofl somewhere " The man assured her as best he could, and set about a fresh search. Young Doutney was easily found, in one of the eafes, aud in almost as bad a condition as the night before. So things went on until the day before a ship was to sail on the return. It was on this day that the wayward brother developed violent and alarming symptons He seemed too weak to escape, but the obstinacy still remained.' -if he were placed oji the ship forcibly he vowed that he would.throw himseit overboard at the first opportunity. But he would go quietly if Iddings went Loo. Iddings hud hired attendants. The young man was safe for the present. The former had snatched a grandly earned moment to stroll with the sister. It was the night be fore embarkation. They paused together. The mau spoke. • " Your brother says that ho will go home without making any trouble, if I accompany him. Would you—would you like to have me?" For an instant lie saw her face upraised. Then her hqad dropped, her hand seized his arms, and she sobljpd with all her might. Jt was the first time. She had broken down so suddenly. He soothed her clumsily begged her to say what she would have him do. " 0,1 don't know what to say. You have done so much. 0, why are you so good to me ?" That was enough, hidings, flic forger, took liberty in his hands and embarked—foi the sake of the woman. The young man improved marvellously ; cut excesses abruptly when the island ports were passed ana Vanatta was nest ahead. Though the weather was gorgeous Miss Doutney remained in her stateroom most of the time. The last night on board she joined Iddingo on deck. " I will thank you always," she said unsteadily. He tried in vain to look into her eyes. "1 will love you always, Miss Doutney," ho whispered. A moment later he was left alone on deck. She had burst into tears a second time, and fled from him imploring him not to follow her. "It's ended," the man muttered as he moved slowly forward, " and may be it's a'n right this way, because I might have been weaker still—l, Parton, alias Siddous." It was broad daylight, ahd the ship was in the river when Iddings left the deck. He might have slept an hour when a knock awakened him. M It's I, Doutney. Let me in ? " Iddings climbed out of his berth, and unlocked the door. " Are we tied up yet ?" ho asked, stretching. " Yes." "Well, you're all fixed nicely now, I sup* pose—ready to do . the right thing and all that ? " " 0, let up, Parton ! " snarled the otfcsr. "Get your clothes oil aud come with me," For just an instant tho forger gripped the upper berth and turned his face away. "0, I see!" he muttered. "But how —did—you—get—to—Equato ? " "On the same ship you did-boarded ar " The Esplana " like the woman. Come on. This is my busy day. Half the Vanatta detectives were on the wharf, and the glad tidings of the capture were already wired. They were tucking Parton, alias Siddons, into a cab, when the author of all crossed the gangway. She was resting heavily on the arm of an ofticev. Her head was bowed. sbc seemed uttesiv weal:. "And what's the matter with Miss Pout ney ? " Iddings asked with a strange smile. "0, that's the woman of the piece/' snapped Doutney. "After making one of the cleverest captures in history."