THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10448, 13 October 1911, Page 2

THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

CHAPTER I. J A STRANGE MARRIAGE. j Carriages and motor cars were rolling over the asphalt of 'Massachusetts Avenue, in Washington one evening, | in the year 189 —. Not very many, it is true, but what they lacked in .number was amply made up in quality. Family, crests blazed upon the panels; coachmen an>3 fooWien. were in livery. One by one they drew up before an imposing mansion, where the occupants were -ushered into brilliantly illumined drawing rooms by numbers of gorgeously liveried flunkies with overpowering ceremony. Finally there whizzed up to the curb a large, white, covered car, with chaifeur and fooi> man in ipale gray livery, with two outriders on white horses similarly attired. On the panels of this oar was • an" escutcheon denoting that" it: beV: longed to the Ottoman Legation, hear ■■}■ Under the electric lights it loomed, up quite ghostly, though' the ! motor wheezed, (panted and subsided into a ge"hitlepruning. Thedooropened, disgorged three gentlemen, each wearing the sober fez peculiar to Turkish officials on. occasion of ceremony. One of these, the first secretary, was asserted by social rumour to be more anxipus about his own liarem in Stamboul than his promotion in Washington, owing to the then general state of unrest at Constantinople. The youngest one of the trio, a slender, handsome-looking man, seemed rather ! nervous and ill at ease. The third .might have been anybody,.aside hisifez. The three wore blabk Prince Albert coats, high-cut vests, white ties, with immaculate boots and carefully creased trousers. Take'off their headgear and they might have easily passed as members of some visiting synod, out for a evening social function.

• ■•' At the drawing room entrance they were met by a small, hatchet-faced man, with grizzled hair and beard, - and intensely sharp eyes, who greeted them cordially, then turned to the youngest one. • "You are late, effendi," he said. "How does it happen? My niece is greatly put out.'' "I crave a hundred pardons, Mr Marsovian. The fault was hardly mine. Our honorable secretary here, had receiv<}s.a,sudden dispatch from His Excellency the Minister, who; as you are aware, is summering at Newport.! The business kept us at tho long-distance telephone oh! too long!" He smiled, rubbed his palms together, and, looked apologetic, both at the secretary, who was passing on, and Mr 'Marsovian, who was frowning, apparently at his own- thought. ?! ' "I hope the lady— " began /the young man, hesitating.

" "Whom you are to marry >; "Pardon me again." There was-no I'hesitation nowV "The lady who is to [.marry.His Highness Rotan Pasha, v&rougfrme;"- '<■::• - '■" *ry"/''"'■ ■••_' fc' "And ..a sjpangej, queer job;,too,: if you wilt excuse'my'saying so.' But my niece wills it, and what; she wills she usually does." /• The attache merely bowed, and, as I if further talk..were needless, passed in himself. His English was faultless, and no,wonder, for he was the official interpreter of the Turkish Though reared in Turkey he had been in Paris, London and Germany.

•Meantime the other gentlemen 'mingled with the other guests on terms that evinced a prior social acquaintance not incompatible with the then existing conditifins in Washington's smart set, especially in the highest official circles. . r-. »v When all the guests had arrived,' Mr Marsovian hastened upstairs to the

room iwhere his niece was awaiting the Bummons that would-precede her participation in .the anticipated ceremony, aiboiit which the guests below were already gossiping curiously. ... f'What a singular way of being.married !" remarked one Jady to another. "I could not endure the ivhouglitr—if one of my• daughters^r—'" "H-shj You may be overhearid!'' This in a whisper. , "It is afoomihahle! "Somebody really Qiight to interfere." "Fancy! The real bridegroom may at this moment be making love to one of'those 'harem' women. Musurus Bey, the former Turkish minister, himself told me that there was nothing in his country to prevent a man from having four wives—if he could care for that many. Think of it!" ' 'Horrible! But this niece of Banker Marsovian is said to be singular, and of a most independent character." "Power of wealth, I suppose. Eich as he is, they are Armenians by blood, and have strange ideas." "I know. The feeling of a con.quered people for. the conqueror. At least, tfo&ls is what my. husband declares, though I- 1 --" "I am told that Miss Bur an met her affianced abroad—in London or Paris —two years back. And now she is going to him —-" "But supose he tired of her? Do. they really tie up women in sacks and drop them in i)he Bosphorous?" "The idea! Let us congratulate ourselvestthat we live in a saner country." "Hush, dear! I think something is iail>outito ibeghV' "Who is that man having a stormy

parley with Marsovian's footman?" "The tall man with such broad shoulders I think that is one of the banker's Western friends. What &

OUR SERIAL

BY WILLIAM PERRY BROWN

queer assemblage." While the small talk thus frittered ■ away, the final guest was admitted, after some parley with florid flunky, English, from his calves to his hosetinted face. ' 'Look here—you!'' The Westerner turned back a second. "Ask your hutler who Sidney Greer is. See?" "Beg psrrding, sir. I ham only follexing borders, sir. I dessay hit is all right, sir." "Bet your life it is. That butler wasn't the butler then. But he let yours truly in many a time back in Oripple Greek." He brushed aside his functionary, and another one at the cloak-room, door, with the quiet force.of a Hercules. Very tall, broad-shouldered, he wore full evening dress, and a mustache not unlike Buffalo Bill's, though his thick hair was .close-trimmed. His • square- jaiws had ,the set of a.- fighter, and his gray eyes were given to flashings, indicating a.volcanic temperament :on.occasion.'•■•.• - v i, . While Gxeer was removing his overcoat, Marsovian was making a last appeal to his niece. ■ "Have I-been a good guardian, Alma?" ( . "Never was there a hotter one, you dear goose of an uncle. I " . "Did I not put the ten thousand your poor father left you into the little Alma Mine, and take out for you three hundred thousand' dollars?" , be sure. You have always been the kindest, best of men. Does Mustafa Bey look as though he will enjoy the ceremony?" ]■ Marsovfou/s face contracted as though he were swallowing something disagreeable. Then he sighed as he answered ''Like the rest of he would rather he were here for some other purpose, I feel sure.. Be guided by me, Alma. Put off this marriage until the groom himself can he here. I doubt if such a ceremony in this coun»try will 'be binding, except as to the proxy " "No more If The girl stamped her pretty foot impatiently. "We have been ,over all this before. We have His Excellency's sanction that in marrying Eotan thus, I am, under Turkish law, Rotan's wife. He cannot come, owing to war and insurrection in his ! pashalic at home. You know this; also,,that he.loves me-as-1 love him. | Our guests are here." How could we I disappoint them —now ?" "But —it does not seem right—" "Enough uncle. lam of age. lam resolved. The guests will be tired of waiting. Please take me down." She was taller than Marsovian, :; and , her calm, imperious face so dominated 'her unclfc that he sighed again, shrugged his shoulders, and offered her his J arm.- There were no bridesmaids or groomsmen, and the- coupte were already descending wheri Sidney Gfeer .emerged from the cloak-room, brushed and scented, yet ill at .ease. He met them ; at the landing and held out a strong,brdwn'hand.;.. "Shake, MisV'Alma. Glad to find 'that 'B.urian.. train; was 'delayed »y a washout.' V be pusSed for'time, so I yanked down my suit I case and changed on the Pullman." "PJeased to see you, Sidney!" returned the girt, with hand extended. '"Th.3 ( people below are waiting. If it is .'all the same to 'you, 'we will go down now." "But it isn't all the same. I have some^news ——" , "It will? keep for half-an-hour, Mr Greer." She turned abruptly-to Marsovian, saying: ' 'Come on, uncle." keep. Don't let her go. Marsovian. I havea letter from Lon'dwvrrour old Captain Sholto Douglas, you knoW. He writes that Rotari Pasha is not to be trusted " "Silence!" blazed Miss Burian in low tones. "It is easy to understand your motive, Mr Greer." And she resolutely , propelled the banker by the tall Westerner, as he wonderinglystared.,. , ..,,.. -/A -.-. "Hold on!—for goodness sake!" he cried, recovering partially. •' \At this juncture ijlie form of Mustapha Bey was seen at the drawingroom portieres, looking up expectantly , "'• ,"■' '•':. '•..'■■ .' Once more Marsovian shrugged, his shoulders. "Miss Alma," entreated Sidney, "do listen. It is most important-—" But she steered her uncle stiffly past, he submitting, not unlike a prisoner, under mild hut firm arrest. The blood surged into Greer's face. He gripped the hamsters fiercely, and then pulled himself together with a mighty effort. "Am I an idiot?" he gasped under his breath. "She always would take ; the bit in her teeth. ' If it was anyone else I would not care. But if she will not hear tlhe truth now, she will have to later." He sulkily followed the company into' the drawing room. Here a man in strange, priestly-looking robes had risen and was waiting the approach of Miss Burian andMustapha Bey. The guests had gathered.curiously about: They were more interested in watching this strange, far Eastern ceremony than in speculating upon its validity or the motives of the ibride.