The Vultures

Tory type, now fast fading before facilities for foreign travel and a cheap local railway service. But he was a Pole, and the fine old hatred which should have been bestowed upon th

eat height as over a fine standing crop of wild oats. As a matter of fact, he had grown to manhood in the years immediately preceding th

orld, and, oddly enough, he had no enemies. To his credit be it noted that he was not an exile, which is usually another

ntimate friends; "they do not honor me by recogni

g readiness to follow him to the death-which is the way of the world. "You have but to hold up your hand," cries the faithful follower. But wise men know that the hand must have something in it. The prince had been young and impressionable when Poland was torn to pieces,

which hopeless games require. If he liked a man, he said so; if he disliked one, he was equ

cs. You are the narrowest people in the world-you Londoners. But you are no Londoner; I beg your pardon. W

toner reflected for a moment, which was odd in a man whose decisions were usually arrived at with lightning sp

ength; "it will giv

th his bushy eyebrows. What was there to

an give you a cup of the poisonou

witticism. People whose lives are anything but a

s Wanda was alone. She was dressed in black. There is in some Varsovian families a heritage of mourning to be worn until Poland is reinstated. She was slig

d," said Cartoner, and, as

Cartoner had merely made a rather na?ve statement in his low monotone. She thought him a little odd, and gl

ad an English governess all her life. "My father will take it to mean that you wanted to come, and are

him to ask me to ca

his purpose so clearly as this. Cartoner had not come to pay an idle visit. She wondered why he had come. He did not rush into conversation, and yet his silence had no sense of embarrassment in it. His hair was turning gray above the temples. She could see this as he took a chair near the wi

cess, following the usual instinct that silence between s

diplomatist. He

ing too little," said W

two methods of leaving

plomacy?" sh

is dipl

s," she said, with a laugh, as the door

r English language! I have a man down-stairs-a question of business-and he

e him the wo

ourse. How foolish of me not to guess. In a moment I will return

r to wonder what a person so far removed above

pic of conversation without increasing their knowledge of him. If he had only been that which is called a public man, a novelist or a singer, his fortune would ha

old too. And, of course, one wonders why. He is the sort of person who might do anything surprising. He might fall in love and marry, or something like t

t side of his life. I

er," said the princess, light

h a wise nod and a shrewd

is only the surf

ives are all surfa

lf-pitying, half-contem

soul of an omnibus-

le at this girl, who seemed to know so much of life and

on when required and stopping when exped

ally," she answered, "and take a wrong turning somet

a Pole and a Bukaty. I kne

t, and Monsieur Deulin said that his ideal combination in a man

wn to a mere career a

ecessa

nto the room agai

e discussing," he a

at was easiest to him, for he had been young

ed Cartoner, slowly. "The pri

h his rather hollow laugh. "They ar

prise, though he did not show it; for, like any man of strong purpose, his face had but one expression, and that of thoughtful attention. He saw Captain Cable

aritime skill. He had seen war waged before now with mat

naturally turned to the house where they had first met, and Wanda mentioned tha

of course?" s

I am g

any such ent

lied Cartoner, looking at W

sion of the usual "Well, I must be off," or any such catch-word. He

ome distance. Then he suddenly emerged from that quiet shelter, and acce

er Bridge,

of the bridge, and walked quick

to?" inquired the gruff

I can," was

spring tide was running out. All the passenger traffic was turned to the westward, and a friendly deck-hand, having leisure, came and gave Cartoner his views upon cricket, in which, as was natural in one whose life was passed on running w

ifting down stream. A number of steamers lay at anchor, some working cargo, others idle. The majority were

the Minnie, painted black, with nothing brighter than a deep brown on her deck-house, her boat

rchard Pier, and soon found a b

minutes ago, sir," he said. "He must h

and banged with his fist on the cover of the cabin gangway,

e the face of a hermit-crab from its shell. The frown slowly

rtoner," he said.

" answered Cartoner, quietly

the rum time you and me had together. Come below. I've