Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West

Download in format

"They--had no relatives that I know of," he returned. "I am quite alone

in the world. You must not suppose I am unaccustomed to the water," he

hastened to add, as if to retreat from an unpleasant subject. "At Sangoa

I have bathed in the sea ever since I can remember anything; but--I am

not in good health. I suffer from indigestion, a chronic condition,

which is my incubus. Yesterday my strength suddenly deserted me and I

became helpless."

"How fortunate it was that Maud noticed you!" exclaimed Patsy, with

generous sympathy.

Again the half sad smile softened his face as he looked at her.

"I am not sure it was wholly fortunate for me," he said, "although I

admit I have no wish to end my uninteresting life by drowning. I am not a

misanthrope, in spite of my bad stomach. The world is more useful to me

than I am to the world, but that is not my fault. Pardon me for talking

so much about myself."

"Oh, we are intensely interested, I assure you," replied Patsy. "If some

of us were indeed the instruments that saved you yesterday, it is a

pleasure to us to know something of the--the man--we saved."

She had almost said "boy," he was such a youthful person, and he knew it

as well as she did.

"I would like to meet Miss Stanton and thank her personally," he

presently resumed. "So, if you have no objection, I think I shall

perhaps Miss Stanton will see me when I have rested a little."

"She won't return before five o'clock," explained Mr. Merrick. "Miss

Stanton is--er--connected with a motion picture company, you know, and is

busy during the day."

He seemed both surprised and perplexed, at first, but after a moment's

thought he said:

"She is an actress, then?"

"Yes; she and her sister. They have with them an aunt, Mrs. Montrose, for

companion."

"Thank you. Then I will try to meet them this evening."

As he spoke he rose with some difficulty and bade them adieu. Arthur went

with him to the desk and proffered his assistance, but the young man said

he needed nothing but rest.

Page:: 1; 2; 3; 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; 29; 30; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38; 39; 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48; 49; 50; 51; 52; 53; 54; 55; 56; 57; 58; 59; 60; 61; 62; 63; 64; 65; 66; 67; 68; 69; 70; 71; 72; 73; 74; 75; 76; 77; 78; 79; 80; 81; 82; 83; 84; 85; 86; 87; 88; 89; 90; 91; 92; 93; 94; 95; 96; 97; 98; 99; 100; 101; 102; 103; 104; 105; 106; 107; 108; 109; 110; 111; 112; 113; 114; 115; 116; 117; 118; 119; 120; 121; 122; 123; 124; 125; 126; 127; 128; 129; 130; 131; 132; 133; 134; 135; 136; 137; 138; 139; 140; 141