The Port of Adventure

hey were unexpected intervals; but soon they were taken for granted; for the more she knew of Mr. Sealman's invention the less was Angela surprised at anything it chose to do. T

urst tire was a comma; carburetor trouble a colon; nervous prostration of the sparking-plug a period. But Mr. Sealman never lost confidence. He explained ever

" he said. "You and I are m

, his air looked so dejected, his eyes so hollow, and his smile so wan that Angela's fury melted into pity. Passionate resolves to shed him and his blue abomination died within her as she watched his struggles. His whole future depended, he said, on the Model. If Mrs.

Man of the Sea, in a travel drama of which she was heroine. She felt alone in the world. "It will probably end in my having

through a good-natured crowd of tall, tanned young Americans, pretty girls with wonderful erections of golden hair, dark-faced Mexicans, yellow-faced Japanese, a few Hindus and negroes. Then, by the pier, she saw an old Spanish galleon disguised as a restaurant, and drifted in to lunch on fried sand-dabs attractively advertis

ith me," she thought; and her mind conjured up the image of

Millard. His ways had been like the ways of story-book heroes, who, by some extraordinary coincidence, invariably appear in time to rescue the heroine from a villain, a mad bull, a runaway horse or a burning house. The only difference was that Mr. Hilliard could not

no doubt he was at home near Bakersfield, before this-Angela seldom named Nick in her mind-otherwise she must have run across him somewhere that first day at the City of the Angels when she had spun gaily from park to park, the Model for once behaving well. Almost, she had expected to see him the next morning when the car refus

lderly Spanish verger, chatting of his native Cordova, listening to tales of Father Juniperra Serra, Father Somera, and the legend of t

er eyebrows in silent reproach, talking more earnestly to the verger, who had been happy because she knew Cordova and all his beloved

abs to stare through the galleon window at the floating seaweed on the tide-dark gold-green kelp, like lost laurel-wreaths t

ed herself together, ready to administer a gentle snub. But she might have saved herself the trouble.

came up, purring sweetly, and looking innocent as a cat gorged with canary birds. Mr. Sealman was s

ngalow-land, and the Model conducted

w, I guess, there's a chain of 'em, and the fine thing it would be to see the lot by road! I tell you, this little auto's going to be all right-all right. It'd be the best kin

otsteps of the Franciscan Fathers, stage by stage; and if a Mission here or there were falling into ruin, Merriam had talked of offering to restore it at his own expense. Now the money had gone to restore the Pa

d coldly. "I shall see only the Missi

ghtfully at the gray coat and gray-veiled motor hat which Angela wore to protect her from the dust. She sat in front beside the chauffeur for the mot

but there's no motorin' there. And if I was a girl I wouldn't feel married without a motor. In the Yosemite

e to remember t

if there'd been some around here

e would have been compelled to agree. It was ideal honeymoon-land; a moving picture, painted in colours, seemin

ng tropical flowers, and feathery pepper-trees, graceful and large as giant willows! Then, when she had decided on Italy or Southern France as a simile, far-of

ides and grooms need apply." It was all distractingly pretty; and though Angela had already admired the big handsome houses of Los Angeles and Pasadena, these rose-bower

ouses must be young and beautiful. All the men must be handsome, and husbands and wives must adore each other. No creatures old or fat or inclined to be disagreeable would

inquired, when, full two hours later than she had ex

opeless to use the weather as a handle to hang an excuse upon.

is equal to so long a

d a codfish became so marked that A

the car can do," he a

mitted. "Very well, w

make it

his mother's health he said much. She had suffered a relapse. The doctor had been with her all night. How Sealman was going to pay the b

ait for Riverside, and she took Kate to that fair island

ured her; for who would not set sa

owers bloom and fish glitter in a dazzle of jewelled armour beneath the glass floors of flat-bottomed boats. The fishermen were catching yello

earth now, had been near Riverside. Angela wanted the day to be perfect, unmarred by trouble or vexatio

trolley four days ago; and turning for a look at the facade, Angela saw a yellow car drawn up in the

o speak to Sealman-for she had kept her resolution to sit behind him. "It's the handsomest I'v

fellow who made a pile of money, had the thing built to order, and it brought him bad luck-lost every cen

d with that golden chariot. She wondered if it had been sold, or if it would be worth while to make inquiries. Somebody was perhaps trying it, she thought, for oft

ale," she said to herself, gazing back admirin

an walked round the corner, and, springing