Harris-Ingram Experiment

  CHAPTER XXVI

  UNEXPECTED MEETINGS

  Christine De Ruyter had long contemplated a visit to the new world.She was familiar with the history of the Dutch West India Company, apolitical movement organized under cover of finding a passage to Cathay,to destroy the results of Spanish conquest in America.

  No doubt, love of discovery and of trade also stimulated the Dutch inmaking explorations. In the vessel "Half Moon" they sailed up the Hudson,and after building several forts, they finally established themselves inNew Netherlands. Peter Minuit for a trifle bought from the Indians thewhole of Manhattan Island. In locating on Manhattan Island, the Dutchsecretly believed that they had secured the oyster while the Englishsettlements further north and south were the two shells only. Thedevelopment of almost three centuries and the supremacy of New Yorkto-day, as the new world metropolis, verifies the sound sense of theDutch.

  Christine was alive to the important part which her countrymen had earlyplayed across the Atlantic. Her mother had died, and Christine stillunmarried, controlled both her time and a goodly inheritance. Sheresolved to visit her sister Fredrika, whose husband was agent in NewYork of a famous German line of vessels.

  En route from Holland to New York she spent two weeks with friends inLondon, and on Regent Street replenished her wardrobe, enjoyed Irvingand Terry in their latest play, attended an exciting Cambridge-Oxfordboat-race on the Thames, and with a great crowd went wild with delightat the English races at Epsom Downs.

  Saturday at 9:40 A.M. at the Waterloo Station several friends sawChristine off for America on the special train, the Eagle Express, of theSouth Western Railway, which makes the journey of 79 miles to Southamptonin one hour and forty minutes.

  At Southampton the passengers were transferred on the new express dock,direct from the train to the steamers, which are berthed alongside. Bythis route passengers escape exposure to weather on tenders and landingstage, and avoid all delays at ports of call, and waiting for the tidesto cross the bar.

  Promptly at 12 o'clock, hawsers and gangways vanishing, the great steamermoved down the bay, the fertile Isle of Wight in sight. Officers madenote of the time as the Needles were passed, as the runs of the steamersare taken between the Needles and Sandy Hook. It was a bright breezyafternoon and after lunch the passengers lounged on the decks, or inthe smoke room; some inspected their rooms, some read the latest Frenchor English novel, and others in groups gossiped, or walked the decks tosharpen appetite.

  The second steward, of necessity a born diplomat, had succeeded inconvincing most who were at lunch that he had given them favored seats,if not all at the Captain's table, then at the table of the firstofficer, a handsome man, or at the table with the witty doctor.

  Christine did not appear at lunch, as she was busy in her stateroom. Shehad given careful instructions that one of her trunks should be sent atonce to her room. An hour before dinner there appeared on the promenadedeck a beautiful young woman dressed in black, who attracted attentionand no little comment. She wore a dress of Henrietta cloth, and capetrimmed with black crepe and grosgrained ribbons in bows with long ends.Her tiny hat with narrow band of white crepe was of the Marie Stuartstyle; her gloves were undressed kid, her handkerchief had black border,and her silk parasol was draped in black.

  Hers was the same pretty face and blue eyes that had won Alfonso's heart.She supposed him dead; her dress of mourning was not for him, but for hermother, whom she idolized. At first Christine hesitated about wearingblack on the journey, but she soon learned that it increased her charms,and that it gave protection from annoyance. Many supposed she was a youngwidow. So thought a handsome naval officer whom she had met in London.When Christine returned to her room, she found that a messenger boy hadbrought her his card, with compliments, and a request that she occupy aseat at his table for the voyage. With a black jacket on her arm,Christine was conducted to her seat at dinner by the chief steward. Shewore a plain black skirt and waist of black and white, with black beltand jet buckle.

  An up-to-date liner is a sumptuous hotel afloat. The safety, speed, andcomfort of the modern steamer does not destroy but rather enhances theromance of ocean voyage. The handsome young officer and pretty Christine,as they promenaded the decks, added effect to the passing show. Hermourning costume gradually yielded to outing suits of violet tints withwhite collar and cuffs, and a simple black sailor's cap with white cordfor band.

  Artist that Christine was, and lover of the ocean, she and the officerwatched the sea change from a transient green to a light blue and backagain, then to a deep blue when the sun was hidden in a cloud, then, whenthe fogs were encountered, to a cold grey.

  Christine took great interest in the easy navigation of the steamer; shewatched the officers take observations, and verify the ship's run.Frequently she was seen with the young officer on the bridge, he pointingout the lighthouse on the dangerous Scilly Islands, the last sight of oldEngland off Land's End, she enjoying the long swell and white crestedbillows, as the shelter of the British coast was left behind.

  A charming first night aboard ship it was, the moon full, the skypicturesque, the sea dark, except where the steamer and her screwschurned it white; at the bow, showers and spray of phosphorus, andat the stern, rippling eddies and a long path of phosphorus and whitefoam.

  Christine wished she could transfer to canvas the swift steamer, as shefelt it in her soul, powerful as a giant and graceful as a woman; at themast-head an electric star, red and green lights on either side, long rowsof tremulous bulbs of light from numerous portholes; the officers on thebridge with night glass in hand, walking to and fro, dark figures ofsailors at the bow and in the crow's nest, all eyes and ears. "All'swell" lulls to sleep the after-dinner loungers in chairs along the deck,while brave men and fair women keep step to entrancing music.

  With a week of favorable weather, and unprecedented speed the record outwas won; officers, sailors, passengers, all were jubilant. On Pier 14,North River, Fredrika and her husband met Christine, and drove to theirfine home overlooking the Central Park.

  * * * * *

  Alfonso Harris had come on to New York to spend a week of pleasure;already he had secured his ticket for Amsterdam via Antwerp by the RedStar Line. He was prepared to keep his promise to Christine. "To matchgold with gold!"

  In his rounds among the artists he happened to step into the ArtStudent's League, and there learned that his old artist-chum, Leo, wasin New York, and stopping at the Plaza Hotel. At once he took cab, and,surely enough, there on the hotel register was the name Leo Colonna,Rome. Alfonso sent up his card, and the waiter soon returned with thereply, "The marquis will see Mr. Harris at once in his rooms." It isneedless to say that the marquis was both shocked and delighted to seealive a friend whom he supposed long ago dead.

  After dinner Alfonso and Leo drove to their old club, and as ever talkedand confided in each other. Alfonso told the marquis the romantic storyof his life, of his pecuniary success, and that he should sail in a fewdays to wed Christine, if possible.

  The marquis hesitated in his reply, as if in doubt whether to proceed ornot. Observing this, Alfonso said, "Speak freely, tell me what you werethinking about."

  "Nothing, Alfonso, only a report I heard at the club last night."

  "What report, marquis?"

  "A report or story concerning a beautiful widow, who had just arrivedfrom Amsterdam. From the minute description given--she had fair face,blue eyes, fleecy hair and loved art--I suspected that the woman in blackmight be Christine De Ruyter."

  "You surprise me, Leo, but what was the report?"

  "Alfonso, pardon me, I have said too much already."

  "No, go on and tell me all."

  "Alfonso, since the report is concerning a woman's character, my lipsshould be sealed, and would be, except you my friend are the mostinterested party. The club story is that a handsome young officer, wholeft his newly wedded wife in Bristol, England, was so much enamored ofthe charming widow aboard ship
that suspicions were aroused, and in factconfirmed, by an additional report that valuable diamonds had been sentby the same officer from Tiffany's to the lady, who is stopping somewhereon Central Park. There, Alfonso, I have given you the story and the wholemay be true or false."

  It was now Alfonso's turn to be shocked; he could not believe what themarquis had told him. Next day he visited the office of the AmericanLine, found that Christine De Ruyter was a passenger on the last steamer,and the purser gave him her New York address. Then the marquisvolunteered to call, in Alfonso's interests, upon Miss De Ruyter whoseemed glad to see him, and was amazed with the story which he had totell, not only of himself, and his good fortune, but that of Alfonso.That the latter was alive and wealthy was news almost too good tobelieve.

  The marquis reported to Alfonso that Christine was overjoyed to have abygone mystery so fortunately cleared up, and that she sent him an urgentinvitation to call at once.

  Christine congratulated herself over her good luck at the very thresholdof the new world. "Strange romance, indeed, it would be," she mused toherself, "if, after having refused the poor artist, he having gainedriches should prove loyal, and lay his heart and fortune at my feet!Would I reject him? No, indeed! He has gold now." Thus musing to herselfbefore the mirror, she gave final touches to her toilet, and stepped downinto her sister's sumptuous parlor to wait for a lover, restored from thedepths of the sea.

  Promptly at 9 o'clock Alfonso was ushered into Fredrika's parlor. For asecond, Christine stood fixed and pale, for Alfonso it really was, andshe had believed him dead; then extending her hand she gave him greeting.For a full hour Alfonso and Christine talked, each telling much of whathad transpired in the intervening years. Alfonso said he was quite asmuch surprised to find that she was still unmarried, as she seemedsurprised that he was still alive.

  "Alfonso, I have waited long for you," Christine replied.

  "Ah, yes, Christine, but have you been true all these years?"

  As Alfonso spoke these words, he sat with Christine's hand in his own,looking inquiringly into her blue eyes for her answer. Her face flushedand she was speechless.

  Alfonso, dropping her hand, said in a kindly voice, "For years I havekept pure and sought to be worthy of you, and fortune has smiled upon me;I could now match gold with gold, but when I demand purity for purityyour silence and your blushes condemn you, and I must bid you a finalfarewell."

  Christine could not answer, and as Alfonso left the house, she fellweeping upon the sofa, where her sister Fredrika found her, long pastmidnight. The terrible sorrow of that evening remained forever a mysteryto Fredrika.

  It was 10 o'clock next morning when the marquis called upon AlfonsoHarris at the Hotel Holland. He found him busy answering importantletters from the coast. The marquis was not long in detecting thatAlfonso lacked his usual buoyancy of spirits, and so rightly concludedthat the meeting with Christine the night before had resultedunfavorably.

  Alfonso explained all that transpired, and the two artists, who hadflattered themselves that they knew women well, admitted to each othertheir keen disappointment in Christine's character. Both lighted cigars,and for a moment or two unconsciously smoked vigorously, as if still indoubt as to their unsatisfactory conclusions.

  Soon Alfonso said, "Leo, how about your own former love, Rosie Ricci? Tomeet Rosie again was possibly the motive that prompted you to leave yourestate in Italy."

  "Yes, Alfonso, I loved Rosie, as I once frankly stated to your sister onthe ocean, but in a moment of peevishness she returned the engagementtokens, and the lovers' quarrel resulted in separation. But after thedeath of Lucille I found the smouldering fires of the old love for Rosieagain easily fanned into a flame, so I crossed the sea in search of mydear country-woman."

  "And did you find her!"

  "Yes, Alfonso, that is, all that was left of the vivacious, happysongster, as we once knew her. Her new world surroundings proveddisastrous."

  "How so?"

  "Look, here is a picture in water color, that tells the story." Sayingthis the Marquis slowly removed a white paper from a small sketch whichhe had made the week before. It was a picture in the morgue on the EastRiver, with its half hundred corpses, waiting recognition or burial inthe Potter's Field. Upon a cold marble slab lay the body of a young girl,her shapely hands across her breast. Alfonso recognized Rosie's sweetface and golden tresses that artists had raved over.

  The marquis in sad tones added a few words of explanation. "The senatorwho educated Rosie proved a villain. When she acted as Juliet at theCapitol, fashionable society gave hearty approval of her rare abilities.Rosie's genius, like a shooting star, flashed across the sky and thenshot into oblivion."

  A few days afterwards, Alfonso on the pier with his white handkerchiefwaved adieu to Leo who had resolved to wed art in sunny Italy. Sadmemories decided Alfonso to leave New York at once. For a short time hewas inclined to give up a new purpose, and return to his own family atHarrisville, but the law of equity controlled his heart, he journeyedback to the Pacific Coast, and again approached the Yosemite Valley.

  Seated again on Inspiration Point, he gazed long and earnestly into thegorge below. He could discern neither smoke nor moving forms. All hadchanged; not the peaks, or domes, or wonderful waterfalls; all theseremained the same. But where were Red Cloud and kind-hearted Mariposa?Alfonso's own race now occupied the valley for pleasure and for gain.

  Mariposa might not be of his own race, but she had a noble heart.Education had put her in touch with civilization, and she was as pureas the snow of the Sierras. He wondered if she ever thought of him. Heremembered that, when he rode away, her face was turned toward the BridalVeil Falls. Did she thus intend to say, "I love you?"

  At midnight, as the moon rose above the forest, the tall pines whisperedof Mariposa, of wild flowers she was wont to gather, of journeys made tohighest peaks, of weeks of watching and waiting, and of the burial of RedCloud at the foot of an ancient sequoia; then the language of the breezesamong the pines became indistinct, and Alfonso, half-asleep, half-awake,saw approaching a white figure. Two dark eyes full of tears, gazed intohis face, at first with a startled look, and then with a gleam of joy andtrust.

  Alfonso exclaimed, "Mariposa!" He sought to clasp her in his arms, butthe graceful figure vanished, and the pines seemed to whisper, "Alfonso,I go to join the braves in the happy hunting grounds beyond the settingsun. You will wed the fairest of your people. Adieu."

  When Alfonso awoke, the ring of beaten gold was gone, where, he knew not.The tourist-coach was rumbling down the mountain road, and he joined it.After an inspection of his mines, he sadly left the Sierras for SanFrancisco.

  The prophetic words of Mariposa, whispered among the pines, proved true.Alfonso again met Gertrude's best friend, beautiful Mrs. Eastlake, now ayoung widow, and later he married her, making their home on Knob Hill,the most fashionable quarter of the city by the Golden Gate.