Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-05-23
OUT OF THE FRYNG.PAN INTO THE
FIRE.

OUT Of THE FR1ING-PAN INTO THE
FIRE.
Neither tall nor short, neither dark
nor fair. with hair between blonde and
brown. and eyes that left n doubt as to
whether they were gray or hazel. She
was just such littlo bundle OF uncer-
tainties and contradictions as led the
imagination captive at the first glance,
and offered q constant lure to anticipa-
ton.
Whether she spoke or remained ST.
lent, whether she walked or sat, expec-
tation hung breathlcss upon her next
word. her next pose. Her eyes, vary
ing rs seemed their hue. shone, none
tho less, with n candid ray that seemed
the very light of truth. and her fresh
mouth, with its milky teeth showing
between the not too-smiling lips, ire
sistibly suggested the swectes: uses TO
which lipScan To put.
When Tie heavily moving vssel had
plowcd through half the great Atlantic
rollers, and the few passengers had all
grown heartily tired Of each other,
when she suddenly appeared for the first
time upon deck quite alone, yet calm
sometimes poised themselves upon spar
or bulwark to gather breath for fresh
fight.
It was Julius Hildar who had first dis.
covered her, leaning against the COM
Panionway railing. with the air of hav-
ing just come up or down, he could
hardly determine which, looking alb
sently at the tumbling waves.
Julius and his friend, Austin Drake,
were seceders from n gay party vino had
made the tour of Southern Europe to-
gether. 1t was Julius who had insti-
gated his companion to desert the 9th
ers and take the German steamer for
New Orleans direct, which then touched
ut Havre, instead of crossing by n Gu
harder; and IL had all grown out of the
obstinate determination on the part of
his sister TO attach her party to that of
Mrs. Smollett.
Mrs. Smollett was his choicest aver
sion, n pretentious, intriguing woman.
In whom the matchmaking instinct had
been so developed by the effort to es-
tablish her own five daughters that It
could not rest satisfied with the ac-
complishment Of that gigantic task.
She seemed 10 have an endless supply
OF nieces, adopted daughters, or prote-
geS OF some sort. whom she dangled os-
tentatiously before the eyes Of all eligi-
bio bachelors. She had improved n
chance meeting with Julius TO announce
To him now acquisition, lovely Young
creature, whom she was taking home
with her from n Swiss Pension.
'Mr. Smollett's own niece, Mr.. Hill
Ln
ago. You remember Fanny She was
your first love, believe" she had said.
with her ogling dowager smile, and
Julius had felt himself seized nj once
with an insurmountable aversion TO the
fair young niece Of Mr.. Smollet.
In the first heat OF his Indignation
against his sister he had conceived this
notable scheme Of crossing by the Havre
steamer, and though IL had not in its
development proved TO be eminently
amusing. he had never omitted to con-
gratulate himself and his companion.
night and morning. upon the good sense
they had displayed in adopting IL.
mo chattcring girls or designing
dowagers, he would say, rs no yawned
over his book or tho dull game with
which they strove TO believe they were
amusing themselves, gives n man time
20 pull himself together and take ac-
count Of stock, as il were" Still.
when on ono of those aimless PILGRIM
ages below which formed the only break
In the monotony of his occupation, he
had nearly run over this pretty
young creature leaning against the rail-
ings, thrill Of undeniAbls pleasure had
coursed along his nerves and he had
felt himself blushiug with pleased sur
prise.
Fortunately, the sea-tan had rendered
the blush indistinct, but over the light
that shot into his gray eyes the sea-tan
bad no power. nor yet over the tongue
that stammered as no tried to convey
his apologies for nearly upsetting her.
and his offers of service In CONDUCTING
her 10 q seat.
THANK you," she had answered
coolly, ''you did not startle mo, rs 1 saw
you coming, and l am not sure that 1
want n seat"
There was no more to be said, and
hcr maid appearing ut tho moment with
= bundle off parti-colored wraps, Julius
could only lift his hat again and carry
out bis purpose of going below. As he
had no reason for going except that he
was tired OF staying on deck. and as the
deck had now acquired paramount at
traction, he was soon back again.
In the meantime the young lady had
made up her mind about tho seat, and
had found one for herself close against
the ships side, on the weather quarter.
IL was not a pleasant location. but as
she had chosen IL, and had wrapped a
large shawl about her in an exclusive
sort OF way. he saw no plausible ground
for interfering.
Nothing could have been more dis
Greet and retiring than Miss Elton's be-
havior. but the perseverance, of n man
who finds himself bored by too much Of
his own and his alter ego's society. Is
an incalculable force against which no
woman can successfully intrench her
self, and 50 Il was not long before Drake
found himself eliminated, as q super
huous factor, from the sum Of his
friends enjoyment. whenever Miss FL
ton appeared above deck. His success,
however. was more apparent than real,
for although he knew her name, and
was allowed 70 carry her book and her
shawl and arrange her chsir IN the
most comfortable position with refer
enco % the wind or tho sun, he had
really made no great progress in her
coincidence Who she was. OF why she
had chosen 10 make the voyage in this
unconventional and eccentric way, re-
manned ~ great n mystery a. il had
been on that memorable first day. IL
was tho close Of the tenth day. dating
nom that OF his discovery. and Julius
sat beside her in that intimate fashion