The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-09-26

you2 You ara fond of reading; dont
 want to touch book while adoat So
 keep up, Charley.n
 MT. L'Estrange heard all this, though
 he seemed to be preoccupied with the bill
 of fare. It was trumpery and quite
 personal conversation, yet is was not m
 interesting to our neighbor. His ears al most pricked up like terriers when l said
 |" Theodore, you are mere boy, and yei
 you are assuming to pick up wisdom by
 the hatful, and on board of a ship, of all
 places in the world. Don't be SO self.
 confident |; and don't believe all you hear
 even if it seems truth itself. We may
 have for fellew-passeagers the wisest
 best, most philanthropic beings alive; ol
 the contrary. Do not let your rash ere.
 dulity carry you too far. Certainly, can
 not sec what great mischief could besai!
 you by over-gullibility on the voyage
 still, my good boy, be wary"
 As finished looked right into the
 big, bold, hard eyes of Mir. L'Esrange,
 who dropped the bill of fare almost si-
 multaneously with his eyes, and he
 turned to me as he picked it up, with a
 fictitious smile, saying: "l see there is
 some pickled salmon set down here; dare you venture to tryit2"
 The question was wholly irrelevant, and the tone in which it was asked was forced to degree. l simply shook my head, and turned to Theodore, who began to defend himself fcom my oblique reproof. could feel that Mr. L Estrange was look ing and listening intently. Not wishing to prolong our fraternal contention, sud denly swung the revolving ch ar upon which l sat, and faced the man with whom l had conversed on the previous nigtt. thought detected in his eyes a correspondence with those of Mir. LES trange behind me; for again wheeling back, saw that person looking over my head.
 Of course, the fancies of sick man are often ridiculously wrong and the suspi- cions of cautious man are of en vile ac- cusatiens against innocence. have been deceived many times by precipitate judg- ments; but could no more avoid the feeling of possible mischief ahoat about me than l could abdicate my personality. LEsttange and the other man appeared, to my subtler perceptive faculty, to be bound together in some dangerous man. ner, and for some end in which my at. fairs were concerned. wished that Theo- dore would drop the intimacy with the banker; began to fear the man. Yet how monstrously absurd was this fantas- tic aversionl What could he do to in- Jure us5 He was ostensib!y rich, supe- rior to us in all that impels men to take advantage of men. Even if he were plundenng wolf in sheep's clothing, he could not despoil us. All our cash, amounting to some 64oo. was in my keeping, safe in my uunk. Theodore never touched money. was, and had been always, the fnancier of the family. was going to buy the farm about which we had been in treaty while in England, for the owner was known to my uncle. Beyond sovereign or two, Theodore had no money therefore he could not be robbed to any extent worth speaking of. Even had l been infatuated with LES trange, he would have had no opportu- nity to rob me, if were disposed to en. ter into any speculations with him. In. deed, all this folly of superstitious robbers was very like madness; and l asked my self as l paced the deck if were going lunatic. What justification had for the of charges that l was bringing against gentleman of visible responsibility, of reputed influence in the monetary world of America, and who had simply shown little patronage to my brother and given me advlce rather egotistically3 "My good fellow, nut tered to myself, "you are an ass. Be ware Of committing some folly that will make the voyage pain to yourself and a misery to Theo."
 l sat down upon the deck-chair, wrap- ping myself in long rug, for the wind was chilly. must have fillen into sleep, for when looked around the ship V as in motion we had left Queensto xn After while my thoughts recurred to the subject which had agita,ed me so much for heard Theodore and L Estrange talking and laughing, though could not see them. lnsensibly, began to utter my thoughts aloud, habit which I ac- quired when at school in France, and by which attained to so rapid knowledge ot the langu ge of that country that spoke 1t like a native ere my studies were My soliloquy was arrested by a deep sigh. turned my head and saw on long couch the form of heaped up with furs. and the face by thick veil Where had she come from could not guess; whether she joined us at Queenstown or Liver pool, certainly she vas not in her present position when sat down. She mur- mured something that could not catch. looked more intently. She coughed, that deep exaausting cough that indicates but one cause, and which foredooms a fatal end. could not avert my eyes from her.
 When the coughing fit subsided she moved her head un easily, and in a low voice said:" Esesvous Francais2"
 Non, madame,"I s~ered, aston shed, and half rising from my chair.
 Why, then, do you speak in French 1" she demanded, still using that language.
 ." am not aware that have been spea ing at all," said. "I am alone, as you see"