Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-05-11
A SHIP OF 40.
BY BRET HARTE.
Copyrighted by Houghton, miiflin y Co., and
published by arrangement with theml
tcontlnned lrom lnst wcckl


If you choose to tSile tllis note to my
man, he may give 1t nuctjlor show. Mind
I don't say that ho Will. Hos going to
Sacramento tonight, but you could go
down there ard ind Lin, before he starts
He's got room there, believe. While
you're waiting Tor Linn, you might keep
"our eyes open to sa.tLy yourself"
"Ay ay, sir" said tho sailor eagerly
rndeay1ru1 TO catch Tao ogo Of his en-
Dloycr. Uu, Dir. Siri.ht looloi straight
before him, and he turucl to go.
'rho Sacramento bout goes at 8, " said
Mr.. Slci5ht quietly.
lhi8 time their gloncps met, aud the
L,ascar's eye IliateneI wioh subtle intelli-
eence. The next momcnt be was gone,
and Mr. Sleight again bccutue absorbed in
bis papers.
Meanwhile Rcnshaw was making his
gay back to the Pontiac with that light
bearted optimism that had characterized
ais parting with Sleigbt It was this
quality Of his nature, fostcrcd perhaps by
lbe easy civilization in which he moved,
Fnat had originally drawn him into re-
auons with the man he had lust Quilted:
q quality that had been troubled and
darkened by those relations, yet, when
lhey were broken, at once returned. 1t
consequently did not ocGur TO him that he
mad only sel6shly compromised with the
difficulty; it seemed TO him enough that
ne bad withdrawn from a compact he
thought clishonorable; he waa not called
lpon 10 bctray his partner in that COM
onot merely to benefit others lie had
Jeen willing to incur suspicion and loss
70 reinstatc himself IN his self respect,
more he could not do without justify
ing shat suspicion. Tho view taken
oy Sleight was, after alt, tlat which most
business mon would t3lic--Wtrich even the
lnbusiueSalike Mott would takO--which
.he girl herself might nc 5pluft TO listen
10. Clearly no could do nathih3 but ADAM
Ion the Pontiac aUd her oWCcr 90 the
ate be could not III h0noc avert. And
oven that fate was rynhlountJcI 1t did
not follow that the reloir0 WAS etlI con-
cooled in the Pontiac. nor Jhnt EOtt would
DE willing 10 sell Lcr IIo would make
some excuse to Nott--hc .rilcd to think
ne would probably be clAAoed III the long
inc OF ab.oondng teuauts-hc would say
soodby to Rosey, and ic'vc for .5acra-
-nento that night He aCcndcd the stairs
o 1oe RanCway with y frccr breast than
when he first entered The ship.
Mr. Mott was evidently absent, aud after
? quick glance at tho halt open cabin
door, Renshaw turned towards tho galley.
}ut Miss Rosey was not IN her accus-
TONED haunt, and with feeling of disap-
pointmeut, which senlucd inconsistent
with so slight cause, lie crossed the deck
mpatiently and entered his room. He
was about to close the do"F when the pro-
longed rustic Of a trailing skirt in the
passage attracted his attention. The
sound was so unlike tiiut made 10y any
garments worn by Rosy that tie remained
.potionlose, with his hand on the door,
The sound approached nearer, and the
lext moment white vcicI figure with u
railing skirt slowly swept past the room.
8eusbaW's pulses halted Cor an instant in
laR supersttOus awe As the appari-
ion ghded on and vanished in the cabin
joor ne could only see that it was the
.orm u a beautiful and graceful woman
but nothing moro. Bcw'dcrcd and
'arous. he forgot hir,suit SO far as to
allow it,, and inYnisiycIy entered the
.abiu The figure turned uttered little
Try, threw thc veil ASIDE aud eioWed The
lalC troubled, hall bmahjne face of
Go,rN
"I-b"c-your rerdoa.' etammered
Rcrshaw; 81 didn't know - Was you"
~ Wa, trying On sVnc things" said
y 4
pointing 10 am O. on trUuk Ghat seemed to
contain theatrical wlrdrobo-' some
.biDgs fatncr gave me long .g0, WANTED
O sca If thcre was anything could use.
thought | was al alone ia tho ship, but
fancying heard a noise forward | came
1nt TO see what it wa!4. suppose it must
nave been you."
She raised her clear eyes 10 his, with a
slight touch OF womauly reserve that was
so incompatible with any vulgar vanity OF
Girlish coQuctry that he became the more
embarrassed. Ter dress, too, of d
slightly antique sha4c rich tuC simple
seemed 10 reveal and acccuta certain re-
pose q gentlcwomaniiucSs that ko was
low wishing to believe lac had always
-loNeci Conscious Of u superiority il
1cr that now seemed to Ian-o thcir re
latous completely, hc alone remained 81
cent. awkward and embarrassed bcfor,
ahc girl who had t-keu care IL his room
and who cooked in the go'lcy What hc
haj thoughtlcsaly considered a merel!
vulgar business intrigue against her stupiC
Gather, now 10 his cXtrNagaut fancy as
sumcd the proportions OF It sacriicgo Il
herself.
you've had your revenge, Miss Mott
'or the fright 1 once gave you." he said
little unc2s.iy, "for you quite startled M
lust now as You passed. began TO thinl
he Pontiac was haunted. | thought yol
we're ghost ! don't know why such
ghost should frightcn anybody" he wen
Oh with a desperate attempt to rccove
ais position by gallantlv LET me Sec
chats Donna Elyira's dress---is it noC?"
II don't think that was the poo
woman's name,' said Rosey simply; Ssh
Tod ~ lI.,Vv To- IA..t..