The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-26

he1teo upoh Unat have been a good deal
ln company with you I'd her. If it is OBJ
served That we no longer speak, it will be
coupled with her sudden illness YESTERDAY
evening, and will be make the subject of
talk and conjecture. Had = not been for
her Illness l should have naturally alb
stained from addressing you or her. People
would have said that l had proposed and
nad been rejected and that had taken il to
neart and was sulking. That would not
nave mattered az all, but her illness might
give rise to other conJectures, and blame
might fall upon her. Therefore, l propose,
with your permission aud hers, that for the
short time we shall remain on board to.
gether, our intercourse should not be en-
tlrely broken off, and that at least should
render to you the ordinary civilities of
gentleman to two ladies of his acauaint-
ance Have your permission to - thisT'
Certainly, monsieur, and I thank you"
Madam Duport said. Constance looks
very Ill, and it will seem natural that she
should not wish to talk as before What
you propose will save her from painful COM
ment, aud | thank you"
Philip sat talking for few minutes in a
cold and constrained voice upon different
subjects, aud then left her, and a few min
utes later Annette got up aud again went
down to the cabin. Constance shivered
when she heard the arrangement that had
been made.
II do not like it, Annette. 1 do not care
what people might think and say. ANY,
thing would be better than having to speak
to him.
ut is for the best, my dear" Annette
said, decidedly. "You must not be talked
about; anything is better than that. 1t is
not for long, and you will have but little to
say to him. You look so ill, it will be easily
understood that you need quiet and rest,
and are unfit for conversation. Is it in all
respects the best, and whatever be the truth
as to this strange affair, Mr. ClItheroe is be-
having like thoughtful gentleman in his
proposal"
When Constance came up in the evening
with Annette, Philip Clitheroe met them as
usual at the top of the companion, took the
shawls Annette had brought up, walked be-
side them to their chairs and seated them
there, and as other passengers came up to
inquire how Constance felt, gravely Elk.
expressed his hope that she was better.
Annette ans wered for her.
My niece is better, but, as you may see,
she is still weak and unfit to talk fear
she will be some time before she is herself
again."
The wan face of the girl spoke for itself.
Even in the twilight the pallor of her face
and the dark rings round her eyes were un-
mistakable signs of the truth of what An
nette had said. She was evidently
absolutely unfit for conversation, and the
change that the twenty-four hours had
made in her appearance was so startling
that the voices were hushed, and all drew
off silently, leaving Annette and Constance
to themselves. In half an hour Philip re-
turned.
81 think, Madam Renan, that we are go
ing to have change of weather." he said.
quietly. There is dullness about the
sky, and you see there are no stars visible.
and the moon Is rising red and dull. We
have been very fortunate SO far, but think
that we are likely to have a storm before
long. There is an oily look ON the water,
and heard the first mate tell the chief en-
gineer just now that the glass was falling
rapidly"
"Oh, hope we shall not have a storm, "
Annette SAIL. II hate storms. I think we
will go below now; will you please give my
niece your arm"
Constance uttered little exclamation of
objection, but Philip paid no attention to it.
He gravely held out his hand to help her to
her feet.
Constance felt so weak that she was
forced to avail herself of his arm. Au-
nette collected the shawls hastily, and
moved after them.
THANK you,n she said, when she reached
the top of the companion. II will help my
niece down. Will you kindly bring the
shawlsln
He left them at the door of TIE cabin.
II will not go up any MORE" Constance
said, as she threw herself down on her
berth. 81 will not leave the cabin again
! until we reach Melbourne"
The weather bad changed still further
before morning; the wind had got up. al
though it could not as yet be said to be
blowing hard, and the sea had begun to
rise and the air was thick and hazy.
what do you think of til" Philip
Clitheroe asked the second officer who had
come off duty at eight bells.
"Don't quite know what to think of it,
he replied. THE glass has been going
down down since yesterday, but slowly, not
like the sudden drop that generally is before
bad weather in these seas. No doubt we are
going to have some wind, how much / can
not say, but l don't think it will be any
thing of a gale. 1t is queer looking sky,
too, for these parts. One expects thick
weather in the Atlantic, but one doesn't
often get it here, and it is getting thicker,
toon
During the day the wind increased
steadily and was blowing half a gale by
night fall. The weather was still thick, but
was parchy, at times clearing up so that the
sky could be seen overhead, while five
minutes afterward clouds of vapor seemed
10 sweep down and they could scarce see a
ships length around them. To the passen-
gers the change was not an unpleasant one
after the long spell of fine weather and
cloudless skies they had been having. The
motion of the vessel was not too great to
prevent walking on deck, and the question
whether the wind would increase to a gale
afforded topic of conversation and argu-
ment very welcome in the monotony of a
sea voyage
Constance Corbyn had not left her cabin
all day. Madame Duport came out at meal
times and reported that her neice did not
seem to be able to shake off the effects of
her fainting fit. She had headache, and
the ships doctor, who had seen her that
morning, had said that she had best keep
quiet for day or two. No doubt she felt
the heat and was low and nervous. In a
few days they would get cooler weather,
VIII. ca would set her up again. There was
nothing to be at all uneasy about
If not uneasy, Philip Clitheroe had been
worried and uncomfortable during the
forty-eight hours that had elapsed since he
had spoken to Constance. The first night
ne had gone below, as sleep was out of the
question. and putting on an ulster to keep
out the heavy night dews. he passed the
hours alternately pacing up and down the
deck and leaning against the bulwark gaz-
ing cut over the sea.