Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-04-28

don. and ray steward-well. Gustav
was a queer customer, certainly, as
you will see later onl But he was
the very best steward i ever travelled
with, and i have known many. With
his help l secured capital place at
the long dinner table, and also q
promise that he would get the two
seats on either side OF mine kept
vacant as long as possible, SO that /
could give them to any friends that /
might pick up.
Having seen everything thus set
tied for q propitiouc voyage went
on deck. We had dropped our moor
ings, and were just moving ahead I;
so that the ship had been cleared OF
all the shore-going people. Rut the
saloon deck on which found myself,
was still crowded, especially about
the port gangway, where the usual
itself along the rail, waving good
by " to the departing tender. 1
crossed to the other side Of the deck,
and began TO inspect the rather less
dense crowd Of passengers / found
there. They we're not an interesting
lot; and was almost In despair OF
| finding any one upon whom to be-
stow my two spare seats at table,
when my eye fell upon a young
couple-evidentl husband and wife
standing little apart from the rest.
The man was tall and broadly built !;
clean shaven, save for little brown
mustache, and with that uniform
paleness OF complexion that tells OF a
life spent In Office work or some sed-
entary occupation. His wife was
/ should have saba good deal
younger than her husband; small,
rather delicate in appearance, and
distinctly pretty. There, / thought,
are my friends for the voyage.
Even as watched them, the man
came across and asked me some trivi-
al question as to the possibility OF
getting at some OF their heavier bag
gage in the hold, and, in half an hour.
we found ourselves on the best OF
terms, and my two seats were accept
ed with alacrity.
Mrs Charters and were wonder
ing-let me introduce my wife, Mr.
Mr.-Stone-were wondering what
sort OF neighbors we should have, but
we shall be delighted to give up our
old places and take the two you so
kindly offer us"
"You are good sailor hope, Mrs.
Charteris?" / asked, as the Circas-
sienhe just began to feel open water.
well, 1 hardly like to say yet"
she answered. "It's my first trip.
In fact"-with the least little blush
1--WE have only been married few
weeks. and are going to settle in Lon
don, where Herbert was working as a
journalist before he came out here"
Your husband is evidently ambi-
tious," said, land wants to COM
pete with the very highest in his
profession.
mo: curiously enough, it's just
the other way with him. He has no
ambition at all. He wants TO get back
to London and to lose himself among
the crowd of other small men. You
needn't frown, Herbert; you are q
small man as yet, whereas in Austria
liza, where the competition is not so
keen. he might have made name for
himself in no time"
You don't quite understand my
hopes or my intentions Yet, child"
said Charters. He always called her
"child :" ''you will some day."
At dinner that first evening, and In
the saloon afterward, / found the
Charterises most delightful company.
And later on, we two men adjourned
10 the smoking-room, and had an
hours chat.
Next day did not see them. There
was fresh breeze, with bit OF a sea,
and beside, 1t Is not etiquette TO
''show" on board ship on the first day
out.
The day following, however, was
just perfect; calm as q mill pond, and
just enough wind right in our teeth
to keep us cool under the awning.
bethought me OF my scarf-pin
while dressing, and put it on, with
a plain black scarf, which, L thought,
showed up the diamonds we'll.
Taking stroll on deck before
breakfast / came upon Charters.
He stood with his back to me, looking
out over the water, and tapped him
on the shoulder, as 1 said good
morning" He turned and faced me
for moment, then gave sudden
start, land grew deadly pale. L thought
he was going to faint.
GOOD Godl man." he gasped:
I" that cross! Where, how, did you get
that cross? You're not, no you can't
be one of-of those"---He stopped,
checking himself as though he had said
too much, and stood, his eyes fixed
on mine, his face full of terrified en-
treaty.
my dear Oh arteris," replied.
81 haven't the least idea what you are
abiding to. / bought that pin In
Adelaide two days ago, of a second
hand jeweler;" then as sudden
thought struck me, lit isn't yours, is
it?"
"N-no, not mine. II never set
eyes on it before; b-but don't you
know it's-it's desperately unlucky to
wear coral and diamonds together ?
Don't-for Gods sake, don't wear 1t,
Stone. Take it off-now-now-this-
instant, before it brings you any
harm"
Really, Charters, IL you are SUI
perstitious, I'm not. / despise all
those old fancies; and, after all, it's /
who am wearing the pin, not YOU"
A look Of hopeless disappointment
came over HIS face as he replied
"Well, please yourself, Of course.
Only, IL evil comes Of this-and mark
me, ii will, it must-you il remember
what said, and be sorry"
couldn't help watching Charters
that day at breakfast. And he, no.
ticed, kept glancing round at me,
every now and then, with queer,
furtive expression that puzzled and
annoyed me. And, throughout the
whole OF the voyage, it was just the
same with him. All his spirit seemed
to have gone. He had become nerv-
Gus and dispirited; quite silent. I'M
less one spoke to him, and even then
n IL Il
tho earna ,nan nftar that morning