The morning call., 1892-12-13
METEMPSYCHOSIS.

They stood together on the upper deck of
the Piedmont. She was wondering why
she shrank from this man, handsome.
wealthy. cultivated, athletic respected of
his fellows-aud loving her devotedly. Her
judgment accused her of being wrong.
foolish, unreasonable, bat she still disliked
and dIstrustsd him, although she could no
more explain her dislike and distrust than
she could explain why from early childhood
she had hated and feared water. She had
always been laughed at for her cowardce
In this respect. 1t was not the sea in its
moments of rage that she feared; the churn-
ing waves had no terror for her, and once
when in a gale On the ocean she had felt
sense OF exultation in the power Of
the tempest. But the sea In
calm was 10 her a loathsome object.
When the sun shone upon the bay and
the surface OF the water lay CLASSY, smooth
ana giitteIlng showing millions OF soft
cimples, then she turned from IL In horror
and disgust. So, too. although the deafen-
Ing roar Of the tossed waves against
the cliffs was delight to her. the gurgling
oil water In pipes. or as she once heard it
rushing through tiny rift in thu rocks On
the Santa Barbara shore, always terrified
her. Such fear was so Eenseless she was
deeply ashamed of il, bat her most heroic
efforts had never gained more than momen-
taTy victory over it.
boat until he had joined her on the upper
deck and suggested promenade. The mo.
meDt she had heretofore contriyed to es-
cape had at last overtaken her, and he had
asked her TO marry him. WHAT have you
against me?" he pleaded, when he at last
saw her refusal to be real.
Il do not like you. she said, desperately.
she wished he would go away. She felt
nervous dread of bin as he stood there,
sorrowfui. bis strong, square face CULVER
Ing with pain. The day was calm and still;
the water dimpllng and rlDpling along the
sides vi the boat glittered like mirror in the
sun. Not fieck of white dotted the serene
azure OF the sky; the dead man laid ont''
on the mountain top stretched like a sleep
iBg giant before them; n faint hum sounded
over the water from the city on her hundred
bElls, and the gnlls circled about the steamer.
skirliDg their quarrelsome complaints
Armed with bucket and brushes deckhand
was washing the white woodwork of the
boat.
"It seems 70 me i have always, loved
y0u." her companion said. Even before /
ever saw you. / sometimes believe | must
have known and loved you in former ex-
istenee, at any rate, during all my con-
seI0us life j have loved something that was
yoB, even when your personality was I'M
known 70 me, 4 cannot take your quiet
MOI" be cried. At last. so fercely she
feared some one would notice. ''You must
take time TO consider. OhP-aud his
face aarkened and his hands were thrust
harder into the pockets Of his short coat
'Tt seems as If could kill you rather than
70 ace you loving some ono elseW and the
look on bis face came to her like something
out Of dead past.
The deekband stumbled against his
bucket, oyerturning IL, and the water run
ming along tie gutter at the edge OF the
deck euTged down little opening Into
pipe close az their feet.
Tie scene changed. Instead OF the
kav yhura TAI
len whale summing himself mid way between
the two elites; she saw long low stretch
of reedy coast She recognized a curious
grass-thatched hut short distance away.
Near its low hole OF a door q scantily
CARRIED woman was sklnnlnR, with the aid
Of a sbnTp-edged stone. a dead animal. She
knew tue woman was her mother, who
wouls pres.nily cook the animal aud
garry * % "a ssrer within the hut.
49, ~. fssas ID snd ripped. The