The morning call., 1893-11-12
THE HINDA MYSTERY.
"A New Story of the Sea by Clark Russell.

me how it happened. 1t comes to me she's
been the victim of violence. It entered my
head last night, and l told Captain Carter
so. don't know why I should think it,
I'm sure.
"She has no rockets" said Mrs. God
hold, with smile that was like saving l
hear you; there's nothing on her but the
wedding ring, rather poor diamond ring.
and keeper, and they,il tell nothing IL she
keeps her mouth shut
won't she give the name of her ship ?"
Not she."
How long was she overheard ?"
"WelI, now. | asked that question too
watched her strain her face with the strug-
gle to remember 1t was genuine. She
would answer that if she could Her reply
was. Tt was growing dark, when I-when
= and then she stopped and turned
horribly white, and her eyes swan, and
caught shocking look of grief just as she
rounded her face over to the ship'S wall"
As might justly consider / lad saved
the ladv'S life, | was naturally curious TO
see her. | was forced to wait, however.
Put on the afternoon of the fourth day
following her rescue, on leaving the deck
to 60 to nv berth, | saw her sitting In the
cabin with Mrs. GodbOld. Of course, |
knew she must be the person we had
picked up. vet | certainly should not have
recognized her from mere memory OF the
deathly face of the body had helped carry
to berth.
When showed myself at the foot of the
companion steps Mrs. Godbold said some
thing to her companion. and there rose
from the cushioned locker as charming
Young woman as ever my seafarlng eyes
had rested on. Her hair was quite glor Gus !;
a magnificent heap of golden coils, with
f1utfing of it over her white brows, so that
the skin there took peculiar beauty OF
color, as though you saw 1t through dell
catelv woven golden veil. Her hair was In
deed a grace. and the first thing L always
mention when | talk OF her. Otherwise she
was pretty, scarcely beautiful, though Mrs.
GOdbold thought her so. She had SOFT blue
ewes. we'll fringed her white teeth glanced
like light itself when she parted her lps;
the hues of her skin promised rlcnnesS,
summer glow. something to carry the fancy
to orchards and milkmaids. when all should
he we'll with her health and heart; but
there was that in the chisellng OF her nose
and in the overwhelmed projection OF her
mouth. which somehow called malt TO the
first enthusiastic march of admiration,
making delight pause, as though there was
no soul, no spring of passion IN what you
looked at Her figure was uncommonly
GOOD. 7 spied that quickly, despite the
dressing gown Mrs. GodbOld had lent her,
girdlpd into a very pretty waist by a
col0red rope of silk.
She stretched out her hands and with a
slight North country accent thanked ne
for her life.
"Where should benow." said she, with
a shudde1ing lift of her shoulders. IF you
had not seen me lying, ike the renectlon
of a star. upon the waterP'
That's how | described it," said l. let
ting nv ewes fall from the full blue melt
ing light of hers, so embarrassingly fixed
and impa ssioned TO the beauty's stare to
poor devil of a sailor, whose eX erience OF
the sex set him miles to leewaId when it
came to talking to ladies.
She resumed her seat beside Mrs. God
bold. [ observed a sudden hardening Of
her face, as though. having slackened
away little in order TO thank me, she had
hove taut and short afresh-got behind the
window of her countenance, in word, and
pulled do wn the blind.
'If this breeze lasts" said I. DRAWN e
out some pluck for myself from her COM
posed and settled air, 1--WE stand to over
haul your ship, unless she should hav e
nimbl lines than ours. which is not
She slightly started. and flashed glance
at me, settling her blue eyes once again
upon my face; but said nothing.
What sort of ship is she ?'
She looked a little piteously and ex-
claimed:
81 would rather not answer any ques-
tions-not even yours, Mr.. Berry, though
[ owe yon nv llfe."
why" said I. don't suppose that if
you are questioned it's from any motive Of
vulgar curiosity. Il your ships ahead and
we overhaul her, the captain will put you
aboard"
She frightened her lips, but said nothing.
Gall your clothes are in your ship" said
I, speaking with a sense of right. for / felt
| had some claim upon this woman's can
dor. and her retcence was violence TO
ones sense of kindness, and, in its way,
an affront to US who were her deliverers.
lyon doubtless have friends there, too,
who would be as much rejoiced as aston
ished at the sight of you. But how are we
TO know your ship if you won't name or
describe her.?
81 wouldn't return TO her for" she
broke off with a strange gesture of her
hands in her lap. as though she was wash
ing them"
wouldn't question me-" she cried, and
cIapping her hands to her face she rocked
herself, moaning little.
I felt nv heart somewhat high with the
thought of having saved her, AS L rounded
on nv heel, with a short bow TO Mrs. God
bold, and made for my cabin. leaving the
prettv creature rocking herself. her face
hidden. and yellow sheen trembling a bout
Ter ualI, d. O'OA9 hoSA "OAO q Lay
of light.
Captain Carter was a widower-a mid
dle-siZed. brown. rather good looking man.
rather blunt of speech, and he had an
expression of arch humor in his eyes.
Guessed he would fall in love with this
lady, though it could never come to more
than a frequent seizure of pensiveness.
along with stolen glances, and plenty of
tobacco scented signs. in the face of her
wedding ring and her silence. But was
wrong. [ mean he made no sign in that
wav at ALL When he found she would
ha We nothing TO say about herself he seldom
mentioned her in his occasional chats with
me.
Well. fortnight passed. and all went
we'll with US and the lady. 1t was at the
end of the fortnight after picking her up
that we encountered one long day of very
dirty weather.
This weather had burst in fash and a
plain crushed into foam far as the eye could
measure: and it ceased with like abrupt
ness. falling dead, as though the raging
heart of it had broken. leaving us tumb-
ling hideously. But next morning at eight
bells it was once more clear, fair and
sunny, the ship under all plain sail, and
ahead of US, point on the lee bow, a
star of canvas.
By this hour it was easy to see she was
an Indiaman of type that was even then
decayiDg.
We bauled mn the mainsaiI cleWed down