The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-01
THE PUPPET.
BY N ROSS.
p v.
now I AN CARRIED ACROSS THE SEA.

- a. OeN ~ NNS -NNN
aeising my actual self-that uncertainty OF the
great town which we are 10th TO confess that
Robert Louis Stevenson makes one feel in his
.'New Arabian Nights" l could be certain, as l
h.ye said, that there was no dream about II, for
although nv head ached and my mouth was
dry, I was palpabie, and the swish OF the water
and the thud OF the engine left me no doubt.
I raised myself TO find I was lying in the
berth fully dressed; remembered that they had
only to take me to q boat at the foot OF the
street whore l had been seized-for what pur-
pose / could not fancy; only It was patent
had been meddling with q powerful pereon or
intsrest: yet not twenty-four hours since IN
my cousins house. 1 had been talking polite
commonplace And now-I raised my face to
. line with tho port that framed the green.
scattered with white caps, against the blue of
the further distance, merging Into gray. that
suddenly elowsd with the splondor of the set
ting sun, seeking the frothing crests OF the
waves. A dab Of irregular black marked q
passing steamship. and I saw from the sun We
wcro on q southeast course.
It was some time before I was able to collect
my dazed mind enough even for these observa-
tionr. 1 noticed then that the room showed
tho private steam yacht-the wood carving,
the scattered toilet appointments, the size of
the room, the motion of the vessel. / tried the
door. but It was locked, then I turned back to o
closer observe ton of the place. A coat Of arms
carved on the wall caught my attention. and
leaned forward to study it in the fading light
entering tho port. It was skilfully done,
and showed q boar and q fox rampant on o
held azure, surmounted by q crown. I tried to
place the device. which might mean anything
or nothing, when at the moment tho key
turned in the door. which swung open, show
ing against n narrow corridor a very tall. beard
"a n, III IRnEnd ar ma attanftvaIv for n
moment He wore q dark blue uniform with
oficial-looking outtons. 1 suppose l looked very
pale. and indeed. the motion-with the drug
fronS which I was recovering-left o decided
nausea, which the gust from the port through
the opened door relieved. l concluded this
person was the skipper. for he bore evidenceof
belonging to the sea. For q moment We etood
there staring at each other.
You would like something to eat, probably.
That will make yon feel. better" said he in
very good French. and in q tone that apart
from its manner sounded not uncivil. The
manner. and the pronunciation of tho French
(which. however, I saw was not his tongue)
placed him at once a man who either had been
bnrn in genLle circumstances, or had ac-
quired some manner from association. 1 had
time tn refect in the scrutiny he gave me that
it did not profit particularly to rage. and fume.
and call down the. law to which my captors
evidently held themselves superior. and so I
asked, in q voice sounding sepulchnlly hol-
low, simply for an explanation.
You are at sea-a prisoner"
II know that well. but whose prisoner, and
what have I done7"
He shruRged his shoulders.
II can't tell you. monsieur. Your questions
Gro entirely useless"
But I can imagine that-it has s~omethinR.to
do with an occurrence Yesterday"
You need not question me. monsieur; I
have told you I can say absolutely nothing ON
that-or any subject"
And I Am to be kept here until"
YES. until" He smiled. II may as
we'll leave 1; until But. really. as you appear
20 be y man OF sense-as you see I am . servant
,ryou win not trouble me with useless ques-
E&ons."
IF they are useless"
They are. monsieur" he interrupted with
RTuff ippatence. II can tell you only that
you are to DO kept. Antonio !" he called back
into the corridor. when q little dark waiter
appeared. with q tray. I told them to take
tho things away, AS certainly was not in the
temper for food. when my reticent koepsr in
sisted with q return of his urbanity that I
doubtless should feel better for it-after the
drug I had been under. I Thought possibly he
might be right, as proved to bo the case. He
- niue'S ws'oh.he ne' uh'hit was ehaea'
-. ', ..an = An.i'ipn.0u'
i had finished he motioned the waiter to re-
~ ~ y" Ce Jimmy ",thou'
,af'nef Soiu.isi1 me- "h'n 1 hoAro aeeihtn
A1y on
and the win whistled outside the port, which
49, "ao 1"ink oolu w .he room.
A.S..a e. 49,. W "" u uHrh-
INs 'tppou q. fiknC anSie''
-" : aooso' . WI ma run
M. - y u arty "eatner
wv" feSse,a iAnoSmAn
!. $50 n.kn. :, "ni1tnnx vino al
- - "ep,oStnk muoh IN Ordinary
:. .ru"~ . "eA u iAten 70 the thuo
~ rkn. "h.on eoonS 70 TAX tne piace
snS 80 NV "inou "neh
S-s..-A D'h eeop.. nus IN,
p.u ~ = IN any case, nor oio IL
49, ~ Vi 'nN' ''u"o ieA'o nut
'housh.
- W. ei sno pnAeeo Vi Inc ~oVohturo