The herald., 1896-02-13


paralleled delights Of fine weather on the
Atlantic. Within twenty-four hours Nor
ley, although he was far from being super
susceptible was fguratively her humble
slave. Her bright manner, frank nature
and lovely face and form completely and
quickly captivated him. He had been in
love before but never had conquest been
so rapid and so thorough. The ship was
not in mid-Atlantic before he had actually
begun to think of marriage.
Only once did she refer to the episode
which had brought them together, and, OF
course, he could not with modesty speak
of it. Once she asked (and he thought there
was a ring of half-concealed anxiety in
her voice. whether the man who had an
noyed her had turned out to be second cab
in or steerage, and, after he had told her,
he noticed that she was inclined to turn
in their strolls when they were amidships.
She would rarely consent to go far enough
aft to approach the second cabin rail. In
deed, he fancied that she showed agitation
whenever the second cabin or second cab
in passengers were mentioned.
Morley, remembering the glance Of ap-
parently recognizing fright that shot from
her eyes when she first saw the interoper;
and seeing connection between it and
these subsequent puzzling passages, often
wondered what it all meant. He could not
imagine that there could really be anything
in common in the lives Of the villainous
looking person who had created the dis
turbance and this gently bred, sweet
natured maiden, although there was strong
ci1cumstantial evidence for believing that
the scoundrel had an especial reason for
trying to annoy her and that she had es-
pecial reasons for fearing him. In the fer
vor Of his new born passion there was no
room for suspicious however. and Morley
forgot the whole matter in the delight that
was his when be began to feel that his
prepossession was not wholly unrecipro-
Gated.
In fact the magic of youth, congenial
companionship, ocean breezes and moon
light gazings over an almost tropical sea,
seemed to have bewitched Madeline Per-
rine as effectually as they had Nor
ley. They had met on the second day out.
On the fourth out Morley was in love and
on the sixth Madeline had begun to give
shy, maidenly signs that she, too, was
succumbing to the darts of the blind ar
| cher. On the seventh day Morley told her
of his worldly circumstances, and this led
| to disclosure of the errand which was TAX
| ing him to London. They were, somewhat
| naturally, deeply absorbed in this con-
versation. and, perhaps because of her pre-
| occupation Madeline had permitted him
| for the first time to lead her aft, out Of the
| crowd amidships. He leaned unconsciously
on the second cabin rail as he spoke Of his
| treasure. The sale of the diamonds would
| mean little fortune to him and he wanted
her to share it, so he remarked on it al
length, even mentioning the place in which
he carried the Jewels. She seemed eagerly
| interested. He declared his love.
! She did not at once reply. deep
blush enriched her cheeks as she hesitat-
ed. Suddenly she gave quick glance over
his shoulder toward the second cabin
deck. Her face changed expression slight
ly and he attributed this to maidenly agi.
tation. He felt elated. He believed tha,
her next word would make him the happi.
est man on the ship. But it did not. She
plucked his sleeve hurriedly and begged
him to take her forward This surprised
and disheartened him and he kept a
gloomy silence until she turned at the door
of the main companionway, and, before she
disappeared within, whispered, blushing:
IL will give you your answer this
evening""
When evening came and they stood, hand
shyly pressing hand on the rail Of the yes
sci, under the charitable folds of her light
shawl gazing out over the phosphorescent
summer sea, she whispered to him that Il
lie had capitulated to Cupid, she, too had
been taken by storm. Half an hour later