The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-05-20

panion, being so, 1t Will prevent
any possible awkwardness if you ignore
the late regrettable incident altogether.
And / may add that | know you Would
be consulting her own wishes If you
refrained from mentioning the OBJECT
Of our voyage at all. The subject Is
not one with pleasant associations as
between herself and you"
Dick thought the colonel a model or
Judgment n Kindness. He n
him again hastily, and went below with
a beating heart. Camilla was in the
saloon by himself: she flushed when he
entered, but greeted him Haturally, n
without any reference 10 what had
passed. While her land lay in his she
looked at him a little sadly, he fancied,
as though a tinge of her first disap-
pOintment still remained; but that sure
ly was natural enough, and needed only
time 10 efface it from her memory
Meanwhile he had a fortnight, a whole
age-of happiness before him The col
onel, who had calculated with nicely
the time he ought TO allow them. now
came d~iscreetly in and suggested break
fast.
Certainly" said Dick; lit is long
past the time; but where's Captain
Worsely?"
oh" replied the colonel: haven't
they told you! Hes got a fever. and
can't leave his berth today"
That's rather sharp work" said
Dick; seemed all right when l left
the ship yesterday"
Yes said the colonel, there is a
sudden kind Of feverish attack which
is not uncommon. l am told. in these
ATTITUDES. 1t took him quite suddenly.
just as We came on board: he was very
queer. and kept me up late into the
night talking in the most random man
ner. I thought you must have heard
u.s." he added, with a quick, searching
glance at Dick.
Il did hear you replied the latter.
And that reminds me hat I also heard,
OIL fancied / heard, a o put off m
the middle of the night, and come
ABOARD some time later"
Just So" aid the colonel; that was
what he and I were arguing about. I
wanted some things / had forgotten
fetched from the Hamilton, and Cap
tain Worsley refused me a boat. but |
got my W way at last with some diff
ficulty." n having fired off this ex-
PLANTATION which he had ready loaded
and primed for some time past. he
turned the conversation adroitly back
to the Hamilton. and the incidents of
their voyage from England. When the
meal was over, Dick remembered the
captain again.
II can't say I regret old Worsley's
temporary absence" he remarked, for
/ prefer very much our present party
of three; but 1 think / must go and
see him. for the sake of civility."
II don't think L would. If 1 were you"
said the colonel lightly; hes still rath-
er over-excitable this morning, and he
has apparently, for some absurd rea-
son, taken a dislike to you"
Dick laughed. I'm not afraid Of his
tongue" he said; I'm shot-proof
against marine gunnery." And he went
toward the door. The colonel turned
away and bit his mustache. He dared
not insist further, for fear of arousing
suspicion; for, upon the face of it,
what could it matter to him whether
Dick went or not? But in reality a good
deal was at stake. and Dicks sudden
resolve had taken him for once unpre-
pared. So he sat still, and listened with
desperate anxiety to hear what would
follow. The Speedwelrs construction
between decks was not quite that Of an
ordinary brig. She was large, but, as
was only reasonable in a ship carrying
government stores, she had no provision
for a number Of passengers. but was
instead fitted with unusually ample
quarters for the captain and three or
-four others. Thus, while the saloon
was small, there were on each side of
il three good cabins, or rather state
rooms, instead Of the ordinary berths.
On the s~tarboard side Madame de Mon
taut. the colonel, and Dick were quar-
tered; on the opposite side We're the
captains two rooms and the mates
cabin. A narrow passage was left on
each side between these state-rooms
and the saloon. The colonel, with his
head against the wooden wall OF the
latter, could near perfectly all that
passed or the other side: and, in fact.
when Dick stood at the captains door
he was within a yard Of him. First
he heard him knock once, and again
louder. There was no answer. The col
onel was rigid. but his eyes betrayed
intense anxiety. Camilla had fortu-
nately gone 10 her own cabin, and
there was no one to observe his IN
concealable agitation. Dick knocked a
third time. The colonel ground his
teeth and drew in his breath. A rat
Ting noise followed. Instantly the ten
! sion of his limbs relaxed, and a look
of relief spread over his face. Dick had
tried the door and found it locked. The
colonel got up and wiped his brow. His
secret was safe now, and he must get
vaa1U fnr "a nnthnr liYf1a grana In tho
comedy, which could not be long de-
layed.
Dick meanwhile vas knocking again,
and calling Captain Worsley by name.
Still there was no reply, and he began