The Press., 1899-02-02

\ hundred miles from Alden her maj
esty's troopship Idena steamed along
Bound for home.
MI day the fit roe sun had streamed
down with blazing beams, which those
OH board endured, cursed Or sru nbled
at. according to their various DISPOSE
tions
The sensation of the day had been
provided by lascar stoker. vino, rush
ing from the inferno Of the engine
room, leaped headlong overheard. mad
for one delicious plunge into coolness
after enduring the torments of heat
Man overheard. rang out. Engines
were reversed Ladies started from Ian.
guild redundancy \ smooth faced sub
altern offered 100 to against 1.-The mig.
ger being picked up, but no one trou-
bled to listen TO him. for the water
hereabouts is swarming with sharks
However just as horror became sub
dued into resi- gnation Il black speck was
seen still swimming vigorously \ boat
was lowered, and the poor wretch was
dragged back, collapsing utterly when
certain of safety.
a II this, however, had happened six
hours ago The incident had been dis
cussed. commented on and capped by
similar cases. and long before the din
ner bell rang tie customary state Of
boredom had again set in.
After dinner. when the sun had
finally disappeared and the stars shunt
- -. .,f
southern night. st ne che tlrnbably the
MAJORS wife) proposed il dance. ano
presently the notes of ii waltz Il g ant
fell aIluring with its Lang hit III
melancholy sweetness even those WI
vowed they "did.I dance 10 SO, :; uns
partners
Among the many who circlrd ;i''rin
were tie officer in co!nn., 81: Cni,..
Assbeton and his partner. ;. iss phylJ
Y elSn
The ladies' of the Dnve"ot q, nl.I tina
Miss Welsh had ANY CLAIMS to tlc II
tractive adjectiveS hv winch I err:
Oh board ship descrit, d h"r ci,nr,M!a
manners qua face They rnrhr al,
agreed among tnenls> ives That l>.,' nnl'
epithct she dies rl"d Was that Of l,eil:
IAN outrageous f1Tt
Whatever her nurHcter might really
be. tonight more lhtn than tapm
Assheton thought Miss Phyllis Welsh
looked "uncnmn OILY fetching Hel
eyeIids. heavy with dark ld>hes dir rnred
as though to hide the exciting bright
ness of the eyes they shaded while eX
element restored the bloom which a
year spent i'll Indian gayeties had some
what paled
AS she glided round she breatheu
quicker than the heat of the evening or
the motion of the dance accounted for.
She wondered at her own sensations
To experience the delight fear, rapture
and doubt which it had amused her to
make others feel half terrified, half
charmed her.
Once raising her eyes she met full a
glance from Captain Assheton, aud a
thrill of certainty sv ept away the last
| doubt whether or not her love was re-
turned
Lets come and sit it out, said
Captain Assheton; then he added, 81
want to speak to you-to tell you,
i1lS 1lO Stt'lJJS't pol
ceiving an orderly coming up to speak
to him
well, what is it?" he asked per,
emptorily
please, sir, the doctor says Private
Robinson is seriously ill. -
Captain ASshetOn turned apologetic-
ally to his partner. Il must leave you
for few minutes Will you wait for
me here? | shall be back in five min
utes. -
"Yes, " assented Miss Welsh, leaning
back languidly in deck chair. "I'Il
wait for you here if you're not too
long"
Captain Assheton and the orderly
strobe away
Custom had not yet steeled Assheton S
heart against feeling pang of sorrow
when called to visit the poor fellows
whose dying words it was his duty
when officer in command to note and
report.
When Tommy Atkins dies, there is
no useless fuss made over the event
No loving hand clasps his to strength.
en- him during the last struggle. No
tears fall to tell him that even he, poor
fellow, has some one who will miss