The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-03-17

NIX
Pancha had been reclining euer since
noon.
woman wove a tale about the blue eyed
silent officer pacing the lonely deck
how anxious he was to do something
for the little invalid; how eagerly To
had gone and ordered for her and su
perintended the preparation of that
dainty little supper; how he had b,u
den the stewardess to stay by her and
soothe her and was SO deeply interest.
ed High and low, rich and poor, they
love romance, these tender hearts, and
for that reason, doubtless, no reference
did Nine Flores make of the So gold
piece that had Sound it's way to her
ready palm.
" And he spoke Spanish beautifully
did the Senior Teniente, said Nine
Flores, whereat did Pancha $ heart be-
gin to flutter anew, for that meant that
he must have heard and understood her
pleadings
And SO 1t happened that till long
after midnight the c4lld lay wide eyed
and awake, listening to that steady
measured tread upon the upper deck
Strange and sad and eventful had been
that yonng life thus far What strange.
new thing had fate in store for her now,
The Idaho dropped anchor at San
Lucas apd put Oft a passenger and took
on the mails--two bags, with TANKS as
flat as the sandy strand on which the
long. white line of breakers beat III
ceaseless, soothing melody. The broad
blue ocean glistened under the sunshine
OF another Cay, and late in the after
noon one or two pallid and attentuated
shapes were aided to the deck, where
Pancha had been reclining ever since
noon, and the captain had come and
rallied her upon her big. pathetic eyes
and hollow checks and coaxed her to
promise to play Der guitar that even
ing, and the purser had heen polite, and
the stewardess had brought up an appe.
tizing lunch, ard Colonel Turnbull had
put i'll an appearance toward sundowu
"a grewsnme face was his-and all this
time Mr. Loring was either briskly
pacing the deck c. reading in shelter
ed nook back Of the purser' IS cabin, but
never once did he address her or intrude
upon her meditations. Pancha's spirits
and courage--or was it innate coquet-
ry.- began to ferment That evening
no fewer than five passengers appeared
, ut table, Though all five did not remain
through the several courses
That evening Pancha was again tuck.
\ :,. = n T..
aided from her room and placed beside
her. and very attentive was Mr.. Tray
nor. the purser, though fair lnez was
but languid and unresponsive still and
kept her veil about her face, aud Colo
mel Turnbull came and poured cham
payne for both with lavish hand and
vowed it was specific against further
assaults of the salty seas, and still Mr..
Loring never spoke word. With the
sparkling sunshine of yet another day
J the little maid was early on the shining
deck, fresh from it's matutinal ablu-
tions and there was Loring taking his
early exercise. striding up and down,
up and down. and drinking in the glori-
GUS, invigorating sea air, but even now
he came no nearer, and she who feared
at first to venture to her accustomed
seat lest he might take advantage Of
her solitude and come and ask things
or say things she could not bear to hear
finally sidled along one side while he
was patrolling the other. made her tim
id way to the stern and stood there
clinging to the flagstaff and became alb
sorbed in the rush of foaming, boiling
waters unrolling gradually narrowing
streak Of dazzling white through the
blue green waste Of pillows, all spar
king in the slanting sunshine.
Wheeling in Tapping circles over
head skimning the crested waves, set
thing down and lazily floating on the
heaving food, SO many dots of snow
upon the sapphire. the flock of gulls
sailed onward with the ship. white
scavengers of the sea, and sometimes
dropped SO close to the rail on wide ex-
tended wing that Pancha could plainly
see the eager little red beads of eyes.
could almost bury her soft cheek in the
thick plumage Of their fleecy breasts.
Away out toward the invisible coast q
tAIoO AldotcC WAS UOWl1uB dlOuE, uuu0l
full speed Of canvas, and midway be.
tween some huge black fish were plung
ing through the swelling brine. Early
as it was the deckhands had cast asterr
the stout trolling line. and far in theil
wake the spinning, silvery bait came
leap;ng and flashing from the north
ward slope Of each succeeding wave
and Pancha. who had seen the previou!
day dolphin hauled in to die in swift
ly changing. brilliant hues upon tn,
deck. tested the taut lanyard with hel
slender fingers, wondering whether sh'
alone could triumph over the franti,
struggles of the splendid fish, or VIVA
she would do If she found she could not
!, 1t was an hour to breakfast time
Only Loring and herself had yet ap
peared on deck, and she stole peep a
him. There he was tramping up an!
down. as though he had to finish
thousand laps within given time ant
stood at least q hundred laps behind