Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-12-12

aloud in horror, for the ship was mov-
ing.
The sands Of the fast receding beach
were enveloped and concealed by the
water. The tide was up, and the ves-
sci, the vessel upon which l stood, was
detached from its hold and headed out
TO sea!
cried aloud. 1 shrieked. l thought l
must jump into the water. Finally l
felt the hopelessness of my situation
and resigned myself to despair. A
strong wind had sprung up, almost
squall, and 1t drove the ship on faster.
The shores faded, about me was the
measureless sea. Night came on. was
faint and worn with hunger, and l
crawled down into the hold and wished
for death to come to my release.
Suddenly as l lay there l heard a
faint sound. 1t was not like any noise
had ever heard, and yet 1t was
strangely familiar to me. l strained
my ears; while listened there passed
me suddenly gleam of light. 1t was
surely some one carrying lantern.
Some one. Who?
l started up. Cold persplration was
upon me. The next instant | knew and
recognized the sounds l had heard. 1t
was the moving Of the machinery of q
vessel, but dim and far away, like the
suggestion rather than the actual
thing. l rose and with the sense of re-
turning strength all fear left me.
| climbed upon deck. The masts were
there as they had been when the
Fleur-de-lis was happily sailing home
ward The sailors were at their post.
The captain, tall, slender man, stood
with his glass to his eyes. But about
them all was an air of vague strange
ness. A deep melancholy, mingled with
an unearthly quiet, pervaded them.
Their movements were felt rather
than heard.
AS l stood looking without fear up
on the marvellous scene my attention
was arrested by the figure of a young
girl She stood with her profile to-
ward me, the wind stirred the little
curls Of her light hair, with a faint,
transparent hint Of color in it, as Is
sometimes seen upon the heart of
cloud. She had blue scarf twisted
about her throat, which she held in
place with the delicate fingers Of one
hand. On one Of them there glistened
a ruby of great size and brilliancy.
She turned her face slowly as l
looked and smiled a faint, unmirthful
smile. l approached her and lifted my
hat.
"Will you tell me-" said, my eyes
meanwhile feasting upon her beauty,
what ship this is and where it is 60
ing"
She looked at me half sadly, l
thought, and answered In q low, vi
brant tone:
ut is the Fleur-de-lis, but it Is dead,
you know. We are all dead, and we
are sailing through eternity. You are a
stranger. l am glad to see you. We
have been alone so long"
The voice of this young girl thrilled
me as nothing had ever done before.
My heart beat fast. l looked into her
blue eyes, with their changing lights,
and the past and future faded. l cared
only for the present.
AIc lOu NeHluIeu.
could scarcely restrain myself from
putting my hand on her delicate wrist,
from caressing her soft hair.
NO" she replied; 81 have my maid
and Nine d'Estell with me-"
"You are French, thenW
Eyes, but l was at school in Eng
land" An absent look came into her
| aNThnt lnnu 1pno
must go now and help madame with
dinner. We take the cooks place. He
was lost, you know"
She smiled sadly and left me.
A repast was presently served In the
long saloon, but all hunger seemed to
have left me, nor did l see any of the
others partake of anything set before
them. Afterward l walked on deck
with the girl. We paused, looking at
the horn shaped moon together. l felt
the blown strands of her hair upon my
face.
"Will you tell me your name| !
whispered to her.
She turned her face to me serenely.
81 have forgotten" she said simply.
The answer did not surprise me, for
to me the past was blank.
"Then l shall call you Psyche"
said.
"Very WELL" she replied, and we be-
gan to walk again.
Thus days went by, or at least some
form Of time, just what l could not
tell. l was like one intoxicated with
a joyous wine. l thought and cared
only for the beautiful French girl Her
seductive beauty enchanted me; her
proximity thrilled me with intense de.
light.
The vessel sailed onward, but never
sighted land. Before us stretched al
ways the boundless water now taking
strange and varied hues, now bubbling
and whlrling around us, now sinking
into CLASSY calm.
One day as l sat with Psyche, as II
pleased my fancy to call her, watching
her as she looked out upon the sea,
fplt a cuddnD wild lonoinp m point baI