The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-30

lips had Redeemed, and all the romance
of her face, which was not beautiful nor
even pretty, but alluring nevertheless,
was expressed once more in the fattering
evening light, which suffused with
| liquid softness the atmosphere of that lit
| tie cabin.
Until the man knocked, at the door with
the tray of food and wine they talked
chiefly of home, Of the dry ditch and
Bax's farm, of the East Dock road and
of Capt. smedley. whose escape and
probable safety the girl had mentioned
early in this talk And then whilst she
supped-an early supper, but on the ocean
1t is the last meal-she told him the story
of a memorable fire at sea.
There had been many such fires, and
they nearly all read like one. 1t begins
by some rascally sailor broaching a rum
cask, or 1t Is naked candle in the
hand of fool looking for brand in
the lazarette; or 1t is a pipeful of glow
ing tobacco amongst WOOL the capSizal
of a lamp; or it Is caused by something
which the ocean sucks down to her ooze
| and buries there, one secret more. But
however 1t be, the end is nearly always
the same. 1t was SO in this case; the fire
took such hold there was no dealing
with it; score may have perished. The
girl saw the bowsprit and jibbooms black
with figures of men who had been cut
| off by the amidship furnace. Numbers
for she was full ship with many chill
| dren, and besides passengers she was
| carrying hard upon hundred soldiers in
| her tweendecks-numbers, l say, got
away in the boats, and amongst them,
the last to leave, was the captain; she
| did not doubt that. She fell overheard
| in her terror and in her recoil right ait
| from the smoke and it's burning stars,
| and afterwards found herself In boat
/ in the company of five men, one of whom,
| groaning heavily with internal injury,
| died in the night and was dropped over
| the boats side.
| She had more to tell him about this
| shipwreck, but that fire concerns my
| story only in so far as 1t brings this girl
! again on to the stage by one of those
| dramatic and startling methods adopted
| by the ocean, whose moods are many
| If your captain Is a madman," she
said. what is to happen to this ship?"
He put his finger to his lips in gest-
| ure of caution and reticence
We may whisper it te each other"
said he in a low voice, but the crew
| have no knowledge of it, or they may
| attribute any strangeness in his man
| ner to the loss of his child and think 1t
passing. They all loved the poor little
| fellow, and SO did l."
And he told her how the boy used to
neat MS drum In accompaniment to the
| sailor S whistle, and related the story OF
his falling overheard and the efforts to
save him, and the captains frantic dumb
snow and sudden exhibition of insanity
so that he believed his child was merely
missing, and that something would hap
pen to tell him where he might be
found
"How sad!' said the girl .It would
nave broken my heart to see it. And
does he still think that he will find his
i little boy?"
m afraid it's his conviction, the sub
/ tie delusion of the diseased brain,' Har-
dy answered; "but in other matters with
MIN IT'S Ike writing on sand; next tide
| airs gone. Do not tell him you were
stewardess Converse with him as though
| lie were perfectly sane. He is a gentle
| man and an educated man. Humor his
sorroWful fancy, for 1t can hurt no one
and 1t keeps the poor fellows heart up"
| SUPPOSE you are really in charge of
| the sh1p?" she said.
| IT am watching her navigation ;, ba an
sWered, but l tell you 1 am at q dead
loss, because he is the supreme law giver
OF the vessel, and what he orders must be
| done or 1t is mutiny. His orders NAV he
dangerous to my Judgment, but net to tha<
mems who take the course as it is given:
and dare not go amongst the1h and
! speak the truth. He might get better
and hear of it, and it would be in his pow
| er to ruin me-
She sunk her head thoughtfuIly, under
standing him. The door was raped
Hullo,' said Hardy
1t was the cabin servant, who had coma
to tell Hardy that the captain wished to
/ see the lady.
Where is he?" inquired the mate.
"On deck, sir. He'll come below when
l report her ready to receive him.
Report her ready said Hardy, and
he and the girl went into the cabin
She seated herself on cushioned locker
| and he stood beside her
That's your BERTH" said he. pointing
to a door.
Gratitude and love were in the smile
she gave him. The red western haze
was on the skylight, and reposed on her
hair like gold dust. 1t was Hardy's watch
below-he was therefore at liberty to be
in the cabin. He caught sight of Candy
staring through the skylight, but the pale
eyed man walked off in a minute. and
the captain came down.
He BOWED with the courtesy Of breeding
to the girl. Tradition had scored so heav-
lily against the merchant ship master by
virtue of romantic invention, which large
| ly consists of lies, that I dare say 1t is
| impossible for a landsman to be-
| l1eve that the commander of mer-
chant ship could be anything but a rough.
grog-seamed, hoarse-voiced salt, without
grammar for his 1og-book. The lie stands
as everlasting as the pyramids, and for
my part 1t may. go on standing, but it Is
lie all the same, and it is my pleasure
| to paint the truth
AS the girl returned the bow she saw
the great Newfoundland in the CAPT aims
wake, and cried with a sudden passion
of admiration, "Oh, what magnificent
creature!' The dog made friends with
her in an instant, and by twenty canine
tokens expressed delight in the caress of
her hand. No doubt the beautiful ans
faithful creature appreciated the sweet
ening and civilizing influence Of the lady
in that cabin
The captain began by putting several
sane questions, and she remembered that
she was not to tell him she had shipped
as an under stewardess in the Glamis
Castle. He knew, the vessel and listened
| with a degree of attention that excited
Hardy S surprise, to her narrative of the
| bre. He seemed to take a fancy to her
to be pleased by her presence and said
| he hoped she would be comfortable on
board his ship. In the midst of his ra-
tional talk he slapped his forehead and
kept his hand pressed to it, and his face
changed; a look Of grief that made him
almost haggard was visible when he
dropped his hand and gazed at the girl.
l miss my sonny little son. he ex-
claimed, "and I am waiting for some-
th1ng"-he added, in a broken voice-"to
tell me where 1 can find him. His drum
is by his bed-come and look at It,"
AWed by the sudden confrontment of
hopeless human grief, the girl rose and
followed him, with a glance at Hardy as
for courage. The heave of the deck was
sentle; she was stronger and stepped
without difficulty. The captain entered