The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-15

rolled along IN her narrow path on the
captains chart when suddenly Miss Curtis
was awakened from her soundest sleep by
the sudden cessation Of all noise The
thrObbing- pulsing heart Of the steamer
had ceased to beat, but, being a lay
sailor, the girl did not rightly construe the
silence; she turned over In her narrow
berth and permitted the waves to cradle
her back into dreamland- In the morn
ing there was the same stiffness and on
deck she encountered the Information that
some slight accident had happened to the
machinery. that there would be a slight
delay Slight? How slight? oh. a day
Or, at most. two Two2 The tweuty-first
% the twenty-third. a close margin that
would mean. And would it surely not be
more than two days? Captain Hard.
ignoring veracity for the sake OF impart-
ing confidence and comfort to his pas
sengers. answered, Probably only one"
But Miss Curtis curled herself up on
her deck chair in the shadow Of the big
black sail and contemplated the pOssibil-
tiles. For the first time she wondered II
John would think her letter too frivolous:
II he would be annoyed. But she knew
that she could with half a dozen w~rds.
dfspel any such feelings on his part-if
she were there in time. And suddenly she
realized that she wanted-wanted desper-
ately to be there on time and the mors
she realized how John would look at de-
ay the more she Ionged to keep her tryst
Some fifty hours changed themselves of
on the ships bells and on Celia's nerves
before the welcome thud Of the engines
were heard again and even then Miss
;urtis was not comforted because among
he passengers passed Ominous whispers
about a necessarily slow passage and as
the days crawled by she saw or thought
she saw a scarcely concealed anxiety on
the faces Of the shlp's officers.
At last, however the ocean was crossed
and every one knew that land was close
at hand. On the afternoon Of the TWENTY
third. just before sunset, a gray sea mist
rose UP and shut out the line where sea
and sky met. but It was more than a sea
mist that blurred Miss Curtis vision. for
this. OF course. meant more DELAY. Then
n report ran through the ship that the
Farallones had been sighted. But before
the Joyous tumult had subsidized came the
captains decision that he would lie to
and wait for morning and the rising Of
the mist.
The morning dawned clear and bright
The pilot came aboard, the city's papers
were handed to the passengers, but every
eye, every thought was on the land the
low-ly1ng, dun-colored hills, the narrow
gate opening between them, the dull red
fort and Tamalpais rising from the sea.
busy little tugs came pu0llY forward. the
health boat leading, In it's wake the mails
and customs.
And now up from the steamer rose q
cry, low and almost inaudible at first, but
swelling into howl and pitching down
into a groan, on the steerage deck, above.
below, from all parts of the ship. For up
to the masthead went the yellow flag and
toward the quarantine station the
steamer forged ahead.
broken out among the coolie passengers
In the Storage. At first there had been
only few cases and these were mild,
almost problematical. Now It had de-
clared itself and more or less prolonged
sojourn in sight Of home, but immeasur-
ably separated from, was the only out
look. There was rage in every heart, but
in Celia's was despair. Why, oh, why,
had she been such a fool as to play with
Fate In this way? She could write to
John, perhaps, but however abtect her de-
spair, her apologies, would he not stand
by her own arbiter, by her own terms?
She saw no hope for anything from his
stern, Incorporating nature, nor did
she realize that she was crediting him
with vast romanticism in believing that
he would permit such an Unbusiness-like
creature as Fate to play an important
part in his life.
After time letters and packages came
from the home people to the prisoners.
Celia's mother wrote-a letter full Of sym
pathy and motherly dread of the disease.
Her sister wrote warning her not to be
vaccinated on her arm, because evening
gowns have no sleeves" ETC., ETC. But
there was nothing from John-no mention
of him even in the home letters, and Celia
was possessed with an instant dread that
her hateful letter had estranged him from
her, from her family and that they would
not tell her.
The day wore away as days do, even In
quarantine, and Christmas daWned 10
even try to make the best Of things
seemed out of the question but the can
by making the worst Of them, so a Christi
mas dinner was prepared. To eat it would
herself from 1t would be absurd, so with
dire grief in her heart she made herself
ready for 1t.
Just before dinner was announced the
health officers tug came alongside. There
were more letters, more packages Would
there be one from John? Celia turned
moody eyes to the door and there stood
John himself
''Oh. JohnY' was all she said and ooh.
Celia" was his only answer
How. why or from where he had come
she did not ask, and later, when he ex
planned at length how-with what wards
II red tape and political favor-he had ac-
the feat of boarding a quar-
lntined vessel, she did not listen. Whv
ne had come she knew.
The other passengers were eating their
christmas dinner and the lovers were
llone on deck
But If you can go ashore, why can't
Y she asked. You've been as much
as I have"
But l can't go ashore" he answered
she looked at him with widening ewes.
You must stay here until the quaran-
Inc Is raised? But 1t may be weeks
And In all those weeks I'll see Won
lear heart They'll help me to balance
ne months I've been without you
But-out your business, John 2" she in
errupted. 0 III
business? What's business COMPARED
With this, sweetheart mine?''
AN, ana then she knew that John was low
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