The Washington times., 1901-09-15

and gradually the supreme comfort OF
having a sensible woman to talk to re-
vealed itself to him. He talked OK him.
self. and she listened; she talked Of her
sel and he listened; and the mutual en-
tertainment was perfect The self-reliant
daughter of the sea and sflse equally self
reliant scavenger of the land found each
day new ties of kinship. Fades greatly re-
spected this child OF navy lieutenant
who had turned to her mother ocean for
a livelihood in time OF need: and Miss
Courtenay was drawn as by instinct to-
ward the man whom neither school nor
a university education could shape into
common pattern
Il am land vagabond," said Eatles one
day.
And / am a sea vagabond." returned
the GIRL smiling. And perhaps this COM
| munity in vagabondage gave impetus to
the rapidly growing friendship.
All this while nothing was said as to
the loss of the Kordofan- Miss Courtenay
seemed to have thrust her terrible ex-
periences out cf her mind. and Fades was
reluctant in any way to disturb her quiet
| happiness. It may be that nothing would
have been said between the friends but
| for the arrival one morning of an on
|
Bonchurch 1t was a formal summons to
attend the Board of Trade enquiry. which
| was shortly to be held at Westminster.
into the circumstances under which the
| Kordofan was cast away. -
Fades was sitting in thesgarden and she
| left her breakfast to join him.
.swhat is this, Mr.. sEadesf. How did
fthey know 1 was here7s
I Il am afraid the fault was NINE" said
he. IT published your story in the Times.
and all the world has read 1t. I made a
splendid thing out of that narrative OF
yours
Il told you no story. cried she excited
ly. s
Pardon me-" said Fades: and he
brought his copy of the Times and
spread it out before her. please read for
yourself Mrs. Day was present when you
told It to me-
She read perhaps half column; then
| she dropped the paper and burst into
tears.
Heavens cried Fades. what have
done now?''
You've done a splendid thing for your
SELF" she answered through her sobs,
but you've clean ruined mel
The wretched man groaned. And for
the first time IN his career II was Dorne
upon him that rowing journalist may
be A power for michief.
II interviewed you," he bleated help
Iessly-.I interviewed you, and you told
me the yarn. A magnificent yarn 1t was
too 1 sold 1t to the Times 1t was In
the ordinary course of business
Yes she said, for you: but 1t means
ruin for me- / must havesspoken in my
sleep, for no journalist born would have
got all that out Of me had been awake =
Il don't understand. II the tale is true
where is the harm in telling it7'
"OhI 1t Is true enough-that Is the mis-
chief Of 1t. Do you suppose that !. an Of
ficer of the Kordofan, would have giver
away the skipper. the mates. the doctor
and myself to be the sport of curioul
landsmen II I'd had my sensesr
Would you not have told the who'll
truth at the wreck enquiry" aske'
Fades, wondering.
Certainly not" she answered sturdily
, "All / said would be true, but woul'
have kept back everything which nigh
give bad name to my ship or my own
. ers.''
"Humr', thought Fades. Il am begin
, ming to learn why lawyers declare womeI
!, to be bad witnesses"