The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-01-26
& 81 $ss 81 SsS $s


Near the landing stage we met sew
eral other lady passengers going back
to the ship, and in accordance with the
wishes Of my companion l placed her
under their protection.
II would rather 60 off with you" I
said. "You have not yet sufficiently re-
covered"
~ am quite well, thank you"
She saw the anxiety in my face and
smiled wan, pitful smile, l thought,
but one that brought us nearer to each
pther than We had ever been.
"That letter had bad news?"
! "Very. But you would not UNDER
stand"
II would try hard to understand any
thing that concerned your welfare"
"Thank you, Mr.. Gray. This is some
thing quite different from anything
you ever heard of or imagined"
I helped her into the boat and stood
watching until I saw her mount the
ships gangway and disappear. Then
! turned about and rstraced my steps
toward the shops.
My mind was full of apprehension on
her behalf. What did she mean by
saying that this affair of the letter re-
ferred to something quite different
from anything 1 had ever heard of or
imagined? Who was she, what was
she, how came she to be mixed up In
an affair so full of mystery? What
4 hid this mean, this presentation Of a
\ letter by an Arab in this desert town?
WA commercial highway truly, yet In
what way could she, stranger, a wo-
man, be connected with it? Yet how
serious it must have been to cause her
10 much terror! I pictured again the
blank look of horror which, spreading
from her eyes, whitcned her lovely
face. felt again the fierce, nervous
clasp Of her fingers on my arm. and l
listened once more to her gasping ut
terances as she sought to reassure me.
My mind buzzed with strange conjec-
ture. In spite of the knowledge of my
own intolerable position and the fact
that, situated as was, l had no right
to look too longlnsly upon any woman
! felt myself drawn insensibly toward
the girl and already her sorrow had
become mine.
What did that letter contain? 7
would have given much to know,
Enough from no mere inquisitiveness.
Plainly 1t had thrown her into a state
Of abject terror, therefore it must have
contained information Of the utmost
gravity. cursed the shortncss of our
friendship, which rendered me to her
practically an unknown quantity.
THAT 1t was anything Of which she
personally had the slightest cause to
be ashamed was thought l never
for one moment entertained. You see,
] had embarked upon venture, and l
whipped my faith into obedience.
A little while later on I met my un-
Gle, Major Coghlan and one or two 9TH
ers, who, In the manner of passengers
ashore, had taken possession Of the
street The gallant soldiers gallant
face was rcdder than ever, and from
his exceedingly breezy manner guess
ed that the desert sand in his throat
had required Il lot of moisteping.
'.The top of the mornin to YOU he
Eaid. What have you doue with the
IadyT'
"She las gone of to the ship Tagged
out, think"
"Aye, to lie sure" said he his eyes
twinkling with mcrriment, or beer,
"and mighty provokln weather 1t is
and wants dale Of humorin.'
But felt in no mood for hulnorins 1t
just then and refused the Invitation to
an adjacent cafe. | knew that at bot
tom the major was no friend Of mine,
and l feared his half drunken icsts.
On one point | was rather prnctillous,
and knew that IL be touched 1t We
should undoubtedly quarrel. The fight
Ing spirit of the Irishman is OCCASION
ally thing to be admired. but more
Dften ii Is one to be deplored. The
whirling of shillalahs and the cracking
Of cranums do not appear to the mere
sober Saxon such mighty fine sport
The major protested. but my uncle
Ind were cbduratc, and as we walked
along he fred parting shot at US, up
braiding us for our unsociubility. To
this we did not reply. As have said,
the major was privileged person.
'Fancy that brute having the imper
Thence to bother Miss Hurst with lis
ATTENTIONS
"Yes," answered my uncle dryly. ut
b quite remarkable what Importance
tome people seem to attach 10 them
,elves."
'"rhe beast. Hes half drunk"
"Makc IT thrcc-guartcrs." Then, look
Ing round, he said III lower tone,
Seen anything"
"No. And youW
"Nothing. There can be no doubt
that we have fairly given the society
the slip. Here, which is renowned
iotbed Of scoun1relIsm, we should have
had some notification II our enemies
had been on the watch
Some notification. The phrase, strlk-
1 ing with singular force reminded me
" Miss Hurst's adventure. Jim's sace
underwent many changes as he listen
ed.
"Well, that's very queer he said. II
suppose you have no idea what the let
ter contained?'
mot the remotest. only know that
the reading Of 1t gave her such shock
that she almost tainted"
That his thoughts flew at once to the
society was painfully evident l saw
It In his face, and it awakened no sur
prise, for there was no other direction