Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-05-01
BY Will NJ Hagb@Do
CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.
As the major and his wife were be-
ing driven up to the pier where the
Cleopatra lay, his agitation increased
at will soon be oyer,' he sighed.
ssYou will cable me as soon as you
land, won't you, Jeanne?"
There was just a hint Of hesitation
in the look she gave him, then:
ayes, dear Rowland" she said, "the
moment I land; but my letters, re-
member, must go to the box
II shall simply haunt the place." he
declared.
They alighted from the cab and
walked along the pier through the
hurrying throng of cabmen, draymen,
passengers and people who had come
to see their friends off. Reaching
the gang plank, lowered for the &C
commodation of the saloon passen-
gers, they saw Mrs. Nolan on the up
per deck leaning against the railing
and trying to attract their attention.
Mrs. Goddard laughed merrily and
waved the bit of cambria she held in
her hand.
"Let's go right up" she said to her
husband. 81 want you to see our big
rooms. You will agree with me that it
Is better to 60 in boat that is not
quite so fast than to miss such quarters
rs I have engaged"
He complied. The attention her
beauty and stylish appearance had at
tracted from the bystanders had not
L.
ing madly as he followed her up the
gangplank to the first deck. In a mo-
ment they were shaking hands with
Mrs, Nolan. Goddard's handshake was
a mere cold formality He now hearth
" disliked his wife's homely confeder-
ate. He despised her for being weak
enough to obey Jeanne's criminal or
ders; she had not, he argued, his own
excuse of being blindly in love. As they
stood there he felt as if they were
three murderers passing before the
world as reputable, well-to-do citizens.
"Well, let me see your staterooms, y
he said, resignedly.
"They are on this deck, the last
towards the STERN said Mrs. Goddard,
leading the way. "In fact, there are
no other apartments up here except the
captains, and his quarters are further
forward. We shall be absolutely pri-
yate."
They had now reached a door to
which Mrs. Nolan had the key, and
they unlocked it and went in. It was
indeed spacious apartment. In addi-
ton to the wide double bed, the room
contained soft lounge, tea table and
china service, and a little sideboard
braced against the wall. Adjoining it
were bath and single-berth room.
Here said Mrs. Goddard, opening
the door of a closet about yard in
depth, 'is the gem of modern improve
ments. | can hang up my things and
they will keep dry and smooth. Be
sides, the purser said there were but
two keys to it, and he has promised tc
let me have both Of them, for security's
sake"
Here they are" said Mrs. Nolan, tim
Idly, and she cringed under Goddard's
sudden gaze. He gave them to me just
now"
Mrs. Goddard laughed mysteriously
lOlu Hill udu some Fdlud DIE
things which I did not care to keep in
the safe in the office, and he assured me
they would be absolutely safe in my
closet"
The brows of the major ran together
In perplexity.
what is at the bottom of this ?" he
said what sort of valuables do YOU
refer to-"
The woman addressed shrugged her
shapely shoulders.
Your photograph, dear Rowland, ;
she said. II must not let it be stolen
I can't deposit such thing in the
ships safe, you know, and yet l want
1t with me, of course. But-now re-
member, if there ever is anything
which you cannot comprehend fully
think of this closet and its two keys
and the puzzle will be solved"
"You are SO strange" he said, try.
ing to fall into her mood. Just then
one of the deck hands came in with
Mrs. Nolan's steamer trunk and small
er luggage. A large willow basket tc
which was attached card bearing
the advertisement of welI-knowr
delicatessen establishment riveted the
rowing glance of the major. Noting
his curious stare at it, Mrs. Nolan
moved nearly to the door and stooc
looking out at the Gathering machines