The Iola register., 1901-02-22

per deck leaning against the railing
and trying to attract their attention.
Mrs. Goddard laughed merrly and
waved the bit of cambric she held in
her hand.
Lets 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 go in boat that is not
quite so fast than to miss such quarters
as l have engaged"
He complied. The attention her
beauty and stylish appearance had at
tracted from the bystanders had not
escaped his eye. His heart was beat
ing madly as he followed her up the
gangpank 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
ly 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,"
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-
vate."
They had now reached a door to
which Mrs. Nolan had the key. and
they unlocked 1t and went in, 1t was
indeed a spacious apartment. In addi-
tion to the wide double bed, the room
contained soft lounge, tea table and
china service. and little sideboard
braced against the wall. Adjoining it
were a bath and a single-berth room.
Here" said Mrs Goddard, opening
the door of a closet about a yard in
depth, sis the gem of modern improve
ments. l 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 to
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. "IIe gave them to me just
now"
Mrs. Goddard laughed mysteriously
81 told him | had some valuable
things which 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 valuabes do you
refer to?"
The woman addressed shrugged her
shapely shoulders.
Your photograph, dear Rowland"
she said. 81 must not let il be stolen
l can't deposit such thing in the
ships safe, you know, and yet 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 to
which was attached a card bearing
the advertisement Of well-known
delicatessen establishment riveted the
rowing glance of the major. Noting
his curious stare at it, Mrs. Nolan
moSed nearly to the door and stood
looking out at the Gathering machines
which were hosting vast loads of
trunks and boxes from the pier below.
ut is only basket of fruit or
dered Lucy to get for me-" said Mrs
Goddard, her face suddenly changing
81 always find that it is difficult to
get just the right kind of fruit one
wants on board, no matter how good
the supply is"
But" said the major, bending down
and removing the cover, they must
have made some mistake. This bas.
ket does not contain fruit. There GER
tainly are cans of meats, sardines.
pate de fOies gras and rolls of boned
turkey. They have sent you the
wrong basket"
Mrs. Goddard laughed uneasily.
"Well, | may as well acknowledge
that it is something to eat. | did
not want you TO know that | could
have such rayenous appetite after
parting with you; but the truth is.
the sea air keeps me hungry all the
time. ! want to eat at night when
it doesn't look respectable to make
demands on the ships larder. Now
come out on deck. 1t is stufly in here
The air will not be stirring till we
get out of the harbor."
Not fully satisfied with her furried
explanation, he followed her out on
the deck, and he dismissed the sub.
ject as unworthy Of comment at such
an important moment. They stro,led
along the deck, now holding 80 or 60
passengers, most of whom, with seri-
Gus eyes, were regarding the crowd
assembled below. At last the gong
which was the signal for those who