Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-01-23

sioud In horror. for the ship was NOV
ing.
The sands OF the fast receding beach
were enveloped and concealed by the
water. The tide was up. and the yes-
sci. the vessel upon which / stood. was
detached from It's hold and beaded out
TO seal
1 cried aloud. I shrieked- thought
must Jump into the water. Finally I
felt the hopelessness OK my situation
and resigned myself to despair. A
strong wind had sprung ND. almost q
squall, and X drove the ship on faster.
The shores faded. about me was the
measureless sea. Night came on. was
faint and worn with hunger, and I
crawied down into the hold and wished
FOR death to comAto my release.
suddenly as I lay there 1 heard a
faint sound 1t was not like any noise
L had ever heard. and yet It was
strangely familiar to me. I strained
my ears: while listened there passed
me suddenly CLEAN Of light. It was
surely some one carrying a lantern.
Some one. Who7
started up. Cold Precipitation was
upon me. The next instant 1 knew and
recognized the sounds 1 had heard. II
was the moving OF the machinery of n
vessel, but dim and far away. like the
suggestion rather than the actual
thing l rose and with the sense OF re
turning strength all fear left me.
climbed upon deck. The masts were
there as they had been when the
Fleur-de-lis WAS happily sailing home
ct
The captain, tall. slender man. stood
with his glass TO his eyes But about
them all was All air OF vague strange
ness A deep melancholy. mingled with
an unearthly quiet. pervaded them.
Their movements were felt rather
than heard.
AS l stood looking without fear I'D
on the marvellous scene my attention
was arrested by the figure OF a young
girl. She stood with her profile to-
ward me, the wind stirred the little
curls OF her light hair, with s faint.
transparent hint OF color In II. as IL
sometimes seen upon the heart OF a
cloud She had blue scarf twisted
about her throat, which she held In
place with the delicate fingers of one
hand. On one Of them there glistened
ruby OF great size and brillIancy.
She turned her face slowly as
looked and smiled a faint, unmirthful
smile. approached her and lifted my
hat
VIII you tell me-" l said, my eyes
meanwhile feasting upon her beauty,
what ship this is and where IT is 60
ingT'
She looked at me half sadly, /
thought. and answered In a low, Vi
brRnt tone:
you know. We are all dead. and we
are sailing through eternity. You are
stranger. I am glad to see you. We
have been alone so long"
The voice OF this young girl thrilled
me as nothing had ever done before.
Ny heart beat fast / looked into her
blue eyes. with their changing lights.
and the past and future faded. cared
only for the present
Are you aloneT / ventured. l
could scarcely restrain myself from
putting my hand on her delicate wrist,
from caressing her soft hair.
NO" she replied; AZ have my maid
and Nine. d'Esten with me-"
''You are French, thenT'
Eyes. but ! was at school In Eng
land" An absent look came into her
eyes. THAT was long. long ago. /
must 60 now and help madame with
dinner. We take the cooks place. BE
was lost. you know"
She smiled sadly and left me.
A repast was presently served In the
long saloon, but all hunger seemed to
have left me. nor did see any OF the
others partake OF anything set before
them. Afterward / walked on deck
with the girl. We paused, looking at
the horn shaped moon together. I felt
the blown strands OF her hair upon my
face.
"Will you tell me your manner I
whispered to her.
She turned her face to me serenely.
II have forgotten" she said simply.
The answer did not surprise me. for
to me the past was q blank.
Then shall call you Psyche"
said.
Very WELL" she replied, and we be-
gan to walk again.
Thus days went by, or at least some
form OF time. just what l could not
tell. I was like one intoxicated with
q Joyous wine. I thought and cared
only for the beautiful French girl. Her
seductive beauty enchanted me; her
proximity thrilled me with intense de-
light
The vessel sailed onward. but never
sighted land. Before US stretched al
ways the boundless water, now taking
strange and varied hues, now bubbling
and whirling around us. now sinking
into a CLASSY calm
One day as l sat with Psyche, as It
pleased my fancy to call her, watching
her as she looked out upon the sea,
felt sudden wild longing to paint her
face. A sense OF Joy and delight sprsng
up within me. Tremblingly I asked
her II / might attempt her portrait.
She. with her ineffably sad smile,
agreed at once.
With touch that should have en-
pioyed In handling the silk OF thistle
down turned her head to the desired
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