The Washington times., 1902-01-05

The hurly burly Of the summer season
| at the famous coast resort had not yet
| commenced. Only a few of the booths
along the board walk were open. There
4 were quite a number of people out, but
they were not Of the excursion class
The stranded whale ship was reached in
due course. Mrs. Roslyn left her chair
and gave her arm to her nephew. The
youth who delivered the lecture was even
| droller than Denslow had expected to find
him.
Now, Warren" said his aunt, after
| they had been through the after cabin,
"Tll sit here, and want you to go down
into the forecastle where the sailors
sleep. They tell me it is worse than a
prison.
In his present state of mind Denslow
did not feel an interest in anything. but
! after lingering to be presented TO a friend
who had just come aboard and who VOL
! unteercd to stay with Mrs. Roslyn, he
went forward and climbed down into the
steerage, where two or three sightseers
were already assembled with the guide.
1t was dismal hole, and Denslow felt
grimly that it was an appropriate spot in
which to meet Agnes, under the circum-
| stances. For here she was standing be-
| side the man who had been with her in
the cars, listening with an only half sup
| pressed smile to the droning tones of the
LECTURER.
why, Mr.. Denslow," she exclaimed,
putting out her hand, 81 thought l saw
you in the train yesterday. but was not
! sure. l imagined you were still in Ore
gon. l am ever so glad to see you. Dick"
she added turning to her companion,
: ''permit me TO present Mr.. Densiow-Mr.
/ Chester When did you get back from
| the West?"
| She was overwhelmingly charming cor
! dial pretty-eyerything that goes TO make
/ a woman attractive. The two years that
] had intervened since Denslow had seen
! her last had served to crown with com
| pleteness the budding graces that had then
only begun to captiyate him. He now felt
| himself to be her slave. recklessness
| quite foreign to his nature took possession
| of him He would show that he was just
as glad He smiled down into her eyes
| as he answered her question.
| Il got back two days ago. wish now
| that / had never gone"
He wondered If she understood what he
meant. He thought she must, for even
| by the faint light that stole down the
| hatchway he could see the color deepen
slightly in her cheeks. He looked around
TO see what impression his daring had
made on Mr. Chester. But the latter had
stepped over to the side of the lecturer,
VINO had suddenly found himself with an
audience quite inattentiNe TO his remarks.
Didn't you have a pleasant timer
Agnes looked down and began to draw
| invisible figures on the pianking with the
tip of her parasol as she put the ques-
tion.
mo; can't honestly say that / did.
was thinking too much of other times"
Denslow scarcely felt that it was him
self who was speaking. lie was not the
sort of man who ilirts, but here he was,
woman on her bridal tcur that he was in
consolable because he Lad lost her. Il
they had been very old friends it would
have been different. She would have
laughed a his franliness and pc: haps have
told him that he was not quicl; enough.
Az 4 was. she changed the subject now
and asked:
Are you going to remain here long,"
Where, in this black hole of a place."
he replied, willfuliy misunderstanding her.
Yes, as long as its ugliness is redeemed
ty the sunshine Of n certain r-CScCce.'
This is positively going too far. he told
himself He wondered why Chester did
not come and pitch him into The hold just
behind them. He did come back now to
say: Agnes. 1t is damp down here. You
had better go up, / think
He led the way out, and the others fol-
low d.
AT which hotel are you staying"
Denslow was about TO add, Mrs. Ches-