The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-02-02

I clothes. When she was fully dressed Mrs.
Harris clasped her in a passion OF motherly
love to her breast.
Take Vic to Beauty Oar" said the
child.
Murmuring some inaudible reply. the
| s;ewardsss took her into the dining sa'oon
where the servants were enjoying their be
lated breakfast, but although the g'oi
| woman coaxed and pettcd. little Victoria
shut her lips tightly, and refused either to
speak or to touch food.
At first this conduct on the part of the
child was put down to a fit OF baby shlks'
but when 1t continued all through the day
and no one could induce the POOR mite To
cat. or to play. or to be happy, matters
began to look serious.
She was a very patient baby. and after
| the first trouble she ceased to cry. sha
crept back to the luxurious cahin. Which
size and Stirling had shared I Sether. ana
crouching on the floor. ciaspeu hef ofoheI'
doll in her arms.
She sat there hour after hour. q most
pathetic and hungry expression in her eyes
Meanwhile, the plasue-stricken man gre"
worse. AS the night approached. he began
to get delirious. l resolved TO sit up WIN
him, and in company of a sailor. who mao
already suffered from plague. and was sup
posed to be immune kept watch during the
long hours of darkness.
Seldom had l spent 4 more dreadful
night. In his mad delirtum. the man was
giving himself away. and his revelations oil
his past life were terrible. There were few
deeds of lawlessness at which he had
stopped. He had injured and oppressed
most O, those he had come in contact with,
| he had lost his money by gambling. and de-
frauded his friends. In especial, there was
one man whom he hated: his bitter hatreo
of this man was apparent in his deiiriun
and caused him sometimes to give vent TO
wild and terrible screams. and even shrieks.
Beyond doubt there was a very black sin
| on his soul in connection with this man.
As Stirling raved and struggled. and tossed
himself about. l had to exercise all my
! force to keep him quiet. By the morning.
however, the fell disease had to n great
extent done its deadly work. The giant lay
| quiet as an infant. perspiration streaming
off his face. .
| sailor. II can leave him in your care for an
hour or two. / will just GO and have a
disinfecting bath, and change my Things
then l will come back and relieve YOU
I rushed off to my cabin: the dawn was
breaking. II all went well. we Should ar
| rive ct Malta in twenty-four hours-we
were now steaming across the Mediterra-
mean, which was smooth as glass 1 mao
lust finished my toilet when there came a
tan at my cabin door. l opened It. and Mrs.
Harris stood without.
IF you please. sir" she said. have you
taken the child to Mr.. StirlingF'
Heaven Forbid l answered.
II hear. sir, that the gentleman Is very
bad"
But what about the childT / querieo.
Little Miss Is nowhere to be found, Doc
tor. / thought, OF course. she mad gone 10
the gentleman's cabin
she must not go near Strings capih-
do you hear. Mrs. Harris? You must keep
the child in this part Of the ship
well, sir. I'll do my test-but L can I
promise what may be impossible. The child
is contrary and a bit stunned. Never a bite
did she put inside her yesterday, and last
night, sir. when L went into the stateroo'n
to undress her. she was fast asleep on the
floor. her cheeks all stained with tears. and
that broken doll of hers. Sally she calls T.,
clasped In her arms. / took the poor mite
up just as she was. and popped her into her
berth. and l hoped she would be safe till
the morning. Well. she slept, and / went
and had q bit Of supper, and when / had
seen to my ladies / thought l would go and
sleep in the cabin with little Missile"
quite right. Mrs. Harris" answered
Il went to bed right enough, sir. and to
sleep, and the last thing L saw was the
CLINT Of little Missiles golden hair on her
pillow, and I heard her breathing gentle as
a lamb. but toward morning l awoke all
Of n sudden. ard I looked across to MISSES
berth, and she was not there. I went and
so did the eailors and the stewards, but