The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1902-09-18
A STRAIN OF ROMANCE.

lie telt uncomfortable ana ulsreputt
BILE. Earlier In the day, having notl
ing better to do he had set out for
sail across the bay They had run !
on the sandy beach Of forsaken spc
called Puenta Majorga. There th
bosnian had taken him on his shoul
ders and carried him through the surf
finally dropping him so that be go
nicely wet. On the return journey tn
wind had freshened and 1t had come Of
to rain, with the result that he nov
stood a somewhat forlorn looking oh
ject, with clothes spoilt by sea waite
and wet sand.
1t had just occurred to him that the
next obvious thing was to change bis
attire, when the sound Of voices caught
his ear. Looking round he caught
sight Of little group some fifty yards
away-a girl, a middle.aged lady and
a brawny looking man in a "brass
bound" suit Something In the girls
appearance attracted him, and uncon.
sciously he moved nearer to the trio.
He got within a dozen pages Of them,
and, standing behind a pile Of crates,
enjoyed 4 view at close qQaEfeSS
by JoyeI' he nlIrmured, under his
breath. The girl was tail and slim,
magnihcently good-looking. He could
not take his eyes from her. There was
a certain air Of yigor and independence
about her that fascinated him.
She raised her arm aud pointed
across the bay to where a large white
yacht lay at anchor
"You mean to say the Scud can't sail
to-day, Captain Flintw she exclaimed.
Her voice sent a thrill through him.
There was the slightest, most delicious
suspicion Of transatlantic accent In
1t, and he was enraptured.
In drawing tone the Captain gave
an account Of what had happened. 1t
appeared that the Scotch engineer, Nc
Alister, had gone off on a birthday
frolic, and, as the result Of a jovial
little excursion In the vicinity of Alge.
ciras, had managed to get hauled off
to a local Spanish jail.
The girl was in despair.
"What shall we do2 The cable was
urgent-the Scud will have to get to
Alexandria by the 22d. Can't we pick
up another engineer in Gibraltar?"
The Captain shook his head.
"But we can't wait until he's re.
leasedw she cried with little stamp
of her foot, Something will have to
be done"
The man standing behind the crates
had been drinking In every word, his
eyes fastened on the girls face. Sud
denly an idea flashed upon hint was
a mad one, but it gripped him.
Without a moments further consid-
Grafton he stepped forward and con-
fronted the trio.
beg pardon" he said, touching his
hat. II happened to overhear. l gath
cred you want an englneerP
The girl looked at the figure before
her In establishment. She saw tall,
goGd-looking, clean-shaven man in wet,
sodden clothes, with the collar of his
coat turned up.
Are you an engineer?" she asked,
eagerly.
He nodded.
II could take you to Alexandria in
the time" he said.
Captain Flint was interested.
Say, young Teller, got papers to
show?' he drawled. "And what's your
name?"
The man looked him back square in
the face.
MY name is Dennis" he said, "And
4 haven't got papers to show"
He turned to the girl frankly.
You would have to take me on
chance" he said. II give you my word
that l am capable Of running the en-
glnes Of your yacht, and getting her to
Alexandria In the time, bar a break
down-but more I cannot say. win
you risk tn"
The girl glanced at him hesltatingly.
"The Scud must sail" she began.
"Guess we can see in an hour or so
whether he's up to the job" said Cap
tain Flint, suggestively.
The man looked at the girl with an
inquiring smile. She gave him one
more glance-then made up her mind.
You're engaged" she said, briskly.
Thus 1t was in a short time he found
himself at work on the yacht. In
another three hours he had the steam
up, and the ladies having come on
board, the scud raised her anchor and
slowly made her way out of the bay.
As engineer be was a complete sue
cess, and quickly earned the warm ap-
rarotyuf ~ Nn,A.t.. ~. r,tf-a .