The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-15

chin and shoot into n -line of men. and II,
policemen won't let you. and your wifi,
won't let you. That,s what you're giving
up. There. 1t is. Take;a good look at IT
You'll never see it .aEain2''
CHATTER Xxx.
TIL steamer Santiago, carrying, .spassen.
gers. bullion and Coffee. was headed to ras.
Porto Rico by midnight. when she would he
free of land until she anchored at The quar-.
antine station of the. green hills OF Slater
Island. She had not yet shaken off rhe CON
termination of the earth; a soft land breeze
still tantalized her with odors Of tree and
l soil, the smells.of the fresh coat of paint
that had followed her coaling rose from her
sides, and the odor of split coffee grains that
hung around the matches had yet to be
blown away by a jealous ocean breeze or
l washed by a welcoming cross sea.
The captain stopped at the open entrance
of the Social Hall. III any of you ladies
want to take your last look at blanche.
you've got to come now" he said. We'll
lose the Valencia light in the next quarter
hour"
Miss L.angham and King looked up from
their novels and smiled and Miss Langham
| shook her head. I've taken three final fare
wells of blanche already she said: before
We went down 10 dinner and when the sun
set and when the moon rose. / have no
more sentiment left to draw on. Do you
want to go o. she asked.
Al tSA " lIidlIh NOu,- Nil
said and returned to the consideration of
his novel.
But Clay and Hope arose at the captains
suggestion with suspicious alecrity and
stepped out upon the empty deck and into
the encompassing darkness with a little sigh
of relief.
Alice Langham looked after them some
what wistfully and bit the edges of her
hook. She sat for some time with her brows
Knitted. glancing occasionally and critically
toward King and up with unseeing eyes at
the swtnging lamps of the saloon. He caught
her locking at him once when he raised his
eyes as he turned a page and smiled back at
her, and she nodded pleas unity and bent her
head over her reading. She assured herself
that after all King understood her and she
him. and that if they never rose to certain
heights they never sank below a high level
of mutual esteem, and that perhaps was
best in the end.
of Mime. Alvarez, and she had sailed to Colon.
where she could change to the steamers
Tor Lisbon. while he accompanied the Lang
hams and the wedding party to New York
Clay recognized that ths time haG now mr.
rived in his life when he could craduo,e
from the position of manaeer-director and
become the engineering expert. and that his
services in blanche were no longer needed
With Rojas in power. Mr.. Langham had
nothing further to fear from the Govern
ment. and with kirkland In charge and
young Langham returning after a few
months absence to resume his work. he
felt himself free TO enjoy his holiday.
They had taken the first steamer our a,t
the combined efforts of all had been mecca
sary to prevail upon NacWiIliams to no.
company them: and even now the fact TINT
he was to act as Clay's best man. and. sg
Langham assured him cheerfully. was 10
wear a frock coat and see his name in all
the papers. brought on such sudden pan;c,,
OF fear that the fast-fading coast line filed
his soul with regret. and a willful desire to
jump overheard and swim back.
Clay and Hope stopped at the door of the
chief engineers cabin and said they had
come to pay. him a visit. The chief had but
just come from the depths where the con-
tamination of the earth was most evident
in the condition of his stokers: but his chin
was now Clearly shaveu, and his pipe was