The Opelousas courier., 1903-01-24
thought to spare from her knitting for
matrimony.

were colored plates at the beginning,
and Jeanne came to look over her
brothers shoulder and see what was
interesting him SO deeply.
The colored plates were flags of all
nations, and part Of the alphabet de-
picted in flags according to the signal
! code.
There's a new code~just out" ia
mic explained, with more letters than
in the old one, and there are new flags,
too. Capt. Blackie has only this old
book, but what flags are-here are all
right. I've learned d. lot Of them.
Please hear me, Jeanie. l want to
know them by heart"
jeanne took the book and Jamie
stood up rs if repeating a lesson.
Il can't say them as they come yet,
Jeanne; but I'll just tell you those l
know. M is , u with a white cross,
and N blue and white squares. B Is
plain red with two points and @ is
just plain yellow. T is-T is-Let me
have the book again, Jeanie."
Better learn your school tasks first,
Jamie lad: then you can look at this
till bedtime"
She laid down the book and was
taking up her knitting, when a thought
struck her.
"B is all red with two points, and
@ Just plain yellow" Could there be
some explanation here Of Will Aliens,
mysterious letters? She opened the
book. Yes, G was among the letters
in the code-yellow and blue, pennant
shape.
Further on came explanations of the
multifarious combinations of flags. A
long, long list, with the number of all
ships, and the flags to correspond. She
found Eda. M B H S was the signal
for her number, and jeanne looked up
the flags to correspond.
Then she began looking through the
list of short sentences likely TO be
needed at sea, with their code letters.
Report all we'll" Provisions run
ming short, can you send stores?" and
so forth.
Send clothing for female passen-
gers" 1t wouldn't be much use asking
for that on most ships, jeanne thought.
Then her heart gave a great bound.
She had come to the page where suit
able conversations for ships going the
same way were coded.
"B @ G-Shall we keep company"
Jeanne felt a little inclined to laugh,
and more than a little inclined to cry.
Poor old Will! So this was what he
had struggled to tell her. Silly, silent
Will! Why couldn't he speak up like
a man? But there was a tender CLEAN
in her gray-green eyes as she sent a
thought over the sea to the mate of
the Eda.
That was an eventful year. Old
Mrs. Mack died in February, and ia
ME went to sea in the spring. The
captain Of the Eda had retired, and
the owners offered his place to the first
mate.
jeanne saw that the Eda was safe
in Aberdeen, but she heard nothing OF
Will Allen, and did not know what
extra business was keeping him away
from Shetland.
She was knitting with slow fingers
on the evening when Will Aliens step
sounded outside. He looked well and
prosperous in a new serge suit, but he
seemed no more talkative than usual.
Why, jeanne lass!" was all he said
to express his sympathy with her
trouble and losses; but a. she knew
it was sympathy, the simple words
were enough to make Jeanie tell about
her grief and relieve her mind.
She never felt the need of words
from VIII, except those three which no
woman can say for herself.
He got up presently, overcome with
the desire to tell her all his love and
yearning, and take her into his arms:
but the words refused to be uttered.
Tomorrow, perhaps
Good evening, Will" jeanne said,
with the suggestion of a sob in her
voice.
She had meant to tease him about
his mysterious letters when he came
again, but she hadn't the heart.
He reached the door, gripped the
post and made a desperate effort 10
why, Jeanne, lass"
Great beads Of perspiration stood
out on his forehead; but the words
would not come-only those signal
words, which she could not under
stand:
"B Q CT"
They seemed such a good joke be
lore, and now were like a straw for
lin to cling to in the waves of his
silence.
Jeanie looked up and smiled. :
Yes; If you wish it, WILL" she said. :
He stared at her, anu advanced into :
he room again. (.
How did you know" +.
Jamie was reading Capt. Blackie's :
ignal book, and / found the letters =
here" I
Why, Jeanne, Lass He, for VIII !
allen, became quite eloquent. I
! wanted to tell you these five 2
ears, Jeanne, but something held my !,
I've stood here, and tried and 9
r1ed; and then I found the signal I
lords, and thought they might help !
le to explain, but they didn't last t
ear" k
It was Jeanfe's time to be silent, and n
vii spoke again. c
I'm captain of the Eda, Jeanie," he is
AID, and must get back to Aber- il
cen tomorrow. She sails in a fort "
light; but, Jeanne lass, the owners II
III lei me take my wife."-Answers. S,
" M