River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-02-26
A WEDDING
TRIP
By SOPHIE HAMMOND.

ing now QlSagfeedDle, III duiSC way :
it could be; and the deck was emptying
rapidly into the staterooms.
Powell, smoking with his back to
the rail, was realizing what bore it
was to be crossing with a mob Of French
people, and not an acquaintance on
board That girl with the Wind-blown
hair over there was an American; but
how the dickens
The occupant Of steamer chair near
him got up suddenly, and the move
ment made him turn. As his glance
fell upon the pallid old lady who had
arisen, he smiled quickly.
miss Iockhart!" he exclaimed.
"Why, ] didn't know you were aboard.
I'm afraid you're finding this mo-
ton unpleasant. Can get you any
thiug?"
The old lady cIutched the rail, turn
ing shade more livid.
'Thanl. you, Capt. Powell" she
gasped, fifty, but my niece will as
sist me-
The girl had put down her writing
and came hastily forward.
"Oh, Aunt Emily, I'm afraid you're
not feeling WELL" she murmured, anX-
iousIy. Let me send for"
''Ielp me to my stateroom, Madge,
said the old lady with dignity. 81 am
ill.,
When the niece came back % her scat
tered writing materials an hour later,
Powell turned from his contemplation
Of the sea.
II hope your aurt is better, Miss
Lockhart,' he said, with polite solici-
1ude
The girl raised her eyes, and looked
at him curiously for a moment.
Thank YOU" she said, formally,
dropping them again; Just now she
is asleep, but | am afraid she is suf-
fcring a great deal"
''Oh, she'll probably be all right
by morning" Powell observed, reas-
suringly It's this nasty rocking that
knocked her up"
when Aunt Emily goes below it is
long before she reappears," she said.
Then she looked at him again. ''It was
in Florida that you met her, wasn't
it?" she asked.
''Yes, last winter. We were both on
search for health. / don't think she
remembered me at first
She had taken up her portfolio and
opened it on her knee.
"Oh, she knew you perfectly" she
said; and resumed her writing so os-
tensibly that Powell. after moment,
shrugged his shoulders and walked
off
But there really wasn't ohotner soul
on the boat to speak to. lie couldn't
talk French to the French women;
and, looking them over, he decided
that he wouldn't if he could. For
awhile he wandered about, bored and
aimless. But finally he found himself
again by the side of his reserved young
cOuntrywoman, doing his usually sue
cessful best to make himself entertain
ing. And afterward, whenever she was
ON deck. he was generally to be found
beside her.
She was rather unappreciative at
first. She didn't laugh whenever she
might have been expected to; and she
let him do most of the talking. But
now and then a subject would come up
so particularly interesting that she
was drawn into it in spite of herself,
and after several such relapses the
stiffness couldn't be regained. He told
her stories of the army in the Philip
pines, and OF the adventures, thrilling
and ludicrous, of his own regiment;
they talked of the old world sights
they had both seen; they discussed re-
ligion literally, ethics gingerly. poll
l.. 4 I. IL
the universe was about them, inviting
criticism; they dissected heaven and
earth. And if sometimes a trick of
her eyelashes, or the sunlight in her
hair, got in the way of his logic, he
honestly didn't recognize the symp-
toms.
When they were more than half
way across Miss Emily put in brief
appearance on deck Powell had count
ed on good deal of friendIiness from
her. for she had shown him quite
marked attention when his wound had
made him something of lion But
the mal-Ge-mar seemed to have worked
havoc with her disposition, and she
responded to all attempts at CONVEX
satiOn with resentful snappishness
that was disconcerting. So that the
regret caused by her second forced
retirement was not unalloyed.
1t was the chance remark of a passen-
ger passing him in the moonlight
only two more days aboard, that
brought Powell to a sudden realization
of what the fates had been weaving.
He sat up straight and stared out
across the ocean.
I've been forgetting everything,' -
he muttered, Il ought to have told
them. of course; bur pom my word, |
didn't think of it. Wen, if there's any
harm done"-he drew his breath sharp
ly-'it's only to myself"
There was brushing of skirts past
him.
Il can't persuade her to move" said
n girls voice, plaintively, as its own
er sank into her steamer chair Il
really believe she is worse now than
She was at first. TO think Of her hav-
ing come abroad for the sea air, and
being forced to stay in that stuffy
little purgatory all the way across!
And it's been such lovely weather,
tool"
Perfect" Powell acquiesced, gianc-
ing up at the brilliant sky. "A con-
trast to when l crossed in the other
direction a month ago-on my we'd