Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-10-22
CHAPTER v.
AFirelv

Night on the Atlantic--a night OF
brooding mystery-dense. Btarless-
all pervading. Up and down the deck
of the Dolphin. UP and down, two fig
nres paced.
One that Of a man. square-built,
white-bearded. energetic In movement;
the other a woman, small Of stature.
graceful Of carriage, yelled and crepe
clad from head TO feet.
They were very silent. .hsese two. as
they walked the length of the ship
and back ~agaia-once. twice.
All day had turbulence RULED the
breast Of the mighty Atlaatic. All day
had dark clouds gone scudding gloom
lily over the sky. All day had the
winds wierd voices been m~uttering
a!oft IN the rigging.
And all day had rebellion ruled the
heart OF the sailors. Dark frowns had
crossed and crowded their rugged,
sun-burned faces; from stem TO stern
had their voices been kissing and
whispering fierce discomfort.
And the lurid u had al last gone
down in the waters blood red. And the
might was come.
II am sorry the weather Is so un-
pleasant the first evening you have
yentured on deck" the captain said to
his companion.
She put UP one hand suddenly. and
lung her veil aside with a quick,
etihinE cry.
Eyes. yes! what a night 1t isl And
yet, | could o stay below. IL feel
smotheringl II is SO still-so awfully
calm and still, and-and ominously OPP
p~ressivei"
1T is omfnous, this quiet" in mourn
fui a~cquiescerce. AThe STERN will be
upon us loon. And--why, how you are
~tremblingi You have been i'll? i
thought SO the first day you came on
board-when you fainted."
n remember" YEARLY. 81 saw a
face that'--speaking with an effort
-that was like another knew well.
OF course there could be no connection
between the two, for he-he of whom
speak. is a gentleman OF wealth and
position. while this man was only
only a common sailor"
"On this ship
fes s. I caught barely a glimpse OF
him, but l was still weak from recent
illness. and 1t unnerved me"
Was 1t not rash to venture on SO
fatiguing a voyage SO soon?" he ques.
toned, kindly.
ooh" and the sweet, childish voice
was very low and heartsick, II wish I
hadn't come! T don't know Just how
It happened that l did! My father
died" with a queer break In the
young voice. very suddenly, and the
shock was too much for me. For a
while | was ill--seriously i'll. When I
recovered they told me--papa's old
friends-that I must go to my grand
father, who wanted me--to America"
She lifted one slight hand and
brushed the soft hair on her forehead.
rs III its touch oppressed her.
II refused at first to go; but they
talked so. they argued so. they said he
was my only living relative. and-and
Oh" with a long, quiyering sigh.
~it seems all so vague and confused
40 me yet! Bat ! camel"
my poor child"
And then for a while again there
was silence.
"You are fainti" the old captain
cried, suddenly, noticing with quick,
self-reproach, her tagging step. II
have quite tired You out. Forgive mel"
He drew forward a camp stool and
made her sit down.
"You are better, Miss Laurie-you
are sure you are better?" and the
gruff voice had grown as gentle as q
woman's. Lord, Lord. child, they
shouldn't have let you cross the ocean
30 soon! Perhaps ! shouldn't>talk so
much about your affairs-perhaps it
isn't my place; but I've a daughter at
home just about your age--and some
time 1t seems to me-" growing ingram
NAUTICAL In his ~fervor, that you are
her"
A man emerging from the compan-
ionway paused as the sound or Capt.
Merricks apoiogetic voice, and the
low, protesting murmur that followed
It. fell upon his ear. Then he moved
stealthily across the deck, till he stood
but q few feet behind the speakers.
the dense darkness screening him
completely.
He dropped his lighted cigar into the
black flood below. Perhaps a few
wreaths he had puffed had iiuated TO
the quiet figure before him and had
brought him to her recollection, for
she looked UP suddenly.
"Captaini"
yes"
"Who 10 he? You know who I mean
--your only other cabin passenger.
Who Ia he7"
you do not know him?" amazedly.
mo, how should I? But J-on."