Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1903-03-26
"A WE E }.
Y. n s.2s, ssS.t trsE~N 80.
RIP
BY SOPHIE HAMMOND.

IT WAS the second day out from
u Havre. The sea was demonstrate
ing how disagreeable, in quiet way
itcould be; and the deck was emptying
rapidly into the staterooms.
Powell, smoking with his back tc
the rail, was realizing what bore it
was to be crossing with mob of French
people, and not an acquaintance on
board. That girl with the wind-blown
hair over there was an Americana; but
how the dickens
The occupant of a 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 Lockhart!" he exclaimed.
"Why, / didn't know you were aboard.
I'm afraid you're finding this mo-
ton unpleasant. Can get you any
thing?"
The old lady clutched the rail, turn
ing a shade more livid.
THANK you, Capt. Powell" she
gasped, stiffly, "but my niece will as
sist me-
The girl had put down her writing
and came hastily forward.
ooh, Aunt Emily, I'm afraid you're
not feeling WE'LL" she murmured, anx-
iously. "Let me send for"
"Help me to my stateroom, Madge,'
said the old lady with dignity. II am
ill.," "a VA. y 2
When the niece came back to her scat
tered writing materials an hour later,
Powell turned from his contemplation
of the sea.
II hope your aunt is better, Miss
Lockhart," he said, with polite solicit
tude.
The girl raised her eyes, and looked
at him curiously for moment.
'Thank you," she said, formally,
dropping them again; ''jnst now she
is asleep, but am afraid she is sui.
fering a great DEAL"
''Oh, she'll probably be all right
by morning" Powell observed. reas-
suringly cts 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. 1T 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 an6
opened it on her knee.
ooh, 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 another sou
on the boat to speak to. He couldn'
talk French to the French women
and, looking them over, he decided
that he wouldn't if he could. Fo1
awhile he wandered about, bored an,
aimless. But finally he found himself
again by the side of his reserved young
countrywoman, doing his usually sue
cessful bestto make himself entertain
ing. And afterward, whenever she wa!
on deck, he was generally to be founl
beside her.
She was rather unappreciative a
first. She didn't laugh whenever sh,
might have been expected to; and sh'
let him do most of the talking. Blu
now and then a subject would come ul
so particularly interesting that SHE
was drawn into it in spite of herself
and, after several such relapses thu
stiffness couldn't be regained. He tolt
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 sight:
they had both seen; they discussed re
ligion literally, ethics gingerly, poll
tics warmly. They were both clever
the universe was about them, inviting
criticism; they dissected heaven ant
earth. And if sometimes a trick O
her eyelashes, or the sunlight in he1
hair, got in the way of his logic, h
honestly didn't recognize the symp
toms.
When they were more than hal
way across Miss Emily put in a brie
appearance on deck. Powell had count
ed on good deal of friendliness from
her, for she had shown him quit,
marked attention when his wound hat
made him something of lion. Blu
the mal-de-mar seemed to have worke,
havoc with her disposition, and sh
responded to all attempts at CONVEX
sation with a resentful snappishnes
that was disconcerting. So that tn
regret caused by her second force,
retirement was not unalloyed
TWAS the chance remark of passen
ger passing him in the moonlight
''Only two more days aboard" tina
brought Powell to a sudden realiza ito
of what the fates had been weaving.
He sat up straight and stared GU
across the ocean.
give been forgetting everything,
he muttered. II ought to have toll
them, of course; but pom my word,
didn't think OF it. Well, if there's an
harm done"-he drew his breath sharl
ly-"it's only TO myself
There was brushing of skirts pas