The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-03-26
A WEDDING
TRIP
Bv SOPHIE HAMMOND.

II 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 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 qsickly.
sMiss Lockhart!" he exclaimed.
AWhy, / didn't know you were aboard.
I'm afraid you're finding this mo-
ton unpleasant. Can I-get you any
thing?"
The old lady clutched the rail, turn
ing shade more livid.
"Thank you, Capt. POWELL she
pasped, stiffiy, "but my niece will as
xist 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-
iously. "Let me send for"
.Help me to my stateroom, Madge,
said the old lady with dignity. IL am
ILL.,"
When the niece came back to her scat
tered writing materials an hour later,
Powell turned from his contemplation
of the sea.
IT hope your aunt is better, Miss
Iockhart," he said, with polite solici-
tude.
The girl raised her eyes, and looked
ct him curioasly for moment.
"Thank youss' she said, formally,
dropiSng them again; "just now she
is asleep, but I am afraid she is suf-
fering great deal"
"Oh, she'll probably be all right
by morning" Powell observed, reas-
suringly Its this nasty rocking that
knocked her up"
''Whcn Aunt Emily goes below it is
long before she reappears,' she said.
Then she looked a him again. ''It was
in Florida that you met her, wasn't
it?o she asked.
"Yes, last winter. We were both on
q search for health. I 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-
tar Al 90
shrugged his shoulders and walked
of.
But there really wasn't another soul
on the boat to speak to. He 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 unappreciatiye at
hrst She didn't laugh whenever she
might have been expected to-; and she
let him do most of the talking. But
now and then subject would come up
so particularly interesting that she
was drawn into it in spite of herself
and after several such relapses the
stlifness couldn't be regained. He told
ner stories of the army in the Philip
pines, and of the adventures, thrilling
and ludicrous, CT his own regiment;
they talked of the old world sights
they had both seen; they discussed re.
iigion literally, ethics gingerly, poll
tics warmly. They were both clever;
The universe was about them, inviting
criticism; they dissected heaven ane
earth. And if sometimes a trick O.
ner eyelashes, or the sunlight in hel
hair, got in the way of his logic, ht
honestly didn't recognize the symp
toms.
When they were more than hall
way across Miss Emily put in brie1
appearance on deck. Powell had count
ed on good deal of friendliness from
her, for she had shown him Quit,
WHEN Ills WOu0Q la(
mace him something of lion. Blu
the mal-de-mar seemed to have WORKED
havoc with her disposition, and sh,
responded to all attempts at conver
sation with resentful snappishnes
mat was disconcerting. So that tn,
regret caused by her second forced
retirement was not unalloyed.
twas the chance remark of passeu
ger passing him in the moonlight
only two more days aboard,"-tha
brought Powell to sudden realiza tic,
oI what the fates had been weaving.
ne sat up straight and stared ou
across the ocean.
I've been forgetting everything,
ne muttered. Il ought to have toll
.nem, of course; bur pom my word,
uiont think of it. Well, if there's an,
narm done"-he drew his breath sharr
ismlt's only to myself"
him. " = : gas