The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-07-16

vessel; it is your duty to obey my or
ders: you are going to obey them. II
you have any suggestions to make I
will give them consideration; but I'M
derstand that I command here, and
that you do not occupy any official
position whatever"
Fairfax stood amazed; he looked at
Nj. Vernon's almost giant bulk loom
ing in the gray dusk; it appeared to
dilate and take on the rugged outlines
that his Imagination would have
given to some old buccaneer. The
remote arrogance and the immediate
authority with which the surprising
words lad been uttered seemed to
come from q man not in the least like
the Mr.. Vernon Of yesterday.
"I beg your pardon, sir" he man
aged to say; "you are mistaken ifyou
think me ungrateful enough to offer
any impertinent objections to your
method Of conducting your own at
fairs. I did not mean anything Of
the kind"
He hated himself the next moment
for having found no letter way of e1-
pressing what, after all, was not very
clear in his own mind; but his en-
barrassment was not in the least re-
lieved when Mr.. Vernon. with a gruff
chuckle, turned abruptly away and
went below.
Fairfax looked around him, half
daZed.
Fairfax was not in a mood to doubt
and accuse His recent experiences
had opened his eyes to the darkest
possibilities of the life into which he
had been suddenly drawn so deeply.
The feeling that he had not managed
himself in the least sdroitly, and that
probably he had shown his weakest
side to Mr.. Vernon, helped to i~rritate
him; moreover, the danger. if dangerit
was, lowering so near to Pauline affect
ed him strangely. This young girl
had taken possession of him; he real
lied in now. And was he about to see
her fall into the hands of men like
Pierre Rameau?
Mr.. Vernon did not come on deck
for some hours; when he re-appeared
a light breath of wind vas beginning
to blow, and he Immediately ordered
all hands to make ready to put the
vessel under sail.
The fog, though not dense as it had
been, was still too heavy to permit any
distinct view through IT. When the
little craft began to move, Mr.. Vernon
went forward. AS he passed Fairfax,
he said in a low voice:
"Stand by to pass my orders 10 the
man at the ~tiller; we must not speak
above our breath. If we can get
through to the lake, we are safe"
By the lake he meant Ponchartrain,
and their way thither lay through the
main channel OF the Rigolets.
So gently did the vessel move that
the ladies sleeping below did not
wake; the only sounds to be heard
were an occasional creak of cord or
spar and the light ripple OF the water
ut the PROV.
Mr.. Vernon was feeling his way
toward the mouth of the channel with
nothing to guide him save his sense OF
distances and directions. Tho wind
somewhat against him and there
was not IN object by which ne could
exactly fix his whereabouts. So weak
was the breeze, moreover, that the
vessel crept at but a snail's pace over
the darkling water. It was near day
light; indeed, the pale influence of the
morning was diffusing itself through
the fog when the breeze began to
freshen q little, sending a ripple over
Borgne and quickening the movement
oc the vessel. The soft, gray vail
wavered and lifted perceptibly, and
Mr.. Vernon had just made out the
marsh-points ct the mouth Of the
channel and was giving allow order,
when suddenly a vessel, distant a
stones throw, show ed itself through
the fog directly ahead, and at the
same instant "Ahoy, there!" came in
a loud, clear voice from the strangers
deck.