The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1903-03-05
A WEDDING
TRIP
By SOPHIE

ing how disagreeable, in q quiet way,
it could be; and the deck was emptying
rapidly into the ~staterooms.
Powell, smoking with his back to
the rail, was realizing what a 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 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!" be exclaimed.
"Why, I didn't know you were aboard.
I'm afraid you're finding this mo-
ton unpleasant. Can l-get you any
thing?"
The old lady clutched the rail, turn
ing a shade more livid.
"Thank you, Capt. Powell" she
gasped, stifly, "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 WE'LL" she murmured, anx.
iously. "Let me send for"
"Help me to my stateroom, Madge,'
said the old lady with dignity. Il an
ILL.," 4,
When the niece came back to her scat
tered writing materials an hour later
Powell turned from his contemplation
of the sea.
Il hope your aunt is better, Miss
Lockhart," he said, with polite solici
tude.
The girl raised her eyes, and looked
at him %curiously for a moment.
"Thank you" she said, formally
dropping them again; "just now sh'
is asleep, but I am afraid she is suf
fering a great deal"
ooh, she'll probably be all righ'
by morning" Powell observed, reas
suringly. "1t's this nasty rocking tina
knocked her up.
when Aunt Emily goes below it
long before she reappears," she said
Then she looked at him again. 1T wa
in Florida that you met her, WASH
tt?" she asked.
"Yes, last winter. We were both OF
D search. for health. I don't think sh
remembered me at first"
She had taken up her portfolio AM
opened it on her knee.
"Oh, she knew you perfectly" sh'
said; and resumed her writing SO os
tensibly that Powell, after a moment
shrugged his shoulders and Wake
off.
But there really wasn't another sou
on the boat to speak to-. He couldn'
talk French to the French women
ana; Hooking them over, he decide,
that he wouldn't if he could. Fo
awhile he wandered about, bored an
aimless. But finally he found himsel
again by the side of his reserved youn
countrywoman, doing his usually sue
cessful best to make himself entertain
ing. And afterward,; whenever she wa
on deck, he was generally to be foun
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 u
SO particularly interesting that sh
was drawn into it in spite of hersel1
and after several such relapses tn
stiffness couldn't be regained. He toll
her stories of the army in the Philip
pines, and of the adventures, thrillin
and ludicrous, of his W regiment
they talked of the old world sight
they had both seen; they discussed re
ligion literally, ethics gingerly, pol
tics warmly. They were both clever
the universe was about them, invitin
criticism; they dissected heaven an
earth. And if sometimes a trick q
her eyelashes, or the sunlight in he
hair, got in the way of his logic, h
honestly didn't recognize the SYM
toms.
When they were more than hal
way across Miss Emily put in a brie
appearance on deck. Powell had count
ed on a good deal of friendliness fro1
her, for she had shown him quit
marked attention when his wound ha
made him something of a lion. Blu
the mal-de-mar seemed to have worke
havoc with her dispositions, and sh
responded to all attempts at conve,
satlon with a resentful snappishnes
that was disconcerting. So that til
regret caused by her second force
retirement was not unalloyed.
TWAS the chance remark of a passel1
ger passing him in the moonlight
only two more days aboard,"-ths
brought Powell to a sudden realizatio
of what the fates had been weaving.
He sat up straight and stared O,
across the ocean.
GIVE been forgetting everything
he muttered. 81 ought to have to,
them, of course; but pom my word,
didn't think of it. Well, if there's ar
harm done'-he drew his breath shar
fits only to myself"
There was a brushing of skirts pa
him.
II can't persuade her to move" sa
a girls voice, plaintively, as it's ow
er sank into her steamer chair.
really believe she is worse now tn;
she was at first. To think of her ha
ing come abroad for the sea air, al