Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-08-07


force" theu he agreed to give her AZ
other day in which to make up hen
MUD to 90 with hjm peaceahiy. and
again he concluded that a bird in IT,,
hand was worth two in the bush
Brewster stood gloomily on the out
SIDE of tie excited group gloweriug
upon the ugly suitor. Cooler beats
had fcIe@ated him to this place of Sc
oulity during the diplomatic contest
n" NhcIk'S threats of vengeance Were
dirrfu!. He >wnre 10y somebody's +
beard that he would bring 1O.OO0 men
TO establish bis claim by force. His
intense desire to fight for her then
and there was yueiled 10y Captain
Perry detachment of six usty sail
vigorously under Il few startled noses
1t took all the fight out of the sheik
and his train. Three rctainers fell in
to the sea while trying to retreat as
far as possible from danger,
Mohammed departed with the irate
declaration that he would come an
other day and that the whole world
"Vhf' tiNtlip!S at tfll It1S
gusted with himself and afraid to
meet the eyes of the other men, Brew
ster went below in search Of Peggy.
He took time to comfort the anxious
women who crowded about him and
then asked for Miss Gray. She was
In her stateroom and would not come
forth. When he knocked at the door
Il al lnI hi,
told him to go away.
''Come out, Peggy; it's all over" be
called.
"Please &C away, Monty" she sac;
'What are you doing in there
There was a long pause, and tien
packing. please, SIR
That night Brewster entertained on
board the yacht, several resident
French and English acquaintances Ec
ing the guests of honor. The story of
the day was told by Mrs. Dan De
Mile, comm" stoned especially for tie
duty. She painted the scene SO vivit :.
that the guests laughed with JOY over
the discontinue of the sheik. Peggy
and Brewster found themselves look
ing sheepishly at one another now and
then in the course of the recital. She
purposely had avoided him during the
evening. but she ha.' gamely endured
the rail!erv that came from the rest Of
the party. If she was a bit pale it WAX
not surprising. Now That it was over
the Whole affair appalled, her more
than she cot,>, have suspected. When
several of the guests Of the evening
soberly ;i!nJaneed Chat Mohammed
was Il NinGe.,pUS ii,en and even an Oh
,iett OF woirl II Tie government she
felt q strange c:ttca il Eer throat, ana
her now unil.tiit:ss eyes turned instinc-
lively to Brewster, who, it seemed
was tle sheiks special object of aver
sion.
The next G." she Hna Monty talked il
over. The rcnitence OF both was beau
tiful to behold Es;-A denied the othe,
the privilege of ass, ;lofl4a al the blame
an,l both wee 50 ,!tt.y that Mohain
ncl Vac lite moe than a proposition
| in their cOHNersat .on so far as proini-
nencc was concerned. But oil day
| long the harior was full of fisher boats
| and at ngltfall they still We're Iolling
| about. sinister restless, mysterious.
| like purpo~eless buzzards. And the
dark men on board We're taking III
| no fish: neither We're they mnding tie
! nets that lay dry and folded in the
bottom of their boats.
| Far into the night there was revel,!
on board the Filter. more guests hay.
ing cone out from the city. The dark
! hours before the dawn Of day had an
| rived before they put off for shore, but
| the fisher boats still were Dobbin.
about in the black waters of the har.
| Dor. The lights gradually disappear
ed from the portfolios of the yacht, and
| the tired watch was about to be re-
| lieyed. Monty Brewster and Peggy re-
manned on deck after the guests had
gone over the side of the vessel They
| were leaning over the rail aft listening
to the iovial voices of the visitors as
they grew fainter and fainter in the
distance The lights of the town were
few, but they could plainly be seen
from the ofting.
'Arc YOU tired. Peggy?' asked Prev
ster. with a touch of tenderness. s'o.ac-
how of late he had often felt str:E'"e
desire to take her in his arms. and now
, it was strong upon him. She was very
| near, and there was Il dropping Weari-
, ness in her attitude which seemed to
! demand protection.
u have IA queer feeling that some
! thing awful is going to happen tonight,
! Monty" she answered, trouble in her
soft voice.
You're nervous; that's al" he said,
land you should go to sleep. Good
night" Their hands touched in the
darkness, and the thrill that went over
! him told a truth of which he had been
only yagpcly conscious. The power of
| it made him eXuitant. Yet when he
/ thought Of her and her too quiet affec-
ton for him it left him despondent
| Something bumped against the siGe
of the ship, and a grating sound follow