The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-12-25
lin Ocean
acquaintance
BY Claude Pamares
Copyright. 1905. by Homer Sprague
BY Claude Pamares

! Plymouth would be reached early nex
morning In silence the two stood ge2
ing at the distant lights now beginning
TO fash ont This meant the close o
the voyage, the end OF week Of rare
companlonship.
At first the man had paid but scan
heed to the slender, dark eyed woman
who faced him at the long table. Hi
was off for rest and did not care te
meet people But something In the
quiet. restrained glance attracted him
and later, when he saw her on deek
struggling with steamer rugs. IT seemed
only civil TO offer his assistance.
Henceforth they fell into the way OF
being together. They read and critl-
cised each others books and maya
zines, they spent much time pacing the
| deck. and now had come TIE last night
of 1t nil She was leaving the ship at
Plymouth; he was going on to Cher
b0urg The man was the first to SPEAK.
"And am | never 10 see You aSaln"
he asked
She shook her head.
1T is very unlikely"
''You mean he demanded.
Il mean that it Is best not" was the
quiet answer. but he bent rebelliously
closer.
Listen" he said deterlninedly. Il
know that 1t Is far too soon TO speak,
that you have known me barely 4
week, yet when you talk in this way
say that We shall not meet again
''You know nothing of me either"
broke in the woman hurriedly-'whe
I am or whence | come"
Il know you are the loyeliest and
sweetest woman in the world he said.
with stubborn frown. land that r.
NO, no." cried she sharply Then
she lifted her head. II have not told
you the whole truth" she said, quiet
dignity in her bearing. Il am indeed
Mrs. Raymond, and my husband is
dead, but-l am also Russell Ban
creft's sister"
"Bancroft's - sister" He repeated |
the words incredulously. "Bancrofts |
sister" His voice betrayed only an !
amazed bewilderment, but the wom-
an, sensitlvely alive to every intona-
tion, heard or fancled a certain hidden |
beneath the surprise. Her
breath tiuttered; then she pulled her
self together.
80 | am sure you will agree with
me that any further friendship be-
tween liz is impossible" she said clear
IL Good night and goodby."
Before he could divine her intention
she had stepped toward the compan-
The next moment she was
gone. The man turned back to the rail.
''Bancroffs sister" he said again,
MS eyes resting vaguely, unseemingly
upon the tumbllng waters. "Bancrofts
sister"
Below in the narrow little cabin Mrs
Raymond tureI herself up0h the bunk.
lie heavy Tears hung UPON her igshes.
lie hated her then. She wondered az
t ia a duh sort of way Yet who
'eally could wonder that the very name
If Bancroft should be distasteful in his
.arsf She knew the whole >aEre.ched
tory. The two men had been chHms
It school, roommates at college. She
ccollected The tall lad whom Russell
lad brought homo for an occasional
'lsit. Then had come Corfwright's en-
e cement. The cards were out, the
Wedding dress finished. Bancroft was
o be best man. And then two days
'efore the day So. Bancroft, the trust.
d, the beloved friend, had fed with his
huns bride. leaving u wild. incoher-
nt note In which they pleaded their
affection.
Child as she had beens Mrs. Ray
lond well remembered the tremendous
xcitement Il had stirred. her passion
te sympathy for the hnif stunned
'ortwTght. But the affair slid into
istory. like everything else After that
russell and his wife lived abroad. She
erself had grown up, married and he
ONE widow. Her marriage had not
roved exactly a success, yet she had
iourned her husband deeply and sin.
erely, never considering the posslbil-
y OF her marrying again. Then had
ome this steamer acquaintance with a
IAN singularly e)ngenlal IN tastes and
leas. Her learning OF his Identity had
cen shock She felt that Ia honesty
b. must reveal herself. Yet every day !,
ne let pass made the task more dim .
lh And now what she had most :
Jared had come to pass--he shrank
'Om the sister Of his faithlcss friend.
The woman ON the bunk started up !.
sudden terccness. IL was not fair. !,
That part had she In that old deedg ;
be must see him again-cxplaln. She
IL not know exactly what d say. but :,
he impulse carried Der out into the cor.
dor il was not late Perhaps he \
'Ould Join her again on deck.
But as she turnel Into the passage !,
'ay which led 10 hls door and lifted :
er hand TO knock a swift realization :
what she was about to do swept =
yer her with an intoIerable rush Of i
lame. What! Appeal 10 the pity OF =
ny man: For had he truly loved her
. would not have let her 90. II
dominated by this reasoning she
lrIied and fairly ran back o. her
lbin. There. with bowed head. no
oniess save for soft catching breaths. =,
ie GATED until the steward came 70 =