Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-07-12

may not have occasion to report any
Of this young lady's speeches (they
would scarcely bear i), and am there
fore the more anxious to describe her
| without injustice. l confess to some
little prejudice against her. l resent
ed her success with Raf1es, Of whom,
in consequence, l saw less and less
each day. 1t is a mean thing to have
to confess, but there must have been
something not unlike jealousy ranking
within me.
Jealousy there was in another quar-
ter-crude, rampant, undignified jeal-
ousy. Captain Won Heumann would
curl his mustaches into twin spires,
shoot his white cuffs over his rings and
stare at me insolently through his rim
less eyeglasses. We ought to have con-
soled each other, but we never ex-
changed a syllable. The captain had a
murderouS scar across one of his
cheeks, a present from Heidelberg, and
1 used to think how he must long to
have Ratties there to serve the same.
1t was not as though Van Heumann
never had his innings. Raf1es let him
go in several times a day for the ma
licious pleasure of bowling him out as
he was getting set" Those were his
words when l taxed him disingenu.
ously with obnoxious conduct toward a
German on a German boat.
You'll make yourself disliked on
board"!
by Won Heumann merely"
"But is that wise when he's the man
we've got to get next to-"
THE wisest thing l eve did. To
have chummed up with him would
have been fatal-the common dodge"
l was consoled, encouraged. almost
content. | had feared Raflcs was
neglecting things, and l told him so
in a burst. Here we were near Gi-
lent. He shook his head with a smile.
Plenty Of time, Bunny: plenty of
time. We can do nothing before we
get to Genoa, and that won't be till
Sunday night. The voyage is still
young and S are we. Let's make the
most of things while we can"
1t was after dinner on the prone
made deck, and, as Raf1es spoke. he
glanced sharply fore and aft. leaving
me next moment with a step full of
purpose. l retired to the smoking
room to smoke and read in a corner
and to watch Won Heumann, who very
soon came to drink beer and to sulk
in another.
Few travellers tempt the Red sea at
midsummer. The Uhlan was very
empty indeed. She had, however, but
a limited supply Of cabins on the prom
enade deck, and there was just that
excuse for my sharing Rallies room.
l could have had n to myself down
stairs, but l must be up above.
Raff1es had insisted that l should in
sist on the point, so we were together.
l think, without suspicion, though also
without any object that / could see.
On the Sunday afternoon l was
asleep in my berth-the lower one
when the curtains were shaken by
Raf1es, who was in his shirt sleeves on
the settee.
Achilles sulking in his bunk"
what else is there to do:" | asked
him as | stretched and yawned. l
noted, however, the good humor of his
tone and did my best to catch it.
II have found something else, Bun
n.y."
II dare say
You III. understand me. The whip.
persnapper's making his century this
afternoon. I've had other fish to fry"
swung my legs over the side of my
berth and sat forward, as lie was sit
ting, all attention. The inner t',or, n
grating, was shut and bo!ted and cur
tanned like the open portfolio.
I'VE shall be at Genoa before sun
BET, continued Rallies. IT'S the place
where the deeds got to be DONE
) you still mean to DO it,
DID ] ever say ] didn'tI'
You have said so li,tlc either way"
"AdViscdly so, my dear Bunny. WHY
spoil "A pleasure trip by tnll,lig un,,rc.
essary shopy But now the time has
come. II must be done ut Gcuon or
not ut ALL"
ION luulyn