Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-08-18
CHAPTER |.

The Howard castle" had made a Won
3srfnl run from the Cape, and the cap
,.;n was bent on beating the record.
Fortune SO far had favored him, and
oven now that they were in the bay, al
though change threatened, the CLASSY
r,Ilers which came in from the Atlantic
All not in any way interfere with the
ships speed.
of the numerous passengers on board
,ro have but to deal with two-both girls
10Th rather above the average height,
both fair. although the hair of one was
of 60 bright a brown as to verge on red,
whilst the hair of the other was drab,
without light or shade.
Her ewes, which were of a pale gray,
looked across the waste of waters lover
which a thin mist was creepingl with
dreamy look in them, and she sighed as
she presently turned to her companion.
Il wish l was as pretty as you are,
Cora" she said. "If l were, Lady Ham
mersly might like me and take to me.
A. it is, no one takes an interest in
common place little brown sparrow like
me. | know she will dislike me as soon
as she sees me-"
Cora Tarlton sighed in her turn.
You have better life before you than
T have" she said. 81 really have no pa
tience with you, Ella, when you com
plain. Your father dies, and you are left
nearly destitute. If you did not choose
to marry the first man who came along
YOU might have starved, for there is no
work for unskilled INDEPENDENTLY
woman's hands-in the Transvaal; and
then comes a letter, in answer to the last
appeal of your father, offering you a
home with the lady who once loved him,
in the days of his youth. A home in
fine country house, where you viii meet
nice people, and with the promise that at
Lady Hammersly's death she will leave
you provided for. Whilst for me, what is
there before me? l have thirty pounds in
my purse, and when they are spent what
am | to do? l have left a husband with
whom I lived in mortal fear, and, for
aught l know, he may follow me and
drag me back to a life of torture with
him. Who is most to be envied, you or
I!''
"Ah, but you have tasted happiness"
the drab-haired girl replied. you mar
red, and at least at first you loved your
husband; whilst have, ever since was
quite child and my mother died, led
dreary life out on the veldt, far from
everyone; my father out all day, and but
returning to his evening meal shall
feel SO strange in q cultured English
home. They will look upon me as a
mere savage, know they will"
'Will you change places, Ellae" the
other said laughingly. LADY Hammers
" has not the vaguest idea of what you
are lie. / will hand you over my thirty
pounds, and you shall give me her last
letter of invitation to prove my identity.
Let US shake hands on it, as the men do,
and say it is a bargain"
Ella shook her head.
1T would not be right" she answered.
Besides, l am much more incapable of
earning a livelihood than you are. / am
SO weak a little thing that do not know
how | should have borne up during the
voyage if had not had you to cling to-"
Well, the voyage will soon be over,
and we shall each 90 our separate ways;
when l make fortune | will write and
let YOU know"
Yes, l suppose the voyage will be
soon over, but have dread on me that
something will happen--I cannot tell
what, but something dreadful. l dreamt
last night that great sea struck the
ship, and threw me out of my berth l
1ell, not on the deck, but into the water,
and | awoke whilst struggling to save
myself from drowning"
Dreams, idle dreams, dear" Cora
laughed. "You will be at Quinton in
tWenty-fOur hours, or a little more, and
then al troubles will be forgotten. You
viii be my lady's darling, and YOU will
marry someone young and handsome,
and after while, you will find out that
he IS l1ade up just the same as other men,
When you viii wish yourself back on the
Veidt again All the same. | envy YOU.
dear and would very much like to change
places"
Whilst the two girls had stood chat
ing the soft threads of mist had woven
Themselves together till now a fog, ever
threatening, lay upon the heaving ocean,
shutting out everything that was at morel
'i3n quarter Of a miles distance And
sun the great steamer rushed on at I'M
diminished speed.
bY dinner time the wind had risen
s1ghtly and instead of CLASSY rollers.
Ae9yy seas struck the bows of the How.
&Ed Castle, yet still the mist chung closer
and closer, denser and denser about her.
me older hands whispering that the skip
Yer must be mad to race through 1t at
such speed
lila, poor sailor, retired to her berth.
Winch she shared with Cora, directly after
diH0er, Of which she had scarcely tasted
d iaouthful; but Cora, after INDUCING in
d AI1Ie Irritation with an old colonel and
q young subaltern, both her devoted ad-
. ~ snPped away and went up again
On 70 the upper deck.
>1e was the only woman there. for no
wraps could keep out the raw sea air.
ana ey@n the officers walked the bridge
m1ifed to the chin.
let { ra Tarlton liked it. 1t reminded
7. Of her Irish home. Not that that
. me mad been particularly happy one.