Evening star., 1907-11-19
Bv LOUIS TRACY.
Author OF The Wings of the Morning" E

and unmarried one. to appreciate all that
| brave man has done and is dojn- to
| save her life"
Here was candor uudilutcd. Elsie was
speaking without heat. She might have
| been reasoning some disputed point In
ethics, The Spaniard was OBVIOUSLY
| thrown off his guard.
You seem to demand an explanation"
! he said. with some warmth. "Well. YOU
! snail have ii. | am not man t. finch
! from the dsagreeahle | admit a sort of
impression. might almost scribe 1t as
ner toward you betokens a growing ad-
miration.'
This is the widest folly" cried Elsie
IN beWilderment. IL cannot imagine
Whst put such a notion into your head
! Let me at least lay claim to a species
OF altruism, he replied. Il can see fifty
excellent reasons why our young and
sood-looking commander should be drawn
10 you, nor can urge one against it"
But he is already engaged to another
woman, so my one reason is worth more
than all your fifty
| .Ah. can that really be SOP"
Ihe tense eagerness in his voice might
| have warned her. were 1t not that she
was shocked by the bitterness which
weiled up in her heart. She was amazed
oy this introspective glimpse: 1t alarmed
her; she must convince herself, at all
costs, that she had spoken truly.
Although the evidence she rendered was
of dubious value, she strove to advance
her argument further
nave priced our friendship greatly
Dr. Christobal,'' she said, speaking with
a calm deliberateness that rang hollow In
her own ears, so greatly that am com
pelled 10 utter this protest. Now. to end
a diStasteful controversy, let me tell YOU
what know to be true. When the ship
was stranded, and we all thought our
only chance of safety was to take to the
hn2 nIro a,.tr
ment, / was left alone in the captains
canin. The sea was breaking in through
the doorway, and 1t brought an odd relief
to my orer-burthened mind when | en-
dsaVored to rescue the contents of a
locker which, for some reason had been
scattered on the floor previously Among
them | found some letters. l think you
Will believe me when I say that I would
not consciously read another persons pri-
Vate correspondence. Just then | was
hardly responsible for my actions and |
dld happen TO see and grasp the meaning
OF passage in letter from Cant
Courtenays sister which alluded to his
alIlanced wife. 1t Is not such a tragic ad-
MISSION, is it? | would scarce have given
1t another thought were it not for your
manner this morning and your words last
night. l paid no heed at the time to the
innuendo that | had come on deck TO find
hlm-to waylay him, as l have heard men
say when speaking of a type of woman |
desplSe. 50 | resolved to straighten out
a stupid little tangie. 1t would be ridicu-
lous In our present state of suspended
ANIMATION, to let such a slight thing mar
our friendship
Elsie was indulging in that most de-
lusve thing. self-persuasian It was not
surprising, therefore, that she failed to
note the unmixed satisfaction wit which
Christobal listened.
Am I forgiven them" he asked. with
a new tenderness in his voice.
on, yes let US laugh at it,
But
Please let US talk of something more
usetui. have little plan, and you
might ask the captain If he approves of
II; we have plenty of strong canvas;
what do you say if 1 set to work and
cover IN the promenade deck, fore and aft
as well as on both sides? Then. if the
Indians try to seize the ship, they would
not be able to gain lodgment at SO
simplify the defense, so to speak"
admirable! l am sure Courtenay will
agree. 1ndeed. I am ashamed that we
superior males failed to hit on the idea
earlier Before 1 go, let me be certain
that my forgiveness is complete?''
Shall we quarrel about degree OF
more than ever. When all is said and
done. you thought 1 was fiinging myself
at our excellent captains head. so you
tired to spare me the pangs of unre-
Quilted love. The words hurt. but she
ceive himself. was radiant.
Your charity goes too far" he cried
Ihat was not the exact reason. No, my
dear Miss Maxwell l begin to exercise a
date that cryptic remark until after New
Year day. But l don't mind telling you
why have hit on definite date If ali
goes well with us-and we have had so
many escapes that Providence may well
send US few more-the Kansas should
steam out of our little bay of Good Hope
about that period. Then l shall remind
you Of our discussion and keep my
promise
With that he left her. After a gasp or
two of surprise. for Elsie could read only
one meaning into his words she hurried
up the bridge companion to arouse Mr.
Boyle and ask what he would like Tor
luncheon.
Thank goodness, joey" she murmured
TO the dog. whom she picked up in her
arms, thank goodness, Mr. BOYLE is
neither an engaged man nor widower
do believe our excellent doctor is more
mine And he said that your masters
manner 'betokened growing admiration.
Wlsh-no, joey l mean nothing of the
sort, and if you dare to hint at such
thing Snail be very angry with YOU
Hun" muttered Boyle, wide awake and
watching her through the open door,
some one has been worryin' that girl.
IL a sure sign OF trouble when a woman
whispers in the ear of a dog or cat. Now.
who can it be? That doctor chap? He
cooked his eye at her this mornin' when
she spoke about Ventana. He's a pretty
tough old bird to think about settin' up
house with nice young jenny wren.
Damn his eyes! he may be as rich as a
Jew. but if she doesn't want him. an is
too skeered to say so, I'll tell him, in the
right sort Of Spanish an all Now. had
it been the skipper"
Boyle hardly knew what to think-'had
It been the skipper"
Go be Continued Tomorrow