The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-10


tnmult OF her sef-tlagcllations, arose
thel actual sound OF q mighty wind
arising to bear down upon the shin
1t had come up suddenly, their com
was upon the weathcr-side. and, In
her already nervous state. the soundi
seemed the shricklng Of all the demoni
chnined IN hell While the spinster 4
now avenged, snorod peacefully through
the tumult Of clements outside. Posey
lay wide-oyed, trembling, imagining all
horrors Of tho sea- and praying for
the comfort OF Mrs. Cashiers friendly
voice.
If we are to be lost" passed through
her mind, despairingly, everything
Will be forgotten that has been said Z
Of me, and it is better so. She longcd
to go to her father, but dared not,
considering his distance from her, and
the unpleasant fact that he shared n
stateroom with two other men. Tho
silence OF the ship seemed US unnaturn!
rs tho failure OF increase in Its mos
tiun. Tho curtain drawn over their
doorway swayed ever so slightly back
and forth. there was no creakins oe.,
timbers or crash of crockery, or rolling
OF small objects upon the floor A
glass of water left on the washhand-9
stand was not disturbed In Its equili-E
trlum. Surely this was strange, weird.
unnatural, with such tempest raging
on the sea!
Nav Posey decided that, on the
whole. she did not wish to die. Driven
b! panic. she arose. still dressed as she
] led been for the supper and stole
out down the long, empty passage-ways
upon tour Of Investigation, to en-
counter no living soul save sleepy
ight-stcward standing under q light,
to con an ancient newspaper.
The man looked up sleepily as tha
{oI III I'm,
Ht recognized the beauty, and from
her pallor and agitation decided she
must be Ill. Is
"Anything I can do for you. miss:''
he asked politely.
ooh! no. Nothing whatever,'' an-
6swered Posey hurriedly 7 was only
1.ot sleeping WELL and feeling aElittle
nervous in the Storm"
storm, rnlss?" queried the steward
nbstractedly, swallowing yawn.
"Yes, q fearful one. On our side.
It blows like mad. Surely you must
hear it,"
With the ghost Of a smile lowering
upon his face, the man walked over
and gave a look out into the night.
ut might be half a gale" he said
obviously. But you see, miss, in these
ships we sort O get out O. the way Of
knowing what is going5on outside!" III
Half a gale! ,Posey's inclination3to7
resent the bclittling statement went
back to bed with her, but presently
Ter sense Of humor got the better of
the other poignant! emo tons, and2shef
laughed at her own alarms, Of which
the interruption had, on the whole,
lioved a wholesome one; and at last.
completely wearied out, fell into deep
sleep, amid the continued bowling oe
the harmless wind.
The gay voyage that had begun so
buoyanty passed, at the finish, beneath
the shadow of cloud. The first sight
or land gave but sorry welcome to
the newcomers. as 1t Immediately dis
appeared under dense curtain OF fog.
The ship crept up the Irish coast to
tie melancholy footing Of the siren,
. answered by other craft, from ocean
liners to humble trawlers, made Queens
town toward morning in an interval I.
OF clear weather and. relapsing into
tie embrace of fog, came next eve
ming finally to anchor for the night
al some distance from Liverpool to
await safer opportunity Of docking
the monster, and letting her passen-s
Eers ashore. During the dolorous hours
preceding their final parting the dis
appointed passengers, before SO friend
~, smiling, intimate, seemed to draw
away from each other. darkling and
afraid Smiles, jokes, good stories.
civil speeches and compliments had
been apparently packed up with sea
rugs and steamer chairs. The decks,
dripping and cherries, offered no ats
traction to promenaders, the library
was filled to oppression with forms
bending listlessly over books thnt
could not hold attention. Every DESK
held dillgent scribblers, glazing sus-
piciously ut each other through the
tor Of tho separating screen. their
llaces awaited by more would-be corr
respondents impatient of delay. In the
& c'mpnnion-ways $, subdued people hud-
died together or walked over the un-
fortunate beings with buckets whose
duty tits to, 4sWab the sticky linoleur.
underfoot A reminiscent odor Of their
last sea-dinner arose to ningle with
suggestions. coming none knew whence,
CT bilge, fresh paint. tarpnulin ana
vet ropes. The only thoroughly lively
mOrtals to be seen were tho stewards