Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

went on the avenger. calmly taking OF her
hat. '.tiil you answer my question in plain
words-yes no."
'N-e-o. don't know that it was actually
said. but the lady inferred that Lord Clan
donald and his friend couldn't think any
thing else, If you continued to give yourself
away. as you've been doing.
Very well! I understand. Aid, since
we are due at Queenstown day after tomor-
row. shall ask you to. oblige me by not adj
dressing to me a syllable good, bad or In
different, so long as I have the misfortune
to remain your room mate. II we collide
with something, and go down. don't even
inquire Of me where the life-preservers are.
And now, since want to read my note,
comfortably. and you may wake Or sleep,
or go on inventing spftefui fables, which
ever you prefer. From this moment am
done with you
of herself But there was always swift
following Of regret and penitence when she
had let her clever tongue loose upon an
opponent, and while the subdued spfnster
sobbed under her bedcIothes, the girl rather
miserably opened one of the ships envel-
opes to md written upon a slip Of paper. in
an angular. and illegible. but educated,
woman's hand these words:
When next you invite certain friend OF
yours to supply you with frocks and hats.
take care that 1t Is not within hearing OF
one who is well acquainted with Lord
C-'s limited generosity to the reigning
fancy of the hour. Better fix your hopes
upon the older and more solvent of your
SWANS. 1t will pay well, and be less
dangerous game for YOU
AS the insult burned upon the girls I'M
derstanding it seemed to her that the world
must stop revolving then and there. 1t
was her first experience of the poison OF
anonymous correspondence, that, in an in
slant, ran through her veins, paralyzing her
with shame and humiliation. How could
she face daylight and the society or honest
folk with a stain Of such suspicion upon
hot bod CHI hro,, haY
ored father, upon her trustful lover. by ex-
posing herself to such an imputation?
Would Helen Carstairs ever speak to her
again, If she knew what had been thought
and said of Posey Winstanley?
She turned out the light and cast herself
upon her berth Now, over the tumult OF
her self-1agellations arose the actual sound
of mighty wind arising to bear down
upon the ship. 1t had come up suddenly,
their room was upon the weather side, and,
in her already nervous state, the sounds
seemed the shrieking of all the demons
chained in hell. While the spinster, now
avenged. snored peacefully through the tu-
multi of elements outside, Posey lay wide
eyed, trembling, imagining all horrors of
the 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 of me, and 1t
it better So She longed to go to her
father, but dared not, considering his dis
lance from her, and the unpleasant TACT
that he shared state room with two other
men. The silence of the ship seemed as I'M
natural as the failure of increase in Its mo-
tion The curtain drawn over their door
way swayed ever slightly back and
forth there was no creaking of timbers Or
crash of crockery, or rolling of small OBJ
jects upon the floor. A glass of water left
on the washhand-stand was not disturbed
in it's equilibrium. Surely this was strange,
weird. unnatural, with such tempest rag
ing on the sea!
she did not wish to die, Driven by panic
she arose, still dressed as she had been for
the supper, and stole out down the long
empty pasSage-Ways upon tour or lnVeS-
tigatlon. to encounter no living soul save
sleepy night steward standing under a light
to con an ancient newspaper
The man looked up sleepily as the I'M
wonted apparition drew near him. He
recognized the beauty, and from her pallor
and agitation decided she must be i'll.
Anything 1 can do for you, miss?" he
asked politely.
-"Oh! no. Nothing whatever" answered
Posey hurriedly. II was only not sleeping
well. and feeling little nervous in the
Storm
storm. miss?" queried the steward alb
stractedly. swallowing yawn.
eyes. fearful one. On our side IT blows
like mad. Surely you must hear IT.?
With the ghost Of smile lowering upon
his face, the man walked over and gave a
look out into the night.
might De ndl1 q gaze, ne SAID QuDl-
ously. but you see. miss, in these ships
we sort O. get out O. the way of knowing
what is going on outside!'
Half gale! Poseys inclination to re-
sent the belitting statement went back to
bed with her. but presently her sense of
humor got the better of the other poignant
emotions, and she laughed at her own
alarms. of which the interruption had, on
the whole, proved wholesome one; and at
last. completely wearied out. fell into deep
sleep, amid the continued bowling of the
harmless wind.
The gay voyage that had begun SO buoy
antly passed, at the finish. beneath the
shadow of cloud The first sight Of land
gave but sorry welcome to the newcom-
ers, as it Immediately disappeared under
a dense curtain Of fog. The ship crept up
the Irish coast to the melancholy footing
of the siren. answered by other craft, from
ocean liners to humble trawlers. made
Queenstown toward morning in an inter-
val OF clear weather. and. relapsing into
the embrace of fog. came next evening
finally to anchor for the night at some dis