Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-05-23
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER Ill.
@HROUGHOUT the long summer
day a gentle excitement had
1uttered the hearts Of those
~ ladies, young or not SO young,
who had received Invitations to the
ball IN board the CONSERVATION that
night. The last touches were given to
creations on which had been spent
skill, taste and money. Our three
young women, being most tastefully
and f~ashionably attired, were in high
spirits, which state Of feeling was ex-
hibited according to the nature of
each-Sabina rather stately in her ex-
altation, Dorothy quiet and demure,
while Katherine, despite her mothers
supplications, would not be kept quiet,
but swung her graceful gown this way
and that, practicing the slide Of a
waltz and quoting w. s.. Gilbert, as
was her custom. She glided over the
floor in rhythm with her chant:
when I first put this uniform on
/ said as I looked in the glass,
It's one to q million
That any civilian
My figure and form will surpass.'"
Meanwhile in a Don downstairs that
good natured veteran Captain Kempt
was telling the latest stories to his fu-
ture son-in-law, a young officer of the
american navy, who awaited with
dutiful Impotence the advent Of the
serene Sabina. When at last the Ia
dies came down, the party set out
through the gathering darkness of this
heavenly summer night for the private
pier from which they were privileged,
because of Captain Kempts official
standing, to voyage to the cruiser
on the revenue cutter Whippoorwill,
which vas later on to convey the Sec
retary Of the navy and his encourage
across the same intervening waters.
Just before they reached the pier t6eif
steps were arrested by the boom Ola
cannon, followed instantly by the sud
den apparition of the CONSERVATION
picked out in electric light, masts, fun
mel and hull all outlined by incandes-
cent stars.
"How beautiful cried sabina, whose
young man stood beside her. ut is as
If a gigantic rocket, all Of n color,
had burst and hung suspended there
like the planets Of heaven"
ut reminds me-" whispered Kath-
crime to Dorothy, "of an overgrown
popcorn ball" at which remark the two
girls were frivolous enough to laugh.
"Crashv sounded a cannon from an
American ship, and then the white
squadron became visible in a blaze Of
lightning. And now all the yachts and
other craft on the waters faunted
their lines Of fire, and the whole bay
was Illuminated like a lake in fairy
land.
"Now," said Captain Kempt, with a
chuckle, watch the B%ritisher. I think
she's going to show us some color"
And as he spoke there appeared,
spreading from mast to mast, a huge
sheet of blue, with four great stars
which pointed the corners of a paraI-
telegram, and between the stars shone
a huge white anchor. Cheers rang out
from the crew Of the CONSERVATION,
and the band on board played 1.-THE
Star Spangled Banner"
THAT" said Captain Kempt in ex-
PLANTATION, sis the flag Of the United
States secretary of the navy, who will
be with us tonight. The visitors have
kept very quiet about this bit of illu-
mination, but our lads got on to the
secret about a week ago, and I'll be
very much disappointed If they don't
give EN- tit for tat"
When the band on the CONSERVATION
ceased playing all lights went out on
the American squadron, and then on
the flagship appeared from mast to
mast a device with the union jack in
the corner, a great red cross dividing
the flag into three white squares. AS
this illumination flashed out the Amer
lean band struck up the British ma
donal anthem, and the outline lights
appeared again.
That" said the captain, lis the
British man-o'-war's flag"
The Whippoorwill speedily whisked
the party and others across the spar
Killing waters to the foot of the grand
stairway which had been specially
constructed to conduct the elect from
the tide to the deck. 1t was more
than double as broad as the ordinary
gangway, was carpeted from top to
bottom, and on every step stood a
b~luejacket, each as steady as II cast
In bronze, the line forming, as one
might say, a living handrail rising to-
ward the dark sky.
Captain Kempt and his wife won't
first, followed by Sabina and her
young man, with the two girls In their
wake.
ITO BE coNp1NuED.l
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