Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-11-27

no stateroom," I said. II am alone
and shall be glad to share mine witt
YOU
The heavy lids lifted slowly, and ]
found myself looking into pair OF
wistful dark eyes with an unanswered
question in thin.
'Thank you," she said, in a sweet
low voice. You are most kind. !
know it is not pleasant to share ones
room with stranger, but l will come
gladly, for l am very tired. My hus-
band"
She paused abruptly and faint col.
or tinged her cheeks as a man ap.
preached and bent over her with an
unmistakable air OF possession.
Its no use, Juliet" he said; 81
can't get you 4 stateroom at any price.
and you are regularly done up, too!
We must manage with one of these
SOFAS"
ut is all right. dear" she replied
gently. This young lady is good
enough to offer to share her room with
with me. My husband. Mr.. Graham.
Miss"
/ supplied the name and bowed to
Mr.. Graham. looking curiously at him
as l listened to his effusive thanks.
The man evidently possessed the
vitality his wife lacked. His evcyy
movement indicated that he was filled
to the finger tips with vibrant, pulsing
life, and one admired him with the ad-
miration one involuntarily accords a
perfect specimen of the animal king
dom. whether man or beast. Perhaps
his lips were a trifle too full and red.
and his teeth rather unpleasantly daz-
zIing when they cleaned under klH
dark mustache: perhaps. also. there
was something in his large black eyes
now and then which might cause a
woman to blush and turn aside II he
looked too long at her; but his man.
ner was very gentle as he bent over
his wife, and he collected her wraps
and helped her to rise with genuine
solicitude.
The stewardess was waiting to show
Mrs Graham the room, and decided
to remain in the saloon until she had
retired. so l sat down in a green plush
chair and amused myself watching my
fellow passengers and specializing as
to their destinations. had just deter
mined that n fat old lady opposite
was the mother OF large family and
going to visit married daughter,
when the cabin door opened and Mr..
Graham returned alone.
He raised his hat as he passed,
hesitated n moment, then seated HIM
self on the arm OF nn adjoining chair.
I'VE really owe you n debt Of graf
itude." he said. 'Of course I can get
along perfectly well anywhere, but
Mrs. Graham is not strong. She has
had n tiresome journey. and tonight
seemed to be the last straw. l sup
pose you noticed how awfully done
up she was"
She certainly seemed very tired"
''She wdl be all right tomorrow. aft
er nights rest-thanks to you. We
are going to spend the summer in
Canada. think the climate there
will benefit her. It Is so lpvigorating.
And you? Are you also bound for
Canada. and are you travelling alone?'
replied somewhat curtly that /
was with friends, for I had no desire
Graham. however, fingered with the
manner OF one who has something on
his mind. but finds expression difficult.
At last he rose and said goodnight.
after Offering TO look out for our bag
gage when he landed In the morning.
And by the way" he remarked.
carlessly. don't be alarmed II my
wife should talk bit In her sleep.
She does 1t now and then, especially
II she is oycrtired. She is apt to
dream, / think. and sometimes talks
lot OF gibberish. I trust you may
not be disturbed. but thought ought
to. warn you. Goodnight again. and
many thanks"
So Mrs. Graham talked In her sleep!
I thought rather ruefully OF my pros
poets for n peaceful night as slowly
walked the length OF the cabin-for
mine was an outside stateroom, and
1t was necessary TO go on deck to
reach It.
The moon shone brilliantly. a path
of silver light falling across the water.
which rippled and sparkled alluringiy.
I was SO fascinated by the beauty of
inc sCeut tnal When reaCueu my
door did not enter at once, but leaned
over the railing. watching the white
foam that marked our course. and
quite forgetful OF the flight of time.
After a while two men approached
and one of them fitted a key in the
door next mine. As he stopped to ex-
anime the lock. the moonlight shons
full upon his face. and l recognized
our friend in blue serge with the
strange aversion to chairs. l wondered
II the person with him was an attend
ant, and hoped the partition wall was
substantial, I was also conscious of