The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-11-25

| Just then the captain himself ap-
peared.
you've been six hours lettering
about that quay alone, and In
trouble" he roared at her, land had
nothing to do all the time but to
come on board and be among friends.
It's just your bad temper that stands
In your way. How do you expect to
| get on in the world at this rate? It's
| childish, that's what it Is, and your
little face"-waxing angrier-'is as
| pinched as If you'd been in want.
And likely enough that's it," he
added, in a, milder tone, as if pleased
by his own sagacity. CPL stake my
mothers love you've not had a NOR
sci to-day"
Gertrude looked up at him with a
wan little smile; something in the
tone of his last remark had caused
all that was repulsive in his loudness
and lanky grimness to disappear,
making plain to her a man ashamed
Of his own kind nature and always
at war with it, to hide it. She fol-
lowed him to the saloon quite con-
tentedly, and he ordered breakfast
for her, scolding all the time till at
last she said, ut is no use pretending
to be cross. I see you have the kind
est heart on earth. You a never
hide it again from me-" His mouth
relaxed a little at that, and his kind
eyes twinkled. He sat down on the
other side of the narrow table, and
after an explosion or two at the stew
ard, and at Gertrude's small appe-
tite, lowered his tone, and listened
to her troubles like a human being.
She waited comfortably on deck
under an awning till about 4 o'clock
in the afternoon. She was not Of a
worrying disposition; her mind was
strong and placid naturally, and she
was accordingly able to make the
most, by. resting from all thought Of
her troubles, of this brief and
precious interval Of quiet. She had
only to wait now; there was nothing
else to be done, and she recognized
that fact and waited calmly, gather
ing fresh strength the while for what
might yet be in store for her. This
blessed renewal of strength in ex-
hausting emergencies Is the reward
Of patience. We should bear up bet
ter under our troubles if we culti-
waited a cheerful frame Of min$ as a
matter of habit, and forced ourselves
to be serene. Gertrude was almost
able to amuse herself as she sat
there, watching the porteurs toiling
in the heat, and interested in the
groups Of well-dressed people who
appeared and passed, or loitered
looking at the ships.
But at last the messenger arrived,
a porteur from the Hotel de Bains
at Dipard. Gertrude had not dared
to hope that her husband would come
himself, and was therefore not dis
appointed. The porteur said, Mon
sieur Sommes'' had declared that he
had seen more pretty women and pink
parasols since he landed in Brittany
that morning than it had been his
luck to encounter anywhere else in
six months, and he meant to stay
a week. Gertrude sighed. Here
again it seemed hard that ven dis
ease could make her husband, one
Of the most fastidiously refined Of
men, so far forget not only her but
himself as to speak in that common
way. ~
Her luggage was given to another
porteur, and after taking leave Of
her kind friends on the steamer, with
sincere expressions of gratitude, and
the captains name and address writ
ten in a savage hand on a huge piece
Of paper, as if the size of the writing
and the sheet were intended to repre-
sent the extent of his anxiety to hear
of her welfare, she departed-not,
however, without a last blowing-up,
the worst she had had, the trouble
being that there was no carriage to
be had to take her round the corner
to the other landing stage, where the
steam ferryboats pick up passengers
for Dinard.
1t was with a light step and a great
sense Of relief that she followed the
porteurs to the quay. The prospect
Of seeing her husband again made
her heart bound. Just to see him
again, just to be near him, even if
she might not touch him. would be
new life to her. And it would not be
long now, she thought, looking
across the strip of water to Dinard-
ten or twenty minutes at the most.
She fancied she saw the steamer
starting for St. Malo at that moment.
The porteur put her things down on
the quay and demanded payment.
The captain had thoughtfully pro-
vided her with some French money,
otherwise she would have found her
self in a fix; but as it was she paid
the man what he asked on the spot,
and he was off at once. The people
near her on the quay looked at each
other and grinned-she wondered
why. but by and by when the steamer
arrived she understood. The wretch
had left her to get her luggage on
board as best she could. The porteur
from the Hotel des Bains, who had
, charge Of her husbands luggage.
went on board as soon at the little
steamer arrived, also leaving her
without cerer to shift for herself
This she cou.G Il would have done
without hesitation had it been posi-
, BILE; but her box was an unwieldy
ono lifting Ii WAS ont of the CUES.