Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-18

i Then Courtenay laughed again, and
 Elsie found 1t was absolutely essential
 if Joey were not to be crushed that
 her head should bend little forward.
 with the obvious result that it rested
 on Courtenay's shoulder.
 T must show you the whole of that
 letter." he cried. "and the others which
 are tied up in the same bundle. You
 will see me blush. admit, but 1t will
 not be from sense of per1dy. But
 there is one thing you have forgotten,
 Elsie.n And his voice dropped to .
 tense whisper again. Tn telling me
 your secret which is no secret. you
 have given me my answer. Your heart
 must have ctept out little way to meet mine, dear. or my sisters words
 would not have perplexed you. So that is why you have avoided me dur ing the past few days! But there! Now. indeed, I am not acting quite fairly. It is unfair to ask you to con- fess when want you to wait until we win clear of our present dificulties be- fore you decide whether or not you can find 1t to your liking to make poor sailor man happy"
 Joey was highly accommodating dog under certain conditions. He had curled up so complacently that Elsie found she could hold him quite easily with one arm. So the other went out in the darkness untn 1t rested timidly on her lovers disengaged shoulder.
 Tt is easy to confess that which is already known" she murmured. Whether we are fated to live enc day or fifty years, 1t will be all the same to me, dear"
 She lifted her face again to hs and would have returned the kisses he gave her were 1t not that they lost their one sided character this time, There was chance that Joey might have been partly sufcocated, though to all appearance he meant to die will. ing martyr, had not Suarez leaned over the upper rail and asked in his grating accent if he heard the sAnoe captains voice below.
 Elsie, all tremulous and rosy and profoundly thankful for the darkness, withdrew herself from Courtenay's embrace and answered the Argentine.
 "Ah," said Suarez, T am glad you are there. too, senorita. Will you toll him that am very hungry and that I have not been relieved at the proper time? I have been waiting half an hour or more"
 There" cried the captain, squeezing Elsie's arm: 'that comes of using so many unnecessary explanations. ought to have adopted the recognized Jack tar method and just grabbed you round the waist without ceremony. I wonder where Boyle is. He and Chris tobal take the first watch. and 1t must be two bells or later. I will hunt them up. Goodby. sweetheart; meet you at supper in ten minutes"
 It was strange and peculiar fact that Boyle had cornered Christobal in the salon and had insisted on telling him various remarkable anecdotes con- corning the one legged skipper of tho Flower of the Ocean brig. It was still more odd that when Christobal yielded to unwonted and melancholy silence after learning from Suarez that tho senor captain had been talking to the senorita for very long time on the promenade deck Boyle should feel in- cllned to sing. And then, with . chill ing inspiration. Christobal knew why the chief officer had caused him to miss the hour for relieving the watch. Boyle had seen those two together and had planned to leave them undis- turbed!
 The Spaniard was dignifled man. He had inherited from his English mother saving sense of humor. It was intolerable that the pleasant rela- tions existing between the few sur vivors on board the Kansas should be disturbed by reason of any failure on his part to acquiesce in Elsie's right to bestow her affections where she listed. He wondered if the girl had come on deck after supper Her habit was to retire early, as she rose soon after the sun. He had seen her for only in passing out of the sa- lon, and there was a suspicious bright. ness in her eyes for which solicitude on the dogs behalf would hardly ac- count. Why not put his fortunes to he test that night and have done with t? Yes; that was the right course.
 (To be continuedj.