The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-04-03

1t wide open, so wind and sea invaded
the trim privacy Of the cabin. Spray
leaped over the ship In such dense
sheets that considerable quantity of
water quickly lodged on the port side.
where Courtenay's bunk was fixed.
There were no means of escape for il
In that quarter, and the angle at which
the Kansas lay would permit a depth
OF at least two feet to accumulate ere
the water began to flow out through
the door to the starboard.
At the great crises of existence the
stream of thought is apt to form
strange eddies. Courtenay when the
snip Strickland 1t was possible that
each second might register his last
conscious mpression-found himself
cooiiy reviewing various explanations
or the existence of an uncharted shoa,
In locality situate many miles from
the known danger zone. Elsie. strung
half consciously to the highest tension
by the affrighting probability of being
set adrift in small boat at the mercy
OF the sea roaring without-a sea
which pounded the steel huh of the
Kansas with such force that the
great ship seemed to finch from each
blow like a creature in pain-Elsie,
then, faced by such an intolerable
prospect, vas a prey to real anxiety
because the wearing apparel scattered
by Courtenay on the floor was becom-
ing soaked in brine.
She actually stopped to rescue a coat
which was not yet saturated beyond
redemption. AS she lifted the gar
ment packet of letters tied with ,
tape fell from its folds. She placed
the coat on the writing table and en-
deavored to stuff the letters into q
p1geonhole. They were too bulky. so
she laid them on the coat. In doing
this she could not avoid seeing the
words, your loving sister, Madge,''
written on the outer fold Of the last
letter in the bundle.
And that brought q memory of her
previous visit to the captains state
room. She was incapable of reasoned
reflection. She felt that If she were
fated to live to ripe old age she
would never forget a single detail OF
the furniture and decorations OF the
room. She would hear forever the do
lorous bowling of the gale, the thump-
Ing Of the waves against the quiverinR
plates, the rapid, methodic thud Of the
donkey engine, which, long since de-
serted by its cowardly attendant, was
faithfully doing its work and flooding
the ship with electric light.
Not Thinking in fha
was doing, she scrutinzed the closely
tied packet. She wondered idly why
he treasured so many missives. Each
and every one, oddly enough, was
written on differently sized and yar4-
ously colored note paper, and It could
be seen at a glance that they were
from as many different people. The
outside letter was the most clearly WIS.,
fble. Miss Courtenay wrote a wen
formed, flowing hand. If handwriting
were clew to character she was a
candid. generous, open minded woman.
But what was this? Elsie suddenly
threw down the letters. She had read
sentence at the top Of the page twice
before she actually grasped its pur-
port. When its significance dawned
on her she flushed violently, for this
was what she read:
Il am glad of it, too, because under
no other circumstances would I wish
to greet and embrace the woman des-
tined to be your wife"
The knowledge that she had invoiun-
tarily intruded on Captain Courtenay's
private affairs brought her back with
certain slight shock to a sense Of
actualities. The storm. the horrible
Danger she was in, emerged from shad-
owland. Why had he not come for
her? Surely there must have been
some further mishapI Heavens! Was
me alone on the ship, alone with the
lead men and the dying vessel? Her
head swan with a strange faintness,
and she placed hand to her eyes.
Then Joey sprang In through the
doorway and, with that splendid disre-
gard for sentiment displayed by q fox
,errier that has just come out of a first
rate fight, shook his harness until It
-attled.
But he eyed the thrush of the sea
With much disfayor, so he leaped up
IN the table beside Elsie and looked
IT her as though he would ask why she
lad permitted this sacrilege.
Though the dog was apparently I'M
cathed and IN the best of condition,
lis head and fore paws were blood
tanned. His advent dispelled the mist
which was gathering in the girls
rain. She feared tragedy, yet Joey
ssuredly would not be SO cheerful, so
Laintily DESTROYS to avoid the splash
ng water In the cabin If his master
we're injured. The mere presence OF
he dog was a guarantee that Courte-
lay had not quilted the ship.
"Oh, joey" she said, 81 wish you
ould speak,
The sound of her own voice startled
Ter. She was yielding TO nervousness
gain and was on the point Of ventur-
r~s1% - 80 o.