New-York tribune., 1908-07-19
The Spitfre
Continued from page u

"" PISs Il
therefore she had lost her right, IN its strIct-
est sense, to be called lady
In vain did the ghosts of old Oliver Crom-
we'll and the venerable judge come back TO
claim share IN the disgraceful bout These
gentlemen were unacquaInted with modern
customs. and modern customs were-oh, so
different Why different, 1t was d1ffcuit TO
say; so she sought for a sinie, and came upon
a poser in a bathing suit. 1t was emlnently
proper for any dignihed young lady 70 sprawl
on a sea beach, bedecked in a nine-Inch skirt
and becoming hose; yet the same young lady
would die of shame if forced thus to array
herself for the apish gaze OF her guests IN
drawing room.
1t was ridiculous when analysed; but mod
ern customs were never intended tor analysis
They were like faith: one had to have it,
whether reasonable or not, and must swallow
it. no matter how it tasted Yes. 1t was Just
custom: and custom was crazy. anyways
crazy as a eat that insists on licking itself all
over and all day long instead OF merely SWIM
ming across a creek
GO Valda gave up reasoning again, submit
~ ting her conscience to the raw convIct1cn
of having been debased- She had degraded
herself in the eyes OF her entire crew, VINO
now would look on her with vastly less respect
than formerly. They would whisper when she
passed. They would speak her name lightly
among themselveS.-a name that alas had
tumbled from pinnacle!
This was mistake. Her crew. like the bar
barors ladies of ancient Rome, en- Joyed scrap
from a purely artistic point of view, and, had
Valda only known it. they toasted her name
in smuggled rye, with three Subdued cheers
and tiger. As for their standard OF a modern
lady, it was pronounced, though weird AS
for respect to the mistress of the Spittlre, they
rendered 1T up IN buckets. and were willing
and eager to holystone her very tootpI ats
with the tips of their reverential noses Why
not? 1t was human nature; crude, but human
nature after all. Had BeaSley conquered it
might have been different: but Beasley hadn't,
and the hearts of the crew were glad Brown
was the victori Miss Ealda Girard-God
bless her for a lady and a saint was victor
tool Therefore, the humble seamen set them
both on high. and loved thern-from a dis
tanCe.
1t was Custom,-Just criStom.-and custom
is kind to victors whether they win an actual
bona fide battle, or smash a few dilapldated
tubs in a land locked bay
Valda did not know all this. and her heart
was most unhappy Besides, she was OBJ
sessed with an aching restlessness which she
could not for the life of her define In days
gone by the Yacht had seemed home to her,
every part of it. She could loll for hours on
the deck with book fanCywork, or chat
for half day with Captain Joe in the pilot
house. listening to the old salts variegated
yarns of the Vastly deep: but now the yacht
had become prison She longed to leave 1t
instantly, 10 HS away, away, Oh SOiltNlltIt,
she didn't know exactly where, then hurry
back again. She wanted freedom. actioni
The roll of the boat was mad monOtOny;
the pulse of its engines had become a throb-
bing cursel She hated that yacht, she
hated nothing else on earth, with the two ex-
Ceptions of herself and Morson-Brown.
A FTER dinner that evening Ormond sat
chatting pleasantly with Aunt Mary and
Polly. and the three of them seemed to
be having disguStingly hilarious time.
Clearly. they did not care for the gloomy
ciety of Miss Girard; that high minded
woman left them to their own devices. On
the plea of diversion, she tried to talk to
Tracy; but the private secretary was so re-
lgiously following out the ethical suggestion
of keeping his blamed mouth shut that the
experiment proved flat failure. Valda sighed
hopelessly. and went to bed
This was an excellent idea. She would lie
there comfortably and think it all out in peace
and QuietnesS. Bed the best place for
thought, anyway. One was not distracted by
outside influences. And so she began 10 think
She began Systematically. living flat on her
back and staring up into the darkness; but
presently the outside influences came creeping
IN through the portfolios, purpose to annoy
her In order to disPel them, She began to
y