The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1908-09-19

making the night eloquent. Mr.. Hig.
ginson had drawn his chair to "a Sc
cluded corner Of the lower deck
where he was closer to the water and
unsheltered from the heavens. He
had dined full and well, and the fra
GRANGE of his cigar was deeply salts
flying.
How luminous the water seemed to-
night! 1t must be full of those phos.
phorescent animalculae Mr.. Higginson
had read about.
AS he tipped of the ashes from his
cigar daintily with his little finger.
he noticed how the ruby in his ring
flashed in the moonlight. II was a
handsome "pigeon.blood' ruby of con
siderable value. For while MIR. Hig
ginson watched the strange light ii
emitted under the rays of the moon.
From this musing Mr.. Higginson's
attention was drawn to the water by
something moving near the ship. Prob
ably some larger species of fish, he
unused, possibly--as there was a white
fiash-possiDly even porpoise. Then
he remembered that porpoises come
only in schools and leap out of the wa
ter. Mr.. Higginson idly wondered at
the swirling luminous water. Suddenly
he stared below him. Strange! he
thought, that might have been a white
arm! He would have liked to have
asked a sailor the meaning of such
phenomena, but there seemed no one
about II was evidently late, as the
passengers had all turned in.
Again came white flash in the
moonlight. Then q streak of white
ness, splashinG and flashing in the
shimmenlng water. Mr.. Higginson
gazed spellbound; sometimes nearer
sometimes farther off, Whatever 1t was
it kept wen up with the steamer. Mr.
Higginson felt a little ripple creep
down his spine. Suppose it should be
-! The thought was too unpleasant
besides. it was obviously alive and
moving. Now It was quite close in
and beyond doubt, II had white feel
ers, which looked and moved like
arms. Mr.. Higginson's brain swan.
Pictures by Boecklin came dancing be.
fore his mental vision. Then he shud
dered, for there, in the moonlight by
the boats side, swan beautiful
woman
What was he to do! Could IT be
some demented passenger? The
French lady had seemed to him some
what unbalanced. Then he had heard
of somnambulism. Great Scott! And
hA 10 81 In,
case anything happened! In a 'tur-
moil of emotions Mr. Higginson waved
to the lady. She came nearer some
what cautiously. He deemed II best to
humor her and temporlZe, as she
seemed such an excellent swimmer
hoping for help to appear meanwhile.
A brilliant idea presented itself to Mr..
Higginson.
Il suppose you are a mermaid?" he
called, very softly. He heard only
what sounded like faint laugh. while
the lady, as Mr.. Higginson expressed
to himself, moved with gallo aban-
Ion through the water. Perhaps she
didn't understand English. "Vous-etes
une petite nymphe, n'est-ce pas?" he
called again, with a sympathetic side
gesture, suggestive of aquatic origin
This time he heard an unmistakable
and impudent little giggle.
Mr.. Higginson tried another tack.
do you sing?-Chantez.vous?" he
called hoping she would throw discre-
ton to the winds in her dssre to act
out the part of a Lorelei, and thus at.
tract the attention of the watch. This
time his question was answered. Soft,
| like silver cadences, came the most
exquisite singing Mr.. Higginson had
| ever heard.
Like a sigh the singing ended, and
Mr.. Higginson scarcely yet breathed
afraid to lose a note of II. A laugh
rippled up to him. There below him
was the lady whose singing was only
matched by her swimming. Her hair
glistened like gold and silver in the
moonlight. while one arm moved out
of the water and in with scarcely a
ripple. She beckoned and smiled at
him radiantly, and he saw she was
no passenger.
What do you want?" he asked. al
most in whisper She made a
gesture with one hand and the little
finger Of the other He looked at his
hand and saw the ruby shining there,
He looked at her doubtfully, She made
4 pleading gesture and gaZed at him
] so fully, that as in a dream he took
off his ring and dropped 1t into the
ocean. She caught 1t deftly as II
flashed into the water and pressed 1t
to her lips. Thank you! thank you!'
she exclaimed in perfect English.
so you can speak English?" he
queried. Yes" she replied, and her
voice sounded like ripple of water
Il can speak any language once
have touched to my lips something
belonging to one who speaks it," Mr.
Higginson's mind ran over cases he
had heard of witnesses who could
only speak under the spell of gold
en- coin She might have asked foI