The Washington times., 1908-12-16

marry. she supposed; and. slice she
could hardly be obIivious TO the hints
I'm the frequent letters she received from
him at every port. she occasionally
speculated as TO whether Starr Spencer
might not turn out 10 be the man.
Why he had not spoken before she
lett New York, or why he did not ex-
press himself openly now, she could not
tell' for woman knows instinctiveIy
IN most cases the nature Of the feeling
man entertains for her, and Helene
never doubted that the hnancler was in
love
Did she love him in return? Well.
she was at least grateful for all the
kindness he had shown her and she
liked him sincerely. Besides. she could
not be blind TO the worldly advantages
he had 10 orer-
Yes, probably by the time he got
ready TO propose she would be very
willing 10 accept.
So ran her reflections one day when
she was seated on deck. and at this
point she quite startled the youthful
adorer who had been happily prattling
away at her side by spriugiug TO her
feet and. without excuse, rushing away
to her stateroom.
A few moments later her aunt found
her lying face down upon her berth,
and weeping as If her heart would
break
why, why, my dear" exclaimed the
astonished old lady. What On earth is
the natter
Nothing is the matter" came a
stormy response from the depths Of the
pillow, except that this purgatory Of
a voyage is driving me insane. II it
isn't over soon, and have a chance to
get down 20 work. I shall either com
NIT suicide or eIope wIth one Of the
Lascar deck hands
My, my!r Aunt Margarets hands
went up in the air And / thought
you were having a be-yoo-tiful time,
Why. dear, you seemed 10 be enjoying
yourself every minute.
Enjoying myself lifting a tear
swept, mutinous face. 4 wish,' say
ageIy, that the old boat, and everybody
on il were at the bottom of the sea
Yes" she added. and, IL it comes 10.
that, everybody else in the world. too.
Then. as though relieved by this burst
of petuIance, she rose, washed her face,
donned her prettest gown. and sailed
out radiant TO tiffin-
Aunt Margaret vowed again that she
could make nothing OF II. that young
girls had not acted 20 In her day. She
did uoy fail, however, 10 remind her
niece Of the impiOus wish she had eN-
pressed. when the engines stopped sud
denly the next day, and the big steamer
lay rolling idly on the waves.
zone would almost think it was
Judgment on you, Helene" She said.
The accident, as Starr Spencer had
noted in the marine dispatches, &C
Cured some days out from Calcutta, ana
on the last stage Of the vessels east
ward journey.
The officers apparently Uuconcerned.
assured the passengers that there was
no cause for alarm. and spoke indiner-
emily of a slight arrangement 20 the ma
chinery. which the engineer. taking adj
vantage of the fine weather, had thought
wise TO overhaul
II was noticed. however, that many an
anxious glance was east at the sky, and
opportunities taken for a frequent con
sultation OF the glass, while the con-
tinued sounds OF excited hammerinE
from the hold betokened anything hut
the perfunctory Job which was reported
Indeed. the affectation OF unconcyrn
wore very thin as the afternoon adj
vanccd. and when the captain did not
appear I'm his accustomed place at din
ner. but remained upon the bridge, the
oId-tfmers knew that the situation was
serious.
YES confessed the second officer,
who sat a, the head OF the table, its
probably coming on 20 blow bit; but
there isn't a bit o. danger. However,
you will an please keep below. for,
merely as a precautionary measure, we
have decided To batten down the
matches"
Helene saw nothing OF the actual
storm. Her experiences were merely
those of the other passengers huddIed
in the forward cabin throughout that
awful night-for nobody thought Of such
thing as going to bed.
White-faced and trembling, they
clutched hands TO save themselves from
being tossed ABOUT Ike ninepins. while
they strovc to sing hymns and hold
prayer meeting.
No, she did not behold those noun
famous waves, nor All the tumult of the
elements which Jim had witnessed from
his open boat; but perhaps her task
was the harder one. as endurance is
always more nerve-rackinE than action.
Shut down between decks. unable to
gain true word as to the situation
from anybody in authority hearing tire
uproar Of the tempest, and the tramp
ing of the sailors overhead, yet power
less to do anything but fold her bGads
and pray, her imagination, great as was
their peril, added tenfold 20 its horror.
At every roll of the vessel she thought
it would capsize; every forward pitch
she took for a dive straight to The
bottom. with such a cannonading Of
breaking waves and booming thunder.
to say nothing Of the lesser noises
aboard the straining ship. she did not
see how they could possibly survive
It seemed TO her as though the end 81
the world must verify have come a.
last
Never. therefore, did she feel such a
sense Of relief as when, with the gray
breaking Of the dawn. the captain AN
peared, wet and glisteninc in hi;|oI
skins. and told them that the DANGER
was over