Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-06-04

Chtef OMceT Boyle.
ness Of observation. no sooner hau
Elsie glanced over the side Of the ship
than he waved hand 10 her.
She sighed. A bitter thought peeped
mp in her TINT he was perhaps n trihe
careless in showing her these little Mt
tentions. She wished he would speak
TO her Of that other girl who awaited
him in England. A pleasant state Of
confidence would be established then.
These secret witches of sentimer.
were irritating.
She walked aft to obtain nearer
view Of the operations. The sailors
had already shut 10 a argc portion OF
the promenade deck with canvas, and
she noticed that loopholes were pro-
vided every ten feet or so TO permit the
effective use Of the defenders firearms.
Thus at each step she was reminded
Of the precarlous hold she had on life.
and she was positively frightened
when some mad impulse surgcd
through her whole being. bidding her
imperiously to abandon her ultra con-
scientious loyalty to woman she had
never seen. Why struggle against cir
cumstance? If death were so near
what did she gain by lrudery?
For an instant she stood aghast at
the revelation which had come to her
She was In love with Courtenay. She
was ready to die by his side. fearless
and joyous. II only he would put his
arms around her and tell her that she
was dear to him. All. the fierce delight
Of that first silent surrender! Her
heart beat as It had never pulsed be-
fore, even under the stress Of the
storm or the sudden terror Of the
night attack. Her eyes shone, and her
breath came laborously between parted
lips. Golden dreams coursed through
her brain. She was thrilled with an
unutterable longing.
Then her swimming eyes rested on a
group Of men standing on the poop.
Among them was Chrstobal. interest
cd, like the rest, in the floating Of the
mine, And fqrthwith. Elsie fell from
the clouds and eyas Arought back,
shudderlhg, to cold reason again. She
was sick at heart. She hated herself
for her self abasement. She must grid
her with sackcloth and mourn, and
the fight must be fought now without
parley or hesitation unless the sweet
ness were to go forth from life forever
and all things turn to ashes in her
mouth.
So, marshaling the best qualities OF
har oha
| moil in her breast. forced herself t.
Join the men on the after deck and
said when the smiling Spanlard turned
to receive her:
where do they mean to put the sec.
ond contrivancef
About there" he said, indicating a
point on the surface Of the bay east
ward of the canoe His right arm was
extended, and he placed his left hand
OF her shoulder. Courtcnay, hailing
Walker, saw the two leaning over the
rails In that attitude. Perhaps one OF
the two hoped that Courtenay would
see them. Elsie, as part OF her pun
i lshment, did not shrink AWAY. though
the touch OF Christobars hand made
her flesh creep But Joey, whose minC
was singularly free from complexities
leapc3 up at her. He wanted Elsie t
tell him what Courtenay was doinl
out there, go far away from the ship
She stopped and picked him up. Chris
tebal had NO excuse for second ca
ress.
BARK, Joey" she whispered, "barl
and call your master. If anything hap
pens to him, you and | shall never Be,
England again And l am longing To-
home today"