Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-04-17

sure the reader, however, Lat the
Pond Lily was one of the most COM
Ifortabe and swiftest of the many fine
steamships then plying between Eu-
rope and America, and that Captain
Dennis was one of the most able and
popular of officers These facts would
be ndorsed by thousands Of travellers
if l were to give the real names.
Miss Bannottie would, perhaps, have
found time for rest after arduous be-
ginning of her journey, had not the
elements seemed to be in league
against her. With fair weather and a
prosperous trip she would have found
it possible, presume, to have slept at
night in her stateroom, and to have
read, with some degree of pleasure, on
deck. in the daytime.
But there were head winds against
them almost from the very first; the
nights were filled with darkness so
dense that nothing could be seen at
the distance of the length of the YES
sci: and when they were once fairly
out on the ocean the weather was
such that it was decidedly imprudent
and unsafe for passengers to attempt
to spend much time on deck.
So Miss Bannottie remained below
most Of the time, chatting at the delay,
bothering even so amiabe a gentleman
as Captain Dennis with her Oft-re-
peated questions as to how far they
had come. and how many days more
would he necessary to reach New
York She could not read; she could
not sleep; she could not remain quiet
walked nervOusly up and down for
hours at a time, giving some of her
own nervousness to others of the pas
sengers who watched her. She would
sit down for a few minutes, from time
to time. and calculate over and over
and over again just what time she
must reach New York. just what time
she must leave New York, just when
she must do this, just when that, Or
fail to reach the rendezvous appoint
i ed at the time mentioned, midnight on
Saturday, March 4th, 1871.
IF l don't" she muttered desperate
| ly to herself, and sometimes despair
ingly, what will he do? Will he dare
I-dare- Oh God, yes: he is
coward. craven, but in my absence he
will dare do nything-anything
against my happiness, my peace, my
safety"
Sometimes she crept up, for little
time, to the slippery and storm swept
deck and looked away over the waste
| Of wrathful waters through which
they were fighting their way. Some
times the clouds parted for time,
short time, and the lights from beyond
them shone down through ragged riffs
upon the vessel, upon the sea, and up
on her. Were it morning. she never
turned TO look behind her at the sun
as he sprang from his watery couch
and rose slowly into the flying clouds
and tossing mists so near the hori-
zon's edge. In the evening she watch
ed the sun-sometimes-as he slowly
withdrew from the world-her world
as hope seemed withdrawing from her;
how far away he seemed-how distant
the bounds of the sea-how menacing
the clouds which folded about him as
he dipped below the tossing waters in
the west; must she go on thus for all
eternity, regret behind, fear before, and
a. feeling in the present which she had
neither the power nor the will to an
alyze? This was the fantastic ques-
ton she found shaping itself in her
brain, time after time, as the days
went by. There was regret behind
her; the regret one feels whose plans
have somehow gone astray-whose
tpurpoSeS have failed-who finds GODS
providence too strong and too good
| for their desires. Fears for the future,
she had them: the fears which recog-
niZe the fact that the human will is
finite, no matter how wickedly one
may scheme and plan; such fears as
arise in the mind of one who suddenly
discovers that treachery may be false
to its frendS-that it may betray fell
| low treachery, for safety or for re-
venge In the present-dont ask me.
Imlne Bannottie did not ask herself
what name would describe the emotion
| in her soul: but, can assure you. 1T
was not remOrse-it was not remorse.
| Usually she was alone on deck, alone
except for those whose duties took
them there. Many were sick in their
rooms: many were full of fears of the
dangers on the deck-dangers to health
from cold and dampness-dangers to
| Ilife-even, from washing waves, rush.
ing winds, and the reeling vessels;
many who were not fearful were
prudent-so she usually had the soli-
tude of the sea to herself when she
went above.
| And yet-there were two or three
men who always followed her with
their glances wherever she went, and
| who found courage to go on deck
sometimes. because she did These
men did not know Lurline Bannottie;
they had never spoken to her; and
even the uncOnventionality Of an ocean
voyage-and stormy one at that
did not seem to promise them an ac-
Iuuaintance with this self-absorbed
young woman who had most likely not
noticed them at all. They saw her pale
cheeks: they saw her nervous thought
| fulness; and they said to themselves
that she was in trouble and that they
were ready, if they only might, to
spend time and money in her behalf;
they were ready to fight for her; ready
to do anything honorable which she
should desire done, and for which she
would give a pleasant word in return
land | am not sure that one or more
Of them would have left honorable
out of the question altogether, had she
asked it. They saw her smile, the
everlasting smile which neither worry
nor danger nor regret nor fear-no'
MOI, tho emotion I have not explained,