The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-06-12

an abundance OF cotton sheets avail
able, and the men tore them into strips
But the comparatively small supply Of
cotton wool carried in the ships stores
and In the doctors private medicine
chest had long since given out.
Miss Maxwell is here. She asked
me to bring her to you in case she
might be able to render you some as
sistance," explained Courtenay.
Christobal drew himself upright,
with the slowness of an elderly man
whose joints are stiffening.
Miss Maxwell here? he repeated.
obviously surprised, if not displeased.
He waved hand toward the men laid
on mattresses on the deck. Most were
quite motionless. Others writhed In
agony. "She cannot come-it is i'm
possible"
Courtenay saw that the girl could
do no good now in that chamber Of
death. The mere memory of it would
be an abiding horror. He wanted
Christobal himself to send her away,
but the doctor had taken off his coat
and barred his arms. His appearance
was grimly businesslike.
"Will you tell her how much I am
obliged to her for her kind thought?
But, you see, It cannot be permitted.
Please say that I hope to join her in
the salon In q quarter of an hour
My work is nearly ended. am sure
you will make her understand that this
Is not place for woman"
Again he swept the row of silent
bodies with q comprehensive hand.
Yet the trivial thought intruded itself
on the sailor that this elegant old
Spaniard delegated the task of ex-
PLANTATION to him solely because he did
not wish to appear before Miss Max
well in a somewhat disheveled state.
He dismissed the notion at once.
"How many" he asked, glancing at
the quiet forms which bore no band
ages.
Eleven now. By the way, just one
word. What chance have weW Chris
tobal put the concluding sentence in
French.
Courtenay answered in the same Ian
guage: "a very poor one. But l shall
come to the salon and warn you. That
will be only fair, don't you think?"
Most certainly. Well, may as well
finish here" And the doctor signed to |
his helpers to lift the next sufferer on |
to the table.
Courtenay returned to the stairway
At the top stood Elsie, looking eagerly |
for his temperance. A sense of unut- |
terable anguish shook him for second |
as he saw the sweet face. instinct with |
life and beauty, gazing down at him. |
How monstrous it was to think of such |
4 fair woman being battered out of |
recognition against the rocks! He bit |
his lip savagely, and it Is to be feared |
the words he swallowed were not those
Of supplication. But his eyes were
calm and his voice we'll under control
when he said:
"Dr. Christobal is captain below
here, Miss Maxwell, and he absolute
y vetoes your presence. He was eX-
,eedingly distressed at being compelled
% send YOU such a message. However.
lie will soon explain matters to you III
person, as he is coming aft almost at
)nce."
Elsie was disappointed. She dreaded
he return to the salon, with its queer
y assorted company. When she quit
ed them they were In Il state of indie
'cribable distress. Cray and the Eng
ishman were helping the chief stow
lrd to adjust life belts. but Isobel was
II n frenzy of despair, her maid had
ainted, De Poincilit and the Spaniards
we're muttering alternate appeals to
he saints and oaths of utter abandon
cnt, and Mrs. Somerville was almost
lconscious, while her husband knelt |
Y her side and wrung his hands In
Dject misery. Anything was better
ian to go back to that woeful assem-
y, yet she choked down protest and
lid quietly:
II am ready. l am afraid / have
zen bother to you. Captain Courte-
n.y."
"Say, rather, you have given ME
)pe. l think heaven has work for
,u to do in the world. Let me go out
st Never mind Joey. He can strug-
e along behind. Steady now. Head
,wn and lean well against the wind"
Elsie found, to her amazement, that
ere was less sense of danger in fac
g the wind than In being driven
ong before it, Moreover, she had
eater confidence during this second
ansit over the exposed portion of the
ok. She felt Courtenay dragging her
irresistibly until they gained the lee
the smoking room. He let her rest
ere beneath the ladder leading to the
idge. Then q strange revulsion of
cling came to him. He experienced
overwhelming desire not to be part
from her. He had sickening fear :
at he might never see her again, so 8
J shouted very close to her cheek: r
would you like to sit In my cabin a
tie while II bring Miss Baring?" \
She thought that would be splendid. 5
,urtenay, II any one, would succeed {
calming Isobel In order to make I
'rself heard she In turn had to put
y lips quite near to Courtenay's face. '