The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-15

on the ship. and life seemed very pleas ant. as he walked up and down the deck and saw the sunlight on the smooth waters of the Channel and took stock of the passenKers
 some or the people were already be- ginning to make those Friendships which last for such short time but which are so delightful while they last: and Richard Gaunts keen eyes were not Idle. The voyage, of course, would be intolerable without a love affair. Hitherto he had had no experience of life on liner, but he had heard from his friends that there was good deal of fun to be got out of 1t.
 Before another day had come to a close. he had marked out his prey. and had commenced the chase with a few commonplace remarks on the delight ful smoothness of the water. She was a pretty, fair -haired girl. and was trav- cling with father who was taking the voyage for his health. The father dozed most of the day In deck oh air and the girl. lively, middle-class young person of ninsteen. was only too pleased to embark on an Innocent n4rta- ton.
 Richard Gaunt was master of most of the arts that are required to conquer woman's heart. He was handsome, and though his face bore the marks of dissipation, 1t was merely pale and in- teresting to young girl unwersed in the wickedness of the world In the early stages of their intercourse he had hinted at a secret trouble. at the hol- lowness of earthly happiness, and the pretty, silly fish had risen to the bait. Richard Gaunt knew well enough how to capture the attention of young girl whose life had been spent in the unro- mantle propriety of Ralham.
 And so the acquaintance rapidly rip ened to friendship, and. before the San tlgan had passed the Rock of Gibral- tar, Richard Gaunt had held the girl In his arms and kissed her In his opinion, the act required no explana- tions. He did not tell her that he loved her. and. certainly did not express any desire to marry her. He was content to let the action sink into her mind and leave her to draw her own conclusions. And she. poor weak fool. found suffi- eient glory In the kiss. and did not ask what lay beyond. If matters advanced no further. she could always comfort herself with the thought that she had been kissed by Sir Richard Gaunt. of Gaunt Royal.
 But it was not the mans custom to allow matters to come to a standstlll, and by the time the vessel reached the Suez Canal. he had told her of secret and degrading marriage with one of
 
 that his wife was In a madhouse. and as many other lies as he could plausi- bly piece together. He made 1t clear to the girl that he at last knew the true meaning of love. and that. al- though he was bound and fettered in a prison from which he could not es- cape. yet his whole body and soul longed for the only woman he had ever loved.
 But young ladies brought up in the domestic and virtuous homes of Bal ham are not so simple minded as Gaunt imagined. Isabel Dickinson knew that the man was lying to her, and after a ! short pause. in which she tried to re- member the conduct proper to such oc- casions, she rose to her feet and left him without another word.
 And then for another twenty-four hours the girl did not stir from her | cabin. and most of the time she lay in her bunk crying softly to herself