The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-11-23

1 - S~S A~AS oAu VI oubpOTt Oh ueI rage.
This wretched philosopher AS no re-
sistance came from him, she pres
emily stopped. the feminine in her
slowly rising to the fore.
She realized now that the irrevoc.
able had happened; that there was no
longer room for two of them on that
ship. AS the mists of passion cleared
away. although the fire Of rage still
burned in her heart, her mind cleared
also. She thought with such rapidly
as she had never thought before.
First she picked up a cloak, threw
1t about her and went on deck. A cabin
attendant was standing at the compan-
lonway. as was always the case, wait
ing possible summons. She told him
that his master was i'll and did not
desire to be disturbed. He did not
even want the dinner things cleared
away. He wanted to be left entirely
alone until morning. The servant
smiled slightly, she thought. in the
light from the cabin skylight. She
noticed that it was a moonless night
cloudy, overcast, for she could see no
stars. She knew what that smile
meant; that the man realized what
sort Of sickness his owner and master
was liable to. She babe him tell the
| officer OF the deck her message ana
then dismissed him.
Then she returned to the cabin and
carefully locked the door, She glanced
at the man as she did SO. He lay just
as he had lain before. She bent over
him. He was still breathing, she noted
with-was 1t regret? But she wasted
no>time over him. Time was the most
precious of all things to her at that
moment.
She had clear and definite plan
of action. She knew exactly what she
intended to do and how she intended
to do It. Fortunately the means Of es-
cape were at hand. They had passed
one or two tiny islands during the
day, mere treeless spots of sand or
coral In the vast of the ocean, but
prospects that others more inviting
might be raised had caused the man
to order the power tender to be got
overheard. This was a good, sub
stantial boat, Is feet In length, broad
beamed and built for heavy seas, yet
powerfully engined and capable Of
good speed. BY his direction the tanks
had been filled and everything over
hauled SO that 1t would be in readiness
for use. The sea was very calm and
the gentle air scarcely raised a ripple
on its surface. To save the trouble
OF hosting 1t aboard again, the tender
| had been left trailing astern at the
end OF long line. 1t would be ready
for instant use. She would escape in
that. She knew how to run the motor
and how to steer the boat. She had
. done 1t many a time.
Carrying her heavy boat cloak she
entered her cabin. hastily packed her
bag with what things she fancied she
would need, returned to the table,
took from 1t every scrap that was
edible and portable; without much re-
gard for the niceties she made It up
in heavy parcel which she tied with
napkins. She remembered that the
water tank in the launch had been
filled, so that for time at least she
would lack nothing. Carrying bag and
bundle in her hands and with the boat
cloak over her arm and a straw hat
tied on her head. after one long look
at the man, she turned and went aft
and re-entered the starboard after
stateroom, her own.
The boats painter had been affixed
to the starboard side of the yacht She
opened the stern window and looked
| out. She leaned far out and by great
good fortune in the darkness caught
the painter. The boat of course, was
swinging to a long rope. She pulled
at this line cautiously, although the
enort taxed her strength to the ut
most Indeed. she seemed possessed
Of fictitious strength for the time
being else she never could have 40
complished her hard task. But she
managed to get tho boat practically
under the cabin at last. She fastened
the painter to her bed. which, was OF
brass and securely screwed to the
floor. Then she cut OF the line and
tied the bundle Of provisions and her
bag and cloak to the end Of It. These
she dropped down into the boat.
Among the petty articles was a sharp
sailors sheath knife fastened to Ian
yard. She slipped this lanyard into her
blouse. Then she climbed I'D on the
port sill and essayed the dangerous
descent herself. She was glad that
she was strong, athletic woman,
used to trusting to her own skill and
powers, for 1t was no easy task to
slide down that rope and get into a
boat trailing along beneath the coun.
ter Of yacht going perhaps 10 knots
an hour Fortunately the engine was
we'll aft and the bow Of the launch
was high out of the water; else her
weight would have pressed it down
and the back wash from the yacht
would perhaps have swamped the
launch.
At any rate, she succeeded, although
after she got her foot in the bows she
slipped and fell. But that she fell
straight aft upon the cloak and bun.
dies she would have hurt herself Sc