The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-08-12

He seemed to be taking up and an
swering a challenge.
Don't be too sure of that" he said.
ITS three good days yet, isn't it, Cap
tain?'
Something like that" the other an
swered, shortly.
Even the benevolence of Christmas
could not make his answer anything but
short to remark referring TO the speed
or rather slowness of mis- ship.
Champagne had been ordered on all
sides. and although of the quality usual
on ship-board, it still served to loosen
tongues, and promote laughter. Cap
tain Kerr, sitting beside her, filed her
glass, and Mathide was glad Of anything
to stop the fits of nervous trembling that
shook her.
Even Rosina and Gwendolin had taken
few dubious sips out OF the glasses be-
side them before they were stopped by
stern mandate from their temperance
mamma at the first officers table.
"Never mind, Rosina,' Charlie Hudson
consoled his partner. 1T is said to give
little girls headaches, and ginger ale fixes
just as cheerfully. You shall ask me to
x
I'm never going to marry" piped a
shrill voice from the hitherto dumb Ro-
sina. I'm going to be a missionary to
the Chinese. l put all my cents into a
money-box for the heather, now. She
doesn't" pointing the severe finger of
scorn at her sister opposite, who hung
her head, convicted of crime.
''Well. of all the little prigsr' Char
lie Hudson CALCULATED in horror. IT think
I'll swap partners with you. Kerr" Then,
with further effort at sociability. And
what do you do with your pennies,
Gwendolin?'
That young woman raised the head that
sunk under the weight of moral obliquity.
They're cents, not pennies. and l put
them all into my money-box, and when we
go back to Boston manner puts them in
to the savings bank for me. and l get in
terest I've got FIVE dollars and ffty-five
cents in the Boston savings bank. I'll
show you my book"
Having poured this out with shrill
volubility, Gwendolin resumed her bust
ness-like dispatch of the plum-pudding,
while Charlie Hudson looked helplessly
across at Miss Thorne.
Zone might as we'll have made dolls
for bank director and Methodist par
son." he said, but now Rosina's voice
was heard in indignant accents. I'VE
aren't Methodists, we're Baptists." And
TO this no one was found to answer
Miss Thorne laughed Poor Mr.. Hud-
son! Your Christmas made to order
is turning out one of life's little ironies
Never mind. If you haven't the courage
10 present your offerings, give them to
Captain Kerr and Mr.. Stewart. They can
hang them up by their looking glasses for
pin-cushions and to keep them from for
getting their Christmas at sea-" And
again she looked straight at Mr.. Stew
art.
The retort was obvious and he made it
quickly. do you think that there Is any
likelihood of its being forgotten, then 2"
he asked pointedly, but all the answer
that he received was a careless, How
should / knowT as she turned TO some
thing the steward offered her. But the
time had come for toasts and speeches.
The Captain opened the Ii with 'the
Queen" and the National Anthem rang
out its heart-stirrlng rhythm, heartily
echoed by the line of stewards and cooks
in the doorway, and caught up by men in
the cold and outer darkness of the deck
The Captains health WIS proposed, and
cheered to the echo, and after this came
various efforts, such as me ladies'" ''ab-
sent friends" 'sweethearts and wives"
As the ladies' health was toasted Charlie
Hudson leant across the table and held
out his glass to clink against Miss
III
tom.
1t was very much a matter of course
for Stewart to follow suit, which he did
in tone which caught only her cara
pledge of good faith - But his eyes
sought in vain for any promise, for any
light of friendship in her face.
Her smile was not defiant, but if it was
not that it was certainly enigmatical.