Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-02-04
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Copyrighted, 1909 by Associated z
Literary Press.

pie she could trust.
This was all so different from her
last sailing. and it brought more sharp
Iy to her memory the scene of two
days before when she had given Dick
Nesbit his ring and had declared that
she hated the very sight of his face.
She had last sailed in June and the
| pier had been crowded, but until the
very last she had seen Dicks smiling
| face framed in an indistinct blur Of
other faces Now she would look in
vain, if, indeed, she looked at all.
She had about decided to go to her
stateroom until the boat should swing
| into the stream.
She half turned to suggest to her
aunt that course of action when she
caught sight Of Dick making his way
| through the crowd about the gangway,
and presently he came on board with
a heavy suit case that seemed to argue
| his determination to take passage on
| the Aurania.
F.,
| then she turned again and made her
way to the lower deck, where she
knew that the purser's Office was To-
Gated.
Passing rapidly through the gang
way, she saw that it really was Dick,
| though he was in earnest cOnyerSa-
| ton with a man in blue and brass, and
he did not see her.
| He had his pocketbOok in his hand,
and with flashing eyes Amy made her
way back to the upper deck, where her
aunt still sat in the winter sunshine
| enjoying the hustle that preceded the
| departure.
One Of the most admirable things
about Aunt Molly was her willingness
to do what her tempestuous little niece
wished to do, but even the usually
placid Aunt Molly demurred when Amy
stormed up and demanded that they
leave the ship at once.
"But I've said goodby to the Brookes,
and Mrs. Brooke is going to send all
our mail in care of the London agent"
| protested the little old lady. eve
can't go back home after telling the
Brookes that we were to be gone until
! fall. She will tell all her friends and
"And that's just the trouble" inter
rupted Amy, with Il stamp Of her little
! foot. Mrs. Brooke has been talking
already. She must have gone to the
| telephone the moment we left last
night and told everybody she ever
| knew"
"But what will Dick think if you
start and then turn back?" reminded
Aunt Molly, determined not to give up
a spring in the south of France with
out exhausting every argument.
That's just the trouble" explained
Amy "That horrid Mrs. Brooke must
have called him up last night after
promising that she would not tell a
soul. He's on board. I just saw him
in the purser's office buying his ticket"
81 thought that they bought them at
| the dock" objected Aunt Molly, but
| Amy shook her head.
"You can buy tickets on board at the
last moment. [ suppose that Dick-I
! mean Mr.. Nesbit-had to wait until he
could settle about his practice being
looked after-not that there is SO much
to the practice" she added spitefully.
81 don't believe that he's been in court
| this month"
us he altogether to blame for that?'
asked Aunt Molly, fencing for time in
which to marshal other arguments.
"And suppose that l did let him
waste a lot of time with mel" retOrted
Amy. "I've been telling him for the
last month that | was tired Of seeing
him about and that our engagement
was all a mistake"
'"Then 1 don't think that he is fol
lowing you" advanced Aunt Molly.
"Dick is not the sort Of man to follow
when he is not wanted If he is on
| board it is because he has to reach
Europe by the first steamer, and he
| won't bother US in the least"
Because l shan't give him a chance"
explained Amy promptly. Il am going
down to the stateroom to have the
steward take our steamer trunks back
to the dock 1t is lucky that we ar
| IduSSu " nave Jul OlhCA va SoStASS W.
| low"
"But what will people say?" de-
manded Aunt Molly as she rose and
prepared to follow her energetic niece.
| It was plainly to be seen that the trip
was off, or at least postponed, and Aunt
Molly knew the signs we'll enough to
! realize when resistance was useless.
Amy, by dint Of liberal tipping, man.
aged to collect her things on the dock
| just as the final warning sounded. For
the moment it was useless to try to
leave the dock.
The port captain stood beside the re-
manning gangway ready to superin-
tend the lowering of the last connec-
| ton between ship and shore, and a
line was stretched to keep back those
who had not gone to the end of the
pier to wave a last farewell.
The sides of the ship were lined with
eager faces. some smiling, some be
dewed with tears. Aunt Molly stood
| guard over their belongings and looked
wistfully at the fortunate ones on the
| decks.
Just as the signal was given 70
hoist. Dick Nesbit appeared at the
head Of the gangplank and dashed