, 1909-06-03
CHAPTER XIV.
In Which the Ghost App.,r,

h VIM W. SfooI APpcaE8.
Difficult work it was keeping sealed
lips while we ~conversed upon matters
far away, each endeavoring to avoid
any reference to present surroundings.
/ knew | could fully trust this woman,
could safely confide in her, yet surely
there was no immediate necessity for
telling her this latest development in
Tuttle's case. Already she had bur.
den enough to bear, and the tanner In
which she bore it awoke my sincere
admiration. Whatever of despair. OF
womanly shrinking her private cabin
may have seen during those weeks of
loneliness. she brought nothing out.
side its doors but courage n inspi-
ration. Once | remember she fingered
beside the rail with me, clinging to
my arm for support against the
yachts tumbling. her loosened hair
tapping in the wind. her cheeks tin.
Cling from the flying spray which oc-
caslonally dashed our faces. 1t was
my look of inquiry that unlocked her
lips to confession.
II cannot help it. Mr.. Stephens. but
the spectacle of the sea awakens all
that Is divine within me-" she said,
her lips smiling. her eyes grave. Il
must have beer born with the love
of II in my heart. / know that sounds
fanciful, like the speech of a h
girl, yet that is the fascination the sea
exerts IDOL me. l never tire of It,,
and 1t must be that ! posse, IS the soul
of the sailor"
WAS 1t because Of your innate love
g. .,nh fhtn0c thot 4 ord nakinOtnn
took to yachting" l questioned. Gu
riously. always to observe her
swift changes in expression. She
laughed, with a queer little indrawing
of breath and uplifting of lashes.
"Oh, no; far from 1t. He was an
enthusiastic yachtsman long before we
first met. but had %contentedly confined
his cruising to the English coast and
the Mediterranean waters. No u
It was my enthusiasm which induced
him to attempt longer voyages and
stranger seas. l lack interest in or
binary social life, and was far happier
on board the yacht tina in London
drawing rooms. His lordship was
was always most considerable"
The slight change Of voice per
ceptible in this final sentence might
have excused the utterance of the
question trembling on my lips, yet !
set my teeth, and remained silent.
ut is odd how our ives are infu'
enced," she continued, th%oughtfully,
-I feel that the charm of the sea has
been the one great impelling force
which has nodded mine. l wonder is
1t destined always to be so? Are these
waters even now bearing me on as
Fate Wills? Ever since | a remem
Z Der | have permitted the ocean to
take that place in my heart which
X perhaps, should be otherwise occu
pied. 1t has been my master, my
strongest love. But / must not think
this, much less say it," hastily awak
ening, and pointing forward. See, Mr.
Stephens, how those clouds and thu
waters blend yonder in sue fantastic
forms; they appear an army of sheetee
ghosts bearing down to Mock oui
passage into the Polar sea-"
1 looked in the direction indicated
scarcely noting the phenomena, but
wondering what was the real meaning
concealed behind her yelled utterance
In truth Lady Darlington was not 8
woman easily interpreted. She was
by no means a creature of moods, ye'
behind her effort at outward cheer
fulness l was constantly aware o
something hidden, some haunting
memory of the past. more to be
dreaded aver than her present envir
.onment.
Sometimes l even thought she delib
0-cxzI, nIapAA NTH mo vet this was
not so. There was nothing of the co
quette in her nature. nothing OF pur
poseful deceit in either words or ac
ton. and ! cast the unworthy thought
from ME with the indignation 1t de
served. Still, her method was most
strange, most peculiar. Indeed, she
was like two women ever keeping me
on the aui vive, alive with expectancy
yet never quite bringing to me ina
open-heartedness | so much desired
One second, as though by purest acci
dent. | looked down into her soul tns
next | saw nothing but the outer GOV
ering. Without in the least meaning
to be SO she became a teasing puzzle
an enigma of womanhood, befor'
whom l was beginning to worship, un
able to analyze even my W feelings
half-hopeful. half-afraid.
Hence 1t was that or this day l re
manned leaning against the piano
listening to her really brilliant exc
cution OF difficult music, gazing dowi
upon her unconscious face, the SWIM
of the deck under my feet. but with
heavy heart behind the smile upon III.
lips. The music finally ceased, yet w
fingered there %conversing over th'
memory aroused by Its rendition whel
futile emerged from his room pre-
pared for his turn of service on decR
He stopped and stared across at Us
his hand on the knob OF the ciose'