Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-04-19

Z, APRIL l9, 1910.
card to play at the inquiry! Owners
niece on board bound to South Amer
lea for the good Of 'er health. 90
even 'eard Of a man sendin' Is pretty
niece ON a ship e meant to throw
away2 It's providential, that's wot
It Is, reel providential! l do believe
ole Verify 'ad and In It"
CHAPTER Ill.
WHEREIN THE ANDRoMEDA NEARs THE
END OF HER VOYAGE.
"TlvE bells. miss! It'll soon be
daylight. II you wants to see
the cross. now's your timeP
Iris had been called from
drea mless sleep by laundering rat
tat on her cabin door. IL reply to her
half awaked cry of "An right" the
hoarse voice of sailor told her that
the Southern Cross Lad just risen
above the horizon. She resolutely
screwed her knuckles into her eyes
and began to dress. In few minutes
she was on deck. A long coat, a tam.
o'-shanter and a pair Of list slippers
will 20 far In the way Of costume at
night in the tropics. and the Androm-
eda's seventeenth day at sea had
brought the equator very near. At
dinner on the previous evening-in
honor Of the owners niece fashionable
hours were observed for meals-Mr.
Watts mentioned by chance that the
cross had been very distinct during
the middle watch, or. In other words,
between midnight and a. N. Iris
at once expressed wish to see 1t. and
Captain Coke offered a suggestion.
"Mr. Hozier takes the middle watch
tonight" said he. I'VE can az i'm to
send man to pound on your door as
soon as 1t rises. Then you must run
up to the bridge. an ell tell you all
about It."
If Iris was CONSCIOUS of slight feel
ing of surprise she did not show 1t.
Hitherto the burly skipper OF the An
dromeda had made 1t so clearly under
stood that none OF the ships company
save himself was to enjoy the society
of Miss Iris Yorke that she had ex-
changed very few words with the one
man whose manners and education OBJ
viously entitled him to meet her on al
equal plane Even at meals he was
often absent. SO Coke's complacency
came now quite Unexpectedly. but Iris
was learning to school her tongue.
Thank you very much." she said
when shall I see himT
"Oh. you needn't bother. I'll tell
I'm meself."
She was somewhat disappointed at
this. Hozier would be free for an hour
before he turned In and they might
have enjoyed a nice ctat while he
smoked on the poop. In her heart OF
hearts she was beginning to acknowl-
edge that a voyage through summer
seas on cargo vessel. with no other
society than that of unimaginative
sailormen. savored Of tedium, indeed
almost of deadly monotony. Her rare
meetings with Hozier marked bright
spots In a dull round of hours. During
their small intercourse she had discov.
cred that he was we'll informed. They
had hit upon few kindred tastes IN
books and music. They even differed
sharply In their appreciation OF favor
ite authors. Aud what could be more
conducive to complete understar ding
than the attack and defense OF the
shrine of some tin god Of literature?
While. therefore. 1t was strange that
Captain Coke should actually propose
a visit to the bridge at an unusual
time-at q time. too. when Hozier
would be on duty--it struck her as far
more curious that he should endeavor
to prevent IN earlier meeting.
81 shall be delighted to come at any
time. have often read about the
SOuluCih SAooob ySS eaASS SAS'N
ago little thought
"You RELY didn't think about 1t at
all" broke in Coke. IF you 'ad you'd
ave known you couldn't cross the line
without SEEM It."
Here was another perplexing ele-
ment In the skipper's conduct. That
Iris was q stowaway was forgotten.
She was treated with the attention
and ceremony due to the owners
niece. Coke never lost an opportunity
of dinning into the ears Of Watts or
Hozier or the steward or any men,
bers of the crew who were listening
that Miss Yorke's presence In their
midst was preordained circumstance,
thing fully discussed and agreed on
as between her uncle and himself. but
carried out In an irregular manner
owing to some sirlish freak on her
part. The portmanteau. with Its
change Of raiment. brought convincing
testimony, and Iris own words when
discovered In the lazarette supplied
further proof. If that were needed.
A keen. invigorating breeze swept
the last mirage of sleep from the girls
brain as she fitted silently along the
deck. A wondrous galaxy Of stars
blazed In the heavens. In that peuucid
air the sky was a vivid ultramarine.
The ships track was marked by
trail Of phosphoresceat fire. Each rev.
olution of the propeller drew from the
ocean treasure house opulent globes OF
golden light that danced and sparkleo
in the tumbllng waters. It was a
night that pulsated with the romance
and abandon of the south. a night
when the heart might throb with un'
utterable longings and the blood tingie
IN the veins under the stress OF an
emotion at once passionate and mystic.
Iris, spurred on by no stronger I'M
pulse than that Of the sightseer. though
not wholly unaware Of an element OF
adventurous shyness In her expecta'
ton of q tete-a-tete with good look
ing young nan Of her own status.
climbed to the bridge 80 speedily and
noiseIessly that Hozier did not know
of her presence until he heard her dis
mayed cry:
"Is that the Southern CrossF
BE turned quickly.
AA