The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-02-19


nostrils; she gasped, drew a quiv-
ering sigh. opened her eyes, and
saw over her head sloping roof
on which the mud-wasps were ply
ing their masonry, rude walls of
rough boards, a rack of guns,
some instruments nautical-look-
ing to her unschooled eyes; a tall,
rough-looking, sailor-like man
stuffing the cork in a bottle of
pungent emanation, and a young
face which would have been girl
ish had 1t not been for the little
black mustach and the deep coat
of tan. The older man was look
ing at her in fatherly way, and
the young one was sponging her
forehead, his face near hers. She
sat up suddenly, felt her couture,
and looked about for her hat.
you have had a fall, madam"
said Carson, "and are shaken up
a little; but you are safe and
among friends"
ooh, thank you," she said, in a
tone of the most correct formality.
tits ever so kind of you, sir
I-I-I-Oh, 1 though / was lost!
1 thought oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!
IO-o-o-h!"
Suddenly, from the polite COM
monplaces of speech, she broke in
to hysterical screaming. Then
she bowed her face in her hands
as IL to shut out some terrifying
sight, and moaned and shivered
piteously, asking them to pardon
her, promising to be calm present
ly, sometimes looking up for a
moment with smile forced
through the horror stamped on
her face by memory of the ordeal
through which she had passed
and then breaking down into hys.
terical crying again. Captain
Harrod poured stiff glass of red
liquid from a bottle, diluted it
and took it to the shuddering girl
who looked pathetically up into
his face for a moment, swallowed
it obediently, and coughed as ii
strangled by it..
"And now" said Mr.. Carson
1--WE will leave you, if you will ex
cuse us. Please feel at ease. Yor
are quite safe, and the cabin IL
yours. We are in all ways at 20
service. The captain here is my
friend, and we belong to a race
that sees a sister in every helples!
lady. l think you will desire t.
sleep; and 1 hope you may awake
refreshed; after which we shall
place ourselves mo- definitely un
der your command"
She looked at him question
ingly. The softness of his voice
his little inconsistent lapses int
dialect as he uttered the old-fash
Toned chivalric sentiments won hel
trust.
"Ah'd lie down, ma'am," sug
gested the captain, "ontil thai
medicine gifts a chance to wuk
Goodby, ma am"
Virginia lay back and closed heI
eyes; but the potion brought nc
drowsiness. Her face grew hot
and she knew her eyes would
shine If she opened them, with a
brilliancy quite fascinating to the
young man with the little black
mustach. The fact that she
thought of this startled her. Was
she growing flighty with fever?
Why this abnormal hilarity OF
spirits, in the exaltation of which
all anxiety departed? She was
unable to dwell long in thought
on the uncertainty and grief of
her aunt at so losing her, first
into the sky, and then, supposedly,
into the Gulf. What difference
did it make? The world grew
unaccountable roseate with hope;
more joyous because of the mo-
ment was to burst forth into song
restrained with difficulty by
dwelling on the bad form of vo-
Icalization. She was sure, how
ever, that she was about to do
something shockingly unladylike.
Perhaps it was the ozone of the
Immense altitude of the helicopter.
The room seemed afloat on the
waves that roared outside, but
this struck her as extremely jolly.
Really, 1t appeared selfish to en-
joy this funny alteration of the
nervous system alone. Her old,
old friends outside-the young
man with the girls face, and his
bewhiskered companion, the rela-
lions of both of whom to her
past life seemed vague just now.
though they were undoubtedly old
and dear friends-she would hunt
them up and talk with them. She
rose, and walked out unsteadily
upon the veranda. and saw Mr..
Carson and the captain sitting idly
Just beyond earshot of the cabin.
They came to her respectfully.
II came out to thank you, sir,"I
said Virginia Tightly. 'for your
heroic behavior--heroic. roman
tic, medieval behavior! Don't
my eyes look funny?"
She turned up her face to his
her cheeks flushed,
her pupils dilated.
81 beg of you not to mention
1t, madam, urged Mr.. Carson,
with infinite solicitude. but may
/ not insist upon your allowing
me to escort you back to your
room?"
Virginia took his arm. leaning
upon 1t with much of her not in
weight, and as they
aornco 4ha varauda with a