The Tupelo journal., 1910-05-13

nv Van - $500
was nothing to be done but to wait
patiently till the fairway was clear.
1t was not more than a quarter OF an
hour, but Capt. Brown was in a u
ry, and as there was a fresh morning
breeze blowing across the harbor he
could not even get his anchor up with
safety before he was ready to start.
The result of all these delays was
that at about nine o'clock he saw the
Erinna right ahead, bows on and only
half a mile away, just between Scylla
and Faro, where the whirlpool is still
a danger to sailing vessels and slow
steamers, and just as the tide was
turning against her and in his own
favor. He did not like to leave the
bridge, even for a moment, and sent
the second mate with an urgent mes
a requesting Mr.. Van Torp to come
up as soon as he could.
Five minutes earlier the owner had
sat down to breakfast opposite Lady
Maud, who was very pale and had
dark shadows under her eyes for the
first time since he had known her. AS
soon as the steward left them alone,
she spoke.
ut is Leven," she said, "and he
wants me to take him back"
Mr.. Van Torp set down his tea un-
tasted and stared at her, He was not
often completely taken by surprise,
but for once he was almost speech
less. His lips did not even move 81
lently.
81 was sure it was he" Lady Maud
said. "but l did not expect that"
WELL" said Mr.. Van Torp. finding
his voice, she shan't. That's ALL"
mo. / told him SO. If l had been
dressed l would have asked you to put
me ashore at Messina. / thought you
were going to stop there-the stew
ardess told me where we were, but
she knew nothing else-and now we're
off again."
Il can't help it, Maud" said Van
Torp, almost in a whisper, II don't be-
lieve it. l don't believe in impossi-
bilities like that beard of his. 1t may
SOuuu IlulCu1OuS III tAO law VI O0A
recognizing your own husband, but
it's a solid fact, and you can't get
over it. l wish l could catch the Erin
ma and show him to that Tartar girl.
Shed know in a minute. He can't be
her mai and Leven, too. There's only
one thing to be done that / can see."
"What?" asked Lady Maud sadly
and incredulously.
Tell him you'll take him back on
condition that he'll shave"
Mr.. Van Torp, who was in dead
earnest, had just given his best friend
this piece of sound practical advice
when the door opened, though he had
not rung, and the steward announced
that the second mate had a message
for Mr.. Van Torp. He was admitted,
and he delivered it.
The owner sprang to his feet.
by thunder, we've caught 'em." he
cried, as he rushed out of the deck sa-
loon.
Lady Maud leaned back and stared
at his empty chair, wondering what
was going to happen next.
This was what happened. The Lam
cashire Lass reversed her starboard
engine with full speed astern, put her
helm hard ove to port, and turned
back towards the straits in the small
est space possible for her. passing
less than a cables length from the
Scylla rock, and nearly running down
half a dozen fishing boats that pulled
like mad to get out of her way; for
they supposed that the steering-gear
had broken down, unless her captain
had gone raving mad.
While this was going on, Capt.
Brown himself, with the international
signal code in his hand, was calling
out letters of the alphabet to q quar-
termaster, and before his ship had
made half q circle the flags ran up the
single stick the yacht carried.
MY owner has urgent business with
your owner" was what the flags
meant In plain English.
The Erinna was going slow. for Ba-
raka was only just ready to come on