The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-03-01
9ke Hingdem Of
Slender 3ucrds
Copyright, Bobbs.Merrill Company

When all had been done and the pa
pers sealed in a portmanteau for de-
livery to the consul-general, Barbara
came into the brilliant saloon. The
yacht was pitching heavily and she
could stand with difficulty. Steady
ing herself against the table, she saw
the empty wrapper addressed to her
self 1t bore Nikko postmark. Who
could have sent it here? AS she stood
holding the paper in her hand, the
bishop entered.
Captain Hart thinks we would bet
ter stay aboard tonight, Barbara" he
said. There is nasty sea, and we
should be sure of drenching on the
dinghy. We have no change of cloth
ing, you know"
'You will be quite comfortable, Miss
Fairfax the captains voice spoke
deferentially from the doorway. "The
guest rooms are always kept ready"
every WE'LL" she said, little wear
lily. "That will be best, no doubt"
She held up the torn wrapper. What
was in this, wonder?"
The captain confessed his indiscre-
ton with embarrassment, and she alb
solved him with a smile that covered
a sharper pang than she had yet felt
that evening. For that thin disk had
been on the hillside that Nikko night
perhaps had heard the quarrel, had
seen that blow, had watched man
crawling, staggering, foot by foot, till
he collapsed against the frame that
held it.! BY what strange chance had
it been sent to her here? :.
Her uncle bade her good night pres
emily, being an Indifferent sailor, and
betook himself to bed. The room that
had been prepared for her opened in
to the saloon. She was too restless to
retire, and after a time she climbed
up the companion way to the, windy
deck.
The vaulted sapphire of the sky had
been swept clean of cloud and the
stars sparkled Whitley. OFF at one
4 side, a flock of sinister shadows, she
could make out the squadron of bat
tleships, and beyond, in curving line,
the twinkling lights of the Bund.
Could it ever again be to her that
magical shore she had first seen from
ships deck, with hills which the
cherry trees made fairy tapestries OF
green rose, and mountains creased OF
purple velvet and veined with gold?
Her love would come back to her
only in bitter memories, in painful
thoughts that would shame and burn.
All else beside, she had been Austen
Wares promised wife. How could she
still feel love for the man who had
caused his death? Yet-if she must
if she could never tear that image
from her breast!
Like the reflection of camera-ob-
scura, memory painted sudden pic
ture on the void she saw herself sit
ting amid the branches of a tulip
tree, while some one sang-a song the
wind was humming in the cordage:
Forgotten you? Well, if forgetting
Be yearning with all my heart,
With a longing, half pain and half
rapture,
For the time when we never shall
part;
If the wild wish to see you and hear
you,
To be held in your arms again
If this be forgetting, you're right, dear
And have forgotten you then"
Great, slow tears gathered in her
eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
CHAPTER XIV.
While the City Slept.
Daunt accompanied his chief that
evening to dinner at the Mobiles
club-a "stag" for conventional func-
lions had been discontinued since the
royal death had cast pail over the
stay of the squadron. AS they drove
thither nearer shadow was over the