The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-11-10
CHAPTER xvIIl.-cOntinued.


By heaven, for her sake, If for no
other reason, would play the man!
Ay, and ! comprehended exactly what
such resolve would cost-realized full
ly what that mongrel crew would say
and do the moment their ghostly ter
rors fed. and they knew had given
up search for the treasure. l should
have to command by brute force by
threat and blow. There would be
mutiny aboard for every league until
we made port. l knew the nature of
that sea-scum forward-how they
would whine and curse, how they
would hate me for failing to hold
them to their course in face of death!
Well, let them hate; my love was
worth by far the more, and the life
and honor of Lady Darlington out
weighed all else on board-ay, and the
treasure of the Donna Isabel! I'm
plicitly"- / saw her eyes again as she
said It. and sprang to the deck, FUN
bling in the darkness for the latch of
my door
The main cabin was dimly lighted
and chill, the fire in the stove low. l
paused to rattle it, and add a few
Jumps of coal from the scuttle stand
ing near by. In spite of surrounding
comforts what a grim, inhospitable
place this was for any woman like
Asyr! The very snugness of the cabin
served only to emphasize the gloom
and peril without, the frightful polar
mystery which surrounded US, which
drives men mad amid its awful dis
tances, its shrouded silence
Suddenly, directly opposite where
stood, saw it again-that same |
shapeless, white, gliding figure. An
instant only | stood rooted to the spot, |
my blood like ice, my eyes full Of hor
ror. Then the swift reaction came,
the reserve courage of a man ashamed !
of such weakness, and leaped |
toward the misty object, crap
pling at it with my hands. | touched
but air, falling headlong with
a violence jarring the entire cabin,
and overthrowing a chair crashing to
the deck. Dazed, confused, l stag
gered to my knees, staring about into
the dim shadows A white-draped
figure was at my very elbow, and
sprang to my feet, only to take
qaick step backward, grasping at the
table, as / recognized Lady Darling
ton.
Good God! was that you?" gasped,
Lhe horror stiIl possessing me.
This certainly is," she answered,
swiftly. But what do you mean?
What has occurred?"
Il hardly know" and l looked about
me, and then into her face, breathing
heavily. Il seem unable to separate
he real from the unreal l am half
afraid / am losing my mind. Lady
Darlington, it is not only the crew for
ward who are seeing ghosts on board.
laughed at my experience before, be- ]
ieying it a mere illusion that could
lever occur again. In that spirit {
old you about seeing a white, misty
lgure in this cabin the night after
Tpttle died. 1t vanished like wreath
Nmoke, and daylight made me be-
Nthe vision was born of tired q
But 1 have seen it again now i
r, as plainly as can see you,
h 10 dream. no imagination; yet r
WI 4pught to grasp the thing, my !
~ countered nothing but air.
r hands tremble, her white sr
whittier pointed; but she ,
held what had, and her
~ ped clear. i
1t you saw" a
M ss white figure, misty p
lA q bubble" v
nn " q say? just where you Fl
hight Of that, yet it was 0
de Tuttles door An a
nE motionless, her eyes Il
corners OF the cab s.
eing some suspicion a
er mind. Suddenly K