Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-10
girls right, with the Frenchman support

girl right with the Frencnfndn support
ing me on the other side.
Dinner began in sort of constrained
silence, but as course followed course
under the magic rule of middle-aged
serving maid Bailey's testing remarks
spread in ripple Of laughter around the
usual small talk Of meals. Sylvia alone
was preoccupied and quiet, and, piqued at
her GOODNESS. | made no advances toward
conversing with her. Indeed. 1 listened
rather to the chatter about me, hoping
thereby to learn something to my advan-
tage, but. whether by intention or chance,
the talk was confined to the most trivial
OF everyday matters Pierre acted as my
interpreter, translating those passages
which my ignorance of affairs on the
island did not permit me to understand.
But it was not until the meat had been
served-a great haunch of roast beef,
which could have been purchased only in
some city market-that anything occurred
which gave promise of an interesting ex-
PLANTATION. and then perversely enough,
he turned me off with manifest lie.
The maid had cleared the table and
was going off to the kitchen with load
Of dishes. when another woman-the cook
esumably-brushed by her in the door
way, carrying two dinner trays. She
passed into the living ROOM and. in cross
ing ii. took one Of the doors on the left.
For Dick?" | ventured
Yes. m'sieu'.
"And the other tray?"
What oZZer tray?'
There were two, You know"
"Oh. were zere? Well. Eat is for Deck.
too
rs he such great eater?" / demand
ed. sarcastically.
"A YER great eater" he assented
blandly
But two trayfuls-for a sick mani
II am not his doctaire,' he began, then
halted, as his eyes met Sylvia's. Nor his
nurse. either" he muttered. in a lower
tone. Ask mar selle, eef YOU wish to
know"
/ glanced al the girl.
pierre has told sufficient she de-
clared, with cool hostility There is moth
ing more to be said
But there was more to be said-much
more. and though l remained silent for
the rest of the meal my brain was busily
occupied with the tortured cries OF the
woman which l had heard the night be-
fore. Was she captive like myself, held
because she had refused to enter into
Hayward's guilty practices? Would /,
too be placed in close confinement if my
story about the bonds failed to please?
The thought sent cold shivers down my
spine. and l finished my dinner with but
little appetite. AS We rose from table Mr..
Hayward called me to his side.
My usual custom, Mr.. Renfrew, is to
take short stroll after eating" he said.
"Will YOU join me-"
L knew WHAT lne lHNltdIOn SlSH11eu,
and braced my nerves for the coming eff
fort even as ! assented. He held the
veranda door open for me to precede him,
then followed me out into the air.
Turning to the right, we took the narrow
cliff Iath along which I had come on the
evening before. passing the low pile of
rocks whence the strange voices had is
sued. and. farther on. the tiny cleft. where
i had seen the phantom vessel. then.
skirting the southern angle Of the island,
we climbed a rough slope of shale and
emerged upon the high seward wall.
A raw east wind. flashing itself rapidly
into a gale, drove full against US. From
the horizon rim to the rocks below the
waters swayed and tossed in ceaSeless
tumble of foam. The white-crested comb
ers, chasing each other shoreward, ran
with a crash of thunder. and the spray,
caught in the wind spat its salty shower
i'm our faces. A leaden pail hung lower
ing i'll the skies. ribbed here and there
with a gray-black scud of cloud.
Staggering under the weight or the gale.
crept into the shelter of a bowlder But
Mr.. Hayward. his legs spread wide, his
hands clasped loosely behind him, halted
in the full fury of the blast. and. throw
ing back his head, appeared to glory in
the roar and tumult about him. His huge
rugged figure. dominating the bleak head
land. seemed the living personification of
the storm. Indeed, as ] watched him.
flashed in his eyes, and when he spoke his
voice rang harshly against the clashing
cadences Of the sea.
1T should be wild night. Mr.. Rem
frew-a wild night for coas:wise vessels
There will be ships wrecked before morn
ing"
Poor souls" l muttered.