The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-01-21


you. MISS YORKER" uE EXCLAIMED.
which she had heard so much could
cloak the fact that Hozier was unpre-
pared for her appearance.
"Of course 1t Is !. Who else7" she
asked. did not Captain Coke tell
you to expect me?"
"No."
"How odd! That is what he ar
ranged. A man came and raped at
my door,"
Pardon me one moment"
He leaned over the bridge and hailed
the watch. The same hoarse voice
that had reused Iris answered his ques-
lions. and in the faint light that came
from the pinnacle she caught flicker
OF amusement on his face.
Our excellent shippers intentions
have been defeated" he said. "He
told one Of the men to call him ut
seven bells. but not to wake you until
the cross was visible. His orders have
been obeyed quite literally. He will
you have been dragged from bed to
gaze at the false cross, which every
foremast hand persists In regarding as
the real article. The true cross, Of
which Alpha Crucis is the southern
pole star. comes up over the horizon
an hour after the false one"
"But Captain Coke said he would see
you and warn you Of my visit"
II can only assure you that he did
not. Perhaps he thought II unneces-
sary. meaning to be on deck himself"
Must I wait here q whole hour
thenY
Hozier laughed. 1t was amusing to
find how Coke's marked effort to keep
the girl and him apart had been de-
feated by a sailors blunder.
81 hope the waiting will not weary
you." he said. 1T is beautiful night" {"
II am glad Of the accident that
brought me on deck somewhat earlier
than was necessary" she said. "You
and have not said much to each 9TH
er since you routed me out of the
lazarette. Mr.. Hozier."
"Our friends at table are somewhat
difficult. II only you knew how I re-
gretted"-
"Oh. what Of that? When I became
q stowaway fully expected to be
treated az one. ] suppose. though, that
you have often asked yourself why I
was guilty Of such mad trick"
"Not exactly mad. Miss Yorke, but
needless. since Captain Coke partly ex-
pected to have your company"
THAT is absurd. He had not the
remotest notion
Forgive me, but there you are
wrong. He says that your uncle and
he discussed the matter on the Sun
day before we left Liverpool. His the
ory Is rather borne out by the present
state Of the ships larder. assure
you that few tramp steamers spread
a table like the Andromeda's mess dur
Ing this voyage"
Iris laughed with a spontaneous mer-
riment that was rather astonishing In
her own ears.
"Being the owners niece, l am well
catered for" she cried.
Something Of the sort. II Is only
natural"
"But think I have read In the
newspapers that when some unhappy
creature Is condemned to death by the
la " he Is supplied with luxuries that
would certainly be denied to any ordi-
nary criminal?"
"Such doubtful clemency can hardly
apply to you, Miss Yorke."
at might apply TO the ship or to
that human part Of her that thinks
and remembers and Is capable of-Of
llving evidence"
She paused. fearing lest, perhaps,
she might have spoken too plainly.
Coke's counter stroke In alluding to
her dread Of the proposed marriage
was hidden from her ken. Hozier, of
course. was thinking Of nothing else.
For the moment, then. they were at
cross purposes.
, Things are not so bad as that" hc
said gently. 81 hope 1 am not tres
passing on forbidden ground, but II ia
why A"h w tell you tudt inc SklppcV
was quite explicit up to point. He
said you were being forced into some
matrimonial arrangement that was
distastefur-
"And. to escape from an undesirable
suitor. / ran awayT"
"Well. the story sounded all right"
"Iid myself OH my uncle's ship when
| wished to avoid marrying the man
Of his choiceT'
Hozier was not neglectlng his work
but he did then take his eyes off the
starlit sea for a few amazed seconds.
There was no mistaking the scornful
ring In the girls words. He could see
the deep color that flooded her cheeks.
The glance that met his sparkled with