The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-04-26
Copyright 1909, by Louis Joseph Vance
CHAPTER XIX.

The wanderer had come upon Mrs.
Prynne but once since he had board
ed the Panjnab. That morning, him
self early astir because of his vague
misgivings, he had discovered her on
the hurricane deck of the liner; an in
conspicuous, slight figure in the shad.
ow Of a lifeboat, leaning upon the
rail and gazing with The fanciedD
troubled eyes, out and across the
waste below Ismalia.
Though she must have been con-
scious Of nearing footsteps, she had
not stirred, and he had passed on,
gaining but a fugitive glimpse of a
profile sweetly serious; nor had she
appeared either at breakfast or lunch
con. A circumstance which led him
to surmise that she did not court OBJ
seemed passing strange in woman
so fair.
He told himself that she wore an
air Of watchfulness, Of vague expec-
fancy, as though she, like himself.
feared some untoward mishap; that
she had the manner Of one definitely
apprehensive. constantly on guard
against some unforeseen peril.
Now, he asked himself, what could
It be? What threatened her? And
why?
He dimly promised himself the
pleasure of her acquaintance, relying
in the rapid intimacy that springs up
between strangers on long voyage,
with a still more indefinite intention
of putting himself at her service in
any cause that she might be pleased
to name, Professionally: she must not
interfere with his plans for reaching
Rangoon "in ninety days."
That night he was hoping to find
the lady at dinner; but though the
ships company was small, he failed
to see her in the saloon, at either the
captains, the chief officers or the
doctors table; nor. SO far as he could
determine, was she taking the air on
deck. Was 1t possible, then, that he
had been right, that she had a reason
equally as compelling as his own for
secluding herself? Or. was 1t simply
land infinitely more probably that
Mrs. Prynne was indisposed. an ener'
waited victim Of executive heat?
The latter conjecture proved ap
parently the right one. Mrs. Prynne
failing to appear during the two fol
lowing days, while the Panjnab was
rocking down the Red Sea channel:
and O'Rourke grew interested enough
Che had little else to occupy his mind
for a duller voyage he had never
known to give Danny permission tc
pursue his inquiries: with an injunc
ton. however, prohibiting too lavish
an expenditure OF the boys wealth ol
affection. Whereupon Danny return
ed with the Information that the mis-
tress Of Cecile. the maid. was suffer
ing from heat exhaustion.
This was entirely reasonable
O'Rourke accepted the demolition o.
his airy castles Of Romance, laughed
at himself. in part was successful II
putting the woman out Of mind
doubtless, In time. he would have dont
30 altogether, had not the lady chosen
to take the air the night that thu
Panjnab negotiated the Straits o.
Bab-el.Mandeb. For on that same
night. ORourke. himself wakeful. wa,
minded to sit up and watch the light
Of Perrin Island heave into view.
ORourke. In q deck-chair ON tn
starboard side. well cloaked in tn,
shadow OF the deck above, watch
ed the other passengers. one by one
quiet their chatter. yawn. stretch ant
slip below to stuffy staterooms.
| He suffered q dreamy eye to row,
where It would. greedy of the night
superb illusion.
Four bells-two o'clock-chimet
upon his consciousness like q physica
shock. He verified the hour by hi
watch and. reluctantly enough. agreed
that 1t was time he got himself Il
bed. He half rose from his chair. thel
sank back with an inaudible catch o
his breath. Without warning the ap
partition of a white-clad woman hat
invaded the promenade deck. For al
instant he hardly credited his eyes
| t0eu, WIN q uOu u IeCo8uAiOu, ~
identified Mrs. Prynne.
UnQuestionably unconscious Of hi
presence In the shadow. she fell Il
pacing to and fro. Now and again
she stopped. and with chin graded II
her small hands. elbows on the rail
watched the approaching cliffs O.
Arabia: then. with perhaps sigh. re
turned to her untimely constitutional
Partly because be had no wish Il
startle her. partly because he wa
glad to watch unobserved the had {
rare eye for beauty. the O'ROrke)
the wanderer sat on without moving
stirred only BY active curiosity! Thu
strangensss Of her appearance upoE
deck at such IN hour fascinated BIZ
Imagination no lees than her person
held his sye. He gave himself ovel
70 vain and prontless speculation.
|. Why. hs wondered. should chi
kssp 70 her cabin the gFoateg part o.
J ~ evening" QRly e taha The cir vhsl