The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-10-03

proIner ne never could be, no, not
even in the pleasant sense Of adoption.
| She did not want pity. To
think of his getting those things for
her in Damascus! ;. Pity sug-
gested that she was weak and help
less, whereas she knew that she was
both patient and strong. What
cid she want? She glanced up and
down the deck. 1t was totally desert
! ed save for them. Then, "clad in the
beauty Of a thousand stars" she
leaned over and down and brushed his
hand with her lips.
And George slept on. Only the blare
> Of the bugle brought him back to mum
! dane affairs. He was hungry, and he
! announced the fact with gusto. They
would dine we'll that night. The cap
tain placed Fortune at his right and
+ George at his left, and preached bot
tie of fine old Johannisberger. And
the three of them had coffee in the
smoking-room. If the other passen-
gers had any curiosity, they did not
manifest it openly.
|
need of staying over in Naples, the
! captain urged that they take the re-
turn voyage with him. He saw more
than either of the young people, with
! those blue Teutcnic eyes of his.
George promised to let him know with
, In dozen hours Of the sailing. Ger
tainly Fortune would decide one way
! mr. tho cfbor within, hot f;,oo
Beth had seen the Vesuvian bay
many times, with pever-failing love
and interest. They sailed across the
bay in the bright cIearness of the
morning.
'You are going back with me-"
George announced in a tone which in
ferred that nothing more was to be
said upon the subject. But, for all
! his confidence, there was great and
heavy fear upon his heart as he asked
for mail at the little Enclosure at
Cooks, in the Galleria Vittoria. There
was cable; nothing more
| Nov, Fortune :"
"Have l ever given you permission
to call me by that name?"
| why
"Have II"
mo"
"Then I give you that permission
now
What do you brighten man like
that for?" he cried. What was 60.
Ing to say :"
fortune
What I was going to say, Fortune,
was this: Here is the cable from Nor.
timer. I'm not going to open it till
after dinner tonight. We'll go up to
the Bertolini to dine. You'll stay
there for the night, while I put up at
the Bristol, which is only little ways
up the Corso. I'm not going to ask
| you a question till coffee. Then We'll
thrash out the subject till there isn't
grain left"
! She made no protest. Secretly she
was pleased to be bullied like this. 1t
| proved that among all these swarming
peoples there was ore interested in
her welfare. But she knew in her
heart what she was going to say when
he proper time came. She did not
wish to spoil his dinner She was also
| going to put her courage to it's SUI
| preme test; borrow hundred pounds,
and bravely promise to pay him back.
If she failed to pay it, it would be be-
cause she was dead. For she could
not survive a comparison between
herself and her mother Here in
Naples she might find something, an
opportunity. She spoke French and
Italian fluently; and in this crowded
season of the year it would not be diff
! ficult to find situation as maid CT
companion. So long as she could earn
little honestly, she was not afraid.
She was desperately resolved.
Such a dinner! Long would she re-
member it; and longer still, how little
either of them ate of it! She knew
enough about these things to appreci-
ate it. 1t must have cost pretty
penny. She smiled, she laughed, she
tested; and always battle to dam the
uprising tears.
The dining-room was filled; women
in beautiful evening gowns and men
in sober black. But the two young
people were oblivious. Their fellow
diners, however, bent more than one
glance in their direction. Ill-ftting
clothes, to be sure, but it was OBJ
served that they ate to the manner
born. The girl was beautiful in
melancholy way, and the young man
was well-bred and pleasant of feature,
though oddly burned.
Coffee. George produced the cable.
1t was still sealed.
"You read it first" he said, passing
1t across the table.
Her hands shook as she ripped the
sealed flap and opened the message.
She read. Her eyes gathered danger
ously.
BE CAREFUL" he warned. you've
been brave so long; be brave little
longer"
81 did not know that there lived
| such good and kindly men. Oh, thank
him, thank him a thousand times for
NE. Read it." And she no longer
cared if any saw her tears.
Bring her home, and God bless you
both. MORTIMER"
L