Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-16
By Louis joseph Vance
Author of"1hc Brass BODL "
"No Mans Land, " Etc.

THAT was 'er nyme when she was
in the fruit tryde. miss, but now It's
cynthia. They chynged it when they
sold 'er."
"Bu, why should they? Or don't
/ you know
cynthia was beginning to discover
that the mysterious is generally very
commonplace. stripped Of the trappings
Of imagination Why the Inventor of
| Occupa lions had written Cydonia in
brackets after Cynthia was now quite
/ clear. and even the hieroglyphs which
| had followed those words, examined
/ in a light of calm reason, began to
bear strong resemblance TO an alb
breViated address, such as: Pier !,
/ Erie Basin, . =. m, August 10th.
And the steward was helpfully con-
| tinuing further to elucidate.
IT'S sometimes done, miss. when
boat chynges 'ands, specially if the old
owners want to ret,in the nyme for any
( reason-lilSe as they might think it
lucky. The Caribbean Fruit company
as used to run this ship, nymes all its
vessels beginning with c and ending
| IA. and likely they wanted 20 use
Cydonia on a new boat.
"Ohl l understand"
ITS not much troubles it miss?
to chynge Cydonia to Cynthia, there
being only three letters different?'
"No-thats true" Cynthia agreed.
Certainly this commonsense explana-
ton made the circumstance seem much
| less underhand and doubtful; and IL
was in the girls mind that very likely
Madame Savaran's Outspoken suspicious
of Rhodes honest intent on this ven
ture might sem less plausible il sub
jected to like illumination.
You spoke of this as chance she
I
DO you mean it's really a promising
opening for you?"
mot that, exactly, miss; but it puts
bit of ard cash in my pocket, as they
sly, so I'll be ayble to Ply my passcse
'Ome in cyse l can't pick up job in
Rio"
IT, en- you don't intend to stay with
the-the Cynthia?" ..'
In the act of bending over to take up
his tray the steward paused to quester
her face with surprised glance.
'"Ardly,' said he. she's been sold,
so ] understand, to an Argentine COM
pany for coastwise service. g. That
wouldn't suit me at all -. Tbat =.
'ow we come to be so short 'anded-just
scratch crew to tylle her down for de-
livery" t
ION. I see," said Cynthia slowly.
He shouldered his titay. NM uymc's
to wlnt me for anything" he concluded,
Good morning"
Good morning, Acklin."
If that were all-if only this might
be the true explanation!
Madame was as sweet and dear as. she
| could be (Cynthias af ection for heI was
unaffected If of recent growth), but she
was as. captious as old people generally
are, viewed through the spectacles OF
youth. and just the sort to weave a
mares nest out of handful of shreds
of dislike and distrust. harmless
idiosyncrasy, in the main; Cynthia was
not inclined to do anything toward mo-
Testing the old lady in her pet diversion.
BY all means leave to her her dark and
grisly illusions, as long as they anorded
her amusement But for herself. per-
sonally, Cynthia vas resolved no longer
to be troubled by anything but the man
ifest and tangible. And besides, Mr..
Crittenden was really on board.
She took on deck with her heart as
! light as the daintily shod feet that
danced up the companion-way and
| through the musty saloon TO the upper
deck, and as a result showed face so
p-ettily animated and colored HAT IL
won an approving look and word from
Madame-whom she found snugly
wedged into a long-suffering deck-chair
in the shadow of the superstructure
amidships.
THE change has done you a world
Of good already, my dear" announced
madame critically I'm quite sure, now
that memory grows stronger, your
mother was never quite so fascinating.
IT does me good to look at you, and If
it wasn't for that creature Sidonia, and
my bette rouge of a son-in-law--' She
paused with a chuckle to roll this orig
I and inv
the full-bodied flavor of it. by the
way, have you seen him this morning."
Cynthia shook her head in smiling
negation.
"You should-though I dare say he's
gone below to get some sleep. My dear,
he's the most tragic thing you ever
laid eyes on. He's been UP all night,
and this morning he has bad taste in
his mouth and the cares of the known
world on his shoulders. We've had a
famous setto already" She chuckled
again and sighed. 81 see I'm going to
enjoy this trip, after all--if it is un-
settling for a woman of my years to
CAD about this way. No. don't
sit down; I don't need to be talked TO,
and you do need exercise. Run around
the deck and take look at this old tub
and let me know what you think of
her"
Nothing reluctant, Cynthia obeyed,
making the circuit of the promenade
deck with the greater ease, in view of
| it's scant width, because of the absence
OF the customary rows of deck chairs
occupied by lounging passengers. Aside
from herself and madame, indeed, there
was apparently no one on board the
changeling Cynthia without some press
\ ing business at that hour; the majority
of the ships company was invisible.
A lanky man in rusty blue coat was
pacing the bridge, his manner listless;
| a sturdy fellow without distinguishing
/ livery was standing his trick at the
| wheel. Another person in the blue and
languor Of authority was directing the
/ activities Of three seamen about the
/ 1ifeboats, which were being prepared
against emergency in accordance with
the customary routine of a ship on the
day she leaves port.
| Nobody paid Cynthia any attention
whatever; even Madame had ceased to
be bored and was now absorbed in the
pages of a novel whose fimsy yellow pa
per cover shamelessly advertised Paris.
as the place of its nativity. Cynthia
had all the liberty the ship afforded
and-na turally-tha piqued her passing
/ ly. She wanted to talk to somebody
/ in reality, TO exchange impressions with
! Crittenden; though she was far from
admitting as much even to her private
/ -.