Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-24


She approached the port looking down
through which seemed to her consid-
cradle descent to the. surface of the
water. How am to get DOWN. she
inquired, with a sdbdUed, nervous laugh
! rs there a ladder, or must 1 diver"
mo ladder, miss, but-'ere.", -Acklin
put into her hands an end of stout rope.
| Topped and knotted EFF you'll put your
| foot in the blight of this, and let your
self over the edge of the port, 'oldin' on
to the rope with both ands, I'll lower
| AMY till you let go. Then, I'll myke
! 1t fast, ere, and tyke a turn of it
round my arm, so"that just twitch on
! 1t will wyken me II I should chance
to fall asleep before you come back
miss ''11 G*E 49, ts
Yes" approved Cynthia, uncertainty,
her notions as to the manner and prob
able time of her return being of the
most vague. -;-t
She sat down as hidden, with a little
shrinking of the flesh to find her feet
'overhanging a. gulf. Of profound black
ness. where the shadow of the ships
swelling freeboard lay like a sheet Of
pitch upon the waters.
Beyond the wagering edge of It they
moved most gently, a mirror OF Ink for
the transplendency of the coruscant
heavens. The pale glimmering line Of
the island shore seemed just then very
/ distant. And the silence oppressed the
| spirit of the girl. There was not a
sound in all that placid gulf of night
other than the soft sihilant lisp of rip
! pies tapping along the invisible water
line beneath her.
For the first time she was sensible Of
a weakening of her purpose. for the first
| time she was a little daunted by the
magnitude Of her rashness and the am
! biguity of it's potential SEQUEL The
mystey. the enigmatic might and maj
! esty of that strange tropic night, laid
| its hand upon her heart and taught her
! fear.
! For a lite time she trembed and was
afraid, realizing her poignant limita-
| tions; she was at most woman, fash
toned for the softer side of life, with
a body delicate and fragile. unsuited to
the stress of adventurous fortunes and
the strain of arrogant mischance, with
only the mettle of her spirit. to nerve
her on to reckless daring-that and
her love alone.
Dwelling upon the thought of Crit
tenden to reinvigorate her failing pluck,
she bent over and adjusted the moose
round her foot. Then swinging side
ways until poised insecurity upon one
! hip she caught the edge of the port
with one hand, the rope with the other.
I'm ready, Ac1lins'' she said in a
steady voice. "Try to set the mantilla
back to my stateroom without being
seen, if possible. If anything happens
explain to Madame Savaran
lin the morning. please. And
thank you, and -goodby."
Eyes. miss-nk you" the mans voice
came out of the shadows. Just one
word more; I've stuck a note for Mr..
Crittenden inside the medicine tin; just
line Of advice You might read it
yourself, if you don't find i'm able.
| Ready? Then, good-by,
Miss Gr'yce-and be careful to kick
your foot free before you let go, please
and God guard you, miss.
Her wonder that Acklin should have
troubled to write a note to Crittenden
of a nature so impersonal that he was
willing she should know it's contents, in
preference to charging her with an oral
message. faded and vanished utterly
from her mind as Cynthia found her
self swinging by one hand from the
! lin Of the port. the weight Of her body