The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1912-06-13

10 see ner IN the saloon, at either the
captains, the chief ofacer's or the
doctors table; nor, so far as he could
determine, was she taking the air on
deck. Was it possible, then, that he
had been right, that she had reason
equally as compelling as his own for
secluding herself? Or, was 1t simply
(and infinitely more probably that
Mrs. Prynne was indisposed, an ener-
waited victim of excessive 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 dullG voyage he had never
known) to give Danny permission to
pursue his inquiries: with an injunc-
ton, however, prohibiting too lavish
an expenditure Of the boys wealth OF
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 OF
his airy castles Of Romance, laughed
at himself, IN part was successful In
putting the woman out Of mind;
doubtless, in time, he would have done
so altogether, had not the lady chosen
to take the air the night that the
Panjnab negotiated the Straits Of
Bab-el-Mandeb. For on that same
night, O'Rourke, himself wakeful, was
minded to stt up and watch the lights
of Perrin Island heave into view.
ORourke, In deck-chair on the
starboard side, well cloaked IN the
shadow OF the deck above, watch.
ed the other passengers, one by one,
quiet their chatter. yawn, stretch and
slip below to stuffy staterooms.
He suffered 3 dreamy eye to rove
where It would, greedy of the nights
superb Illusion.
Four bells-two o'clock-chimed
upon his consciousness like a physical
shock. He verified the hour by his
watch and, reluctantly enough, agreed
that 1t was time he got himself to
bed. He half rose from his chair, then
sank back with an inaudible catch Of
bis breath. Without warning the ap.
partition of a white-clad woman had
invaded the promenade deck. For an
instant he hardly credited his eyes.
then, with q nod Of recognition. he
Identified Mrs. Prynne.
UnQuestionably unconscious of his
presence In the shadow, she fell TO
pacing tc and fro. Now and again,
she stopped, and with chin Graded In
her small hands, elbows on the rail.
watched the approaching cliffs of
Arabia; then, with perhaps a sigh, re-
turned to her untimely constitutional.
Partly because he had no wish to
startle her, partly because he was
glad to watch unobssrved Che had q
rare eye for beauty, the O'Rourke).
The wanderer sat on without moving.
stirred only by active curiosity. The
strangeness Of her appearance upon
deck at such an hour fascinated his
l.. ag;nation no less than her person
held lis eye. He gave himself over
10 vain and profltless speculation.
Why, he wondered, should she
keep to her cabin the greater part Of
the evening, only to take the air when
none might be supposed to observe
her?
Why. If aot to escape such observa-
ton? Then, he told himself. he must
be right In his supposition that she
had something to fear, someone to
avoid. What or whom? What was 1t
all, what the mystery that, as he
watched her, seemed to grow, to cling
about her like some formless, i'm
palpable garment?
Events conspired to weave the man
int the warp and woof Of her affairs;
more quickly than he could grasp the
reason for his sudden action, he found
himself a-foot and dashing aft at top
speed. But an instant gone Mrs
Prynne had passed him, unmolested
and wrapped in her splendid isola-
ton; and then from the after part OF
the deck he had heard a slight and
guarded cry of distress, and a small
scuf1ing sound
In two breaths he was by her side
and found her struggling desperately
in the arms of a lascar-a deck-hand
on the steamer
At first the strangeness Of the busi-
ness SO amazed O'Rourke that he
nausad and hold hia hand briefly