The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-06-20

Jy some o. the dresses made Oh oSaFo
OF ingenious feminine fingers.
| Rut spienai5 beyond all The Others
E1s the costume OF tie Arab chief.
| lie determined TO seeA out Iris for
| e first daD"e but before his end OF
ne Iroces ION had completed the sec
1Dd tgTn OF the deck the band had
stTbcA up aDJ re gerceived that the
| c's,.y water carrier vas already the
| sgTe5er CT he prince. he found
| cdaIr DexG % Ter sister. who declared
herself too Old 10 dress UP OF TO dance
and sat there rather moodiiy watching
the brilliant scene.
| After all IL was not much fun TO
dance Oh tie floor which al every roll
OF the ship changed its angles and
least OF all with a girl who seemed to
| have forgotten the tact OF his exist
ence. In two days she would get of
at Colombo and this special friend
skip which had been so delightful,
might as well end tonight az a few
nights !ater-yet. as a matter OF form.
he would ask Ter for a second waltz
But the interval ended, the second
waltz began and Iris had not returned
to her chaperon.
The prince promised to show her
the southern cross, which will appear
tonight for the first time" said her
sister. 1t was rather a long lesson
in astronomy" she remarked a little
rebukingiy. when Iris made her ap-
pearance at the end OF the second in
terval
Iris looked radiant. and he put his
pride In his pocket and determined to
beg for the third dance. but before he
could rise from his chair the first of,
ficer had come up to claim her. He
watched her furtively, determined she
should not have the qualification OF
knowing that he was even aware OF
her presence
How Iris enjoys herself" said her
sister. And you-are not dancing to
night?"
Not tonight" he said u am weary.
and shall turn In early"
Nevertheless, he remained watch
ing the dance, and each time that iris
returned to sit down a partner appear
ed as II by magic to take her away.
ALI the evening they had not ex-
changed word
He turned to her sister. When the
ball Is over we will have claret cup
and sandwiches here" he suggested
He was feeling restles and unhappy
The evening, which might have been
so delightful, had been wasted; he
had been badly treated; he had been
deliberately slighted; but what he felt
most, he said to himself, was the dis
covery that Iris was like every other
girl; that If she had not firted with
the prince and the first officer, with all
the officers and all the eligible men on
board, 1t was because she had been
having fun at his expense. He lash
ed himself into fury.
The band had already begun to put
away their instruments. Deck hands
were taking down the Chinese lanterns
and still Iris did not appear.
A storm of jealousy swept over him
+ e at all events should not be found
sitting there waiting till she should
graciously return. He got up has
tily. pleading headache, and went be-
low.
It was the first time since the voy
: age started that he had not said good
night" to Iris.
After 20 minutes he was conscious
Of suffering unbearably He went on
deck again, hoping to see her; the
: lights were turned out: the deck de
serted
Tho hn
: soon after six There was, of course,
no chance that she would be visible
before nine; but the mere fact of be-
: ing up and dressed seemed to bring
her nearer to him.
His own anxiety now was to see her
to explain everything. to apologize to
/, beg her forgiveness.
He was amazed to see Iris advanc-
ing toward him 1t was still very
decks, one or two men in pajamas
and dressing gowns were taking exer.
else before their bath.
Their eyes met while they were still
some distance apart and. moved by the
same instinct, both turned.
> It was inevitable, however. that they
should meet on the other side of the
. deck. Iris greeted him almost timidly
The radiance of the previous evening
: had vanished, there was tenderness in
> h~r eyes, gentleness in her voice
81 could not Sleep" she said 81
> rose early to see Minekoi"
He noticed for the first time the
q beautiful coral island, the cleaning
= white beach and the waving line oil
cocoanut palms that seemed floating
on the blue.
eft is a dangerous place." he said
: Three or four ships have some
times been wrecked there at the same
time"
I'VE at least have run no risks.
> she said.
About last night" he began, ant