Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-13
Dawn, unfolding marvellously over
COFFIN CAY.

XIV
lawn, unfolding marvellously over
COFFIN CAY.
the Great Bahama banks its laminated
waves Of light. successfully more beau
tiful. strong and warts with orient
color wasted its diurnal wonder on the
alien visitants at Coffin Cay-so-named
One and all the tension Of the night
had taken its toll OF them; the surins
OF day surprised them in unconscious
ness.
5owl, the Cynthia and the Orion swung
at anchor. scarce a cable-length apart.
tunnels only family vaporous. their
decks deserted
Aboard the former the FIRST officer.
Mr.. Claret. lay in stupor. his lungs per-
forated by a bullet that remained. un-
dislodged, in the muscles OF his back.
Amateure surgery of the rudest had
done what IL could for him BY his side
a steward mot Acklin) watched with
lleaden eyelids. more than half asleep.
In their berths the remainder of the
ships company slept in varying stages
Of exhaustion superintendent by work,
worry and dissipation. Only Rhode de-
spised his bed. sitting. fully dressed.
ing-room: his gaze. out OF lacklustre
eyes whose infsmed lids lent an added
touch OF his ensangufned habit ixed
Without deviation upon the emptiness of
wasted endeavor as typifed in the efnpti-
ness OF a bottle OF wasted whisky; his
shoulders hunched up nearly to his ears.
his great red hands lost in cavernous
pockets. the dead end of cigar dis
filling quintessence OF rancor between
his fat unmoving lips.
Cynthia herself. IN her stateroom.
vested IN merciful lethargy. numb for
time to the want OF him who had her
soul In thrall; one white arm, round
and firm, crooked across her eyes, in
unwitting duplication Of the pose on
him who lay asprawi and coverless in
the shadow OF a plantation of pitch
pines. out OF sight of the vessels. deep
in the starless. dreamless slumbers de-
handed by mind and body taxed to
the extreme of their endurance.
Gradually with the growth Of day,
life quickened aboard the ships, One
by one men showed themselves on the
decks. yawningl and stretching lazily
ere disappearing 10 rout out others.
Those with the gvesfure Of command
appeared. Halls were exchanged across
the BRIEF divisional gulf The smoke OF
gaileys mingled with the smoke Of fur
mace ffres- -replenfsh ed--and pungent in
cense of morning pipes tinctured air inn
maculate.
on both vessels hatches were remoy-
al fore and aft. ad cranes rugged with
heavy hoistingi tackles. In good. time
the orion was warped comfortably along
side the Cynthia; thereafter to a great
clamor OF voices. 70 the jar and rattle
and clank OF wihehes and eapstans anh
the husky roaring of donkey-eneine$
was added shrill. intermittent piping
of boatswains whistles directing the
task of transloading cargo.
To this blaring discordance, the work
Of the day at the top of It's swing, Gym
thia awakened.
For a little while She tarried in her
berth, unstirring. confused, her eyes like
a child's swimming with wonder and
dread. oppressed by a sense of waking
ltoa world blackened with despair and
SORE W formless ih Z her dFowsy''
Thoughts. but none the less desperately
Then. the DRIFT Of dreams fecsding
to the urge OF her duesting conscenee
with renascent memory fell the blow;
and she shuddered. as though the hurt
were mortal and lay rigid. pale lids
adroop over the anguish in her eyes.
face whitening to the hue of wax while
the fiush Of sIumber' sbbeds hands clench-
ed and still upon her breasts.
Her soul sick with qualms OF mem
iory. at length pure instinct guided her to
seek ease OF action. She slipped out
Of her berth and began to dress, nov
ing quickly and quietly round the state
room; quietly more TO fend of interrupt
tioh than to escape disturbing Madame
Savaran. from whose quarters Cynthia
was but dimly aware OF a hum of
voices; quickly as II TO make up for. time
lost during those long whites when remi-
niscence assailed her passionately and
imperativeiy with the resistless cogen-
cy OF a will-destroying drug, enchanting
i - Il. cit fra rrrff
Eertia.
Now she stood staring through the
port. fascinated by the suggestion of
the circumscrfbed scene bounded by Its
round brass frame; the hemicycle OF
rimpled water. sun4smitten, its color an
incredible. nitd blue like the blue Of
ooEn--aower- sapphire; .blsecting the disk
the bar OF the island beach. no less