The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-06-20
The Ball at
Sea
by Anna Woodward


dred flying Ash would spring from
the water. skim for some distance and
drop into the sea like shower OF sill
YER
He kept leaning over the rail-. quo:-
ing Kipling TO himself and watching
the play OF these fairy FISH when she
rested her book on the arm OF her
deck chair and said: Il waited for
you for nearly half an hour"
He turned with the intention of sit
ting for a moment on the foot OF her
chair. a privilege TO which be had
come TO assume some right. but she
did not move her feet to make room
for him.
Il am sorry" he said. standing be
fore her. Our challenge was TO play
euoits at half past four was on
the upper deck precisely at the time
appointed | looked everywhere for
you. l waited five minutes-even
more. | thought you had forgotten ."
THE wind had blown my hair
had gone below for a minute. You
might have waited What became Of
you, anyway" she asked, frowning a
little
Il h-le oeen In the music ROOM"
be said, They wanted me to accom-
pany song"
They? You mean Miss Roberts?
Everything is explained--and forgiv-
en-" she added lightly.
Jealous?" he said, smiling.
Yes, dying with jealousy" she said
and laughed merrily.
He was disconnected. If he could
have taken her by her shoulders and
shaken her he would have done SO
with pleasure at that moment.
"Jea.ousy-it Is. OF course, an un-
pardonable emotion" he ventured.
But the prince, who was sitting next
to her. had bent over to make some
trivial observation. to which she had
begun to reply with animation.
He strolled down the deck toward
the smoking room, quite light hearted
now over his determination. Almost
since they had left the docks at TIL
bury, since Gibraltar. at all events, 1t
had been plain sailing between them
1t was even possible he had been too
: devoted. he thought He had been
testing his power over her a little In
the matter of this game of quoits. To
night he would find out
He was wanted to make up a party
Of four to play bridge. In two minutes
he was happily absorbed in the smoke
room. On the deck outside she, equal
ly happy, was talking 10 the prince.
1t was the night of the fancy dress
ball and in his cabin the steward had
laid out the costume he had brought
for him, and to which she had put
some finishing touches. 1t was the
costume of an Arab chief which he
had bought at Port Said, and though
Of all men the least vain, he might
be excused for thinking that the sky
blue cloak and vest embroidered with
gold, the flowing white hair and scar
let slippers were not unbecoming
The bugle sounded for dinner and
he found himself descending to the
saloon with motley crowd of fellow
passengers brilliant and gay assem-
blage. making a scene all the more
impressive because this night those
who wore fancy dress were seated to
gether at the long tables down the
center of the room.
She-her name was Iris-did not ap
pear till rather late. and it was a sud
den burst of applause which made him
look up not to recognize her for q mo
ment as an Egyptian water carrier
bearing on her head an earthenwars
vessel.
THE Egyptian will win the frs
prize" people were saying.
Certainly she looked beautiful anl
he was pleased at the tributes to hel
grace and charms. He had expected
that she would take the vacant chair
9 opposite to his own and it had cross
s ed his mind that after all he would
as on the night Of other dances, CLAIM
all, or nearly all, the waltzes; tn,
i Arab chief must dance with the wate
carrier Of the Nile. But she found
place at the farther end of the table
q seat next to the prince
& After all, then, he would not dance
he would not even crafty her vanit,
by praising her costume, when, witt
her sister, she, as they always did
took their coffee with him in tn.
s lounge.
He went up early to secure the ia
vorite sofa, ordered his cigar. his COT
& fee and brandy, and waited.
But Iris and her sister did not ar
pear until just as the procession of tn
masQueraders was being formed; be
6 fore the dance they were to parad
twice around the deck so that thsi
fellow passengers might inspect tn
costumes and vote, and in the process
sion he found himself far remove
8 from Iris.
1t was beautiful on deck The al
was warm and delicious; the tropics
moon was rising in full splendor b.
hind a bank OF clouds. The fore
e of ho hun0 u,i3b G,o