The Ordway new era., 1913-02-14
CHAPTER Viii.
Somewhere East Of Nantucket.

The Sibylla under stress OF her
powerful turbines was racing easily,
reeling OF her thirty knots with no
seeming effort and scarcely percep-
tible vibration. There had been
stiff breeze during the night. but 1t
had died down at sunrise, and now, at
noon, the sea was calm as the bosom
of a nun. The sun blnzed on the
yachts polished brasses, intensifying
the snowy whiteness OF her glossy
paint, and turning to jewelled show
ers the spray which fell away from
her sharp prov and caressed her long.
sleek sides. 1t was wonderful weather
for late October. On the nineteenth
the temperature had risen to ninety
In New York, breaking all records
for that date; and now. two days
later, here at the meeting OF sound
and ocean, with Point Judith just
coming into view over our port bow,
and Block Island blur abaft our
starboard beam, we sat, Cameron and
I, shaded by spread awnings. on the
after.deck, as though 1t were mid
summer. For he had been convinced
by my righteous untruth, after re-
peated and emphatic DINING. and had
daily grown stronger; readily agree
ing at length to cruise along the
coast. with Bar Harbor as objective.
THAT Is precisely what l had the
Sibylla built for" he told me. when
my suggestion found acceptance.
did you ever notice the inscription
on the brass tablet over the fireplace
in the saloon? No? Well. It's this:
.Sibylla, when thou seest me faynte,
address thyselfe the gyde Of my COM
playnte.'
IT found 1t in an old book, published
in 1863, poetic induction to The
Mirror OF Magistrates. written by
Thomas Sackville. You can fancy
how my application distorts the orig
inal intention; but Sackville isn't
likely to trouble me over It."
repeat this explanation now main
iy to indicate the improved temper Of
the speaker. His mind was placid
once again. and with this recovered
placidity had come return OF his
quiet humor. For my own part l
was not altogether happy. My de-
light over my friends recovery. and
Eyelyn's pleasure thereat. was cur
died by self-reproach regarding the
instrument l had employed to bring
1t about. A lie is to me most con-
temptible agent, and to make use Of
one has been always abhorrent. In
this instance I had salved my con-
science In a measure with the old ex-
cuse that the end justified the means,
but 1t was only In measure, and l
was far from being as happy as l
pretended.
Moreover. I could not rid myself of
an uneasiness-a misery, indeed. in
which l was now without company
concerning the day and its menace.
say without company" for Gamer
on, of course, had quito dismissed the
subject, and Evelyn, who previously
was greatly perturbed, had seemed to
put away all apprehension directly
she saw us safe aboard the yacht.
There had been some talk of her ac-
companying us, but without signify
to dissuade her.
For my disquietude there was GER
tainly no logical ground. I had TAX
en- the precaution of having the
Sibylla searched from masthead to
keelson before sailing. The coal was
examined as carefully as that of bat.
tleship in time Of war; every locker
and cupboard was Inspected; even the
venulators were metaphorically turn
ed inside out and the record Of ev'
cry man of the crew was looked Into
with vigorous scrutiny. So I could sec
no loophole unguarded. But the past
was an argument which set logic al
naught. II such things could be as
that which had happened a month age
in Cameron's dressing room, how
much further might the inexpllcable
carry? OF what use were precau
lions against an enemy who with ap
parent ease calmly defed all natural
laws?
I All the morning my thoughts had