Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-05
Continued from page 6

NllSen mad happened 10 DID SO n1Sn 1Or the
old Bevan.
@She's fine vessel" said Rosenthal with
ingratiation. "Maybe we would like her for
a station supply ship at our salmon ken
merry
We'll put our names on paper and talk
about that later" rejoined Blackstone, and
there and then he drew UP a provisional
charter party. Greek faced Greek.
Eight dollars ton! The market this
morning only-onlv was sikh exclaimed
Simon, and hopping his brow at the sight
of the rate fixed by Blackstone.
Tonnage is Short replied the chandler
icily
None knew that better than Rosenthal
but it was with a deep sigh of resigna-
ton, behind which Pericles felt there was
chucllle, that he put his name to the con-
tract and went ashore.
IMMEDIATELY after Rosenthal's de-
l parture Jonathan Blackstone asked Car
yer to go over the ship with him, and Con-
stance Blanding and Pericles were left alone
aft near the wheel.
@'And nobody ever cheated Jonathan
Blackstone Jonathan Blackstone him.
SELF" said she, her gaze following the man
she quoted and the rangy form of Carver
where the two went forward and came to a
udlC dDIedSC Ol IIlc Stccl lOlCiiletSt
II believe that answered Pericles with
a laugh that drew a glance of inquiry from
his companion.
4Then he-you do not know what he
meant?" and as she asked the question the
girl read in Pericles' expression that he did
not @This ship was built by Jonathan
Blackstones father to be wedding gift to
nv mother and to him-this month twenty
eight years ago. AT party one night he
declared that if my mother danced with
John Blanding he would never speak to her
again. There was long feud behind it
a quarrel with very frivolous beginning
which had existed for generations between
the Blackstones and Blandings. Mother
danced with the man who was to be my
father, and Jonathan Blackstone never did
speak to her again. Their engagement
was broken that night. He sold the ship
the painting of mother he himself had done
to strangers, and long afterward my father
bought them
She paused for moment, and her eyes
went following an outward bound China
liner. With sigh she looked inboard again
just as Blackstone, coming aft alone, as
cended the poop. Impulsively Constance
Blanding left Pericles side and, with her
hand extended, went to meet him.
II Think think if my mother could
know, Mr.. Blackstone, that she would
that she would be glad said she.
"Maybe-1naybe she does know, Con-
stance answered Blackstone, and with
lips a tremble he turned quickly away.
The girl could not know that it was on that
very spot that he and her mother had stood
on the day of that vessels launching, and in
the ardor of youth planned what their lives
were going to be together.
THAT night Pericles O'Brien unexpect-
1 edly had to set out for the north coast
on salvage job, the floating of stranded
light vessel and so it happened that he did
not attend conference that Blackstone and
Carver held the following morning. A week
afterward he received letter from John
Laysan telling him that the Constance
Bevan had been registered with the chand-
Ter as her sole owner and Carver as her
master.
@The ships loading for despatch in two
weeks ran the closing sentence, and to
Pericles' sea-wise mind it was fraught with
portent 1t meant that Blackstone was
going to send the Constance to sea without
repairing her. New masts and spars and
rigging could not be put into the vessel in
that time, nor in any circumstances when
she was taking in cargo.
dts suicide no less at this season of the