The Washington times., 1913-08-05
CHAPTER XXI lcontinuedl.
((r lard UP! Hard up" cried
IL Paul in alarm.
Blindly. Emily recovered

herself and put the helm up.
The Daphne fell OF before the wind, and
her skipper turned again tothe strange
sail.
NO" he said she's outward bound
going the other way. We could ney-
er overtake her." He took the wheel
again. Better look at her. partner. It's
a full-rigged ship. Not many of 'em
left Pretty soon the sea will know
them no more. They'll be gone-like-
like the dreams of yesterday"
In a few minutes the outward-boun-
der dipped out of sight, but even before
she went a mist had shut her from
Emily's vision. Dreams OF yesterday" "
her thoughts kept repeating.
Although the Daphne had been lying
along in a beaten track of vessels for
more than two weeks, this was the first
sail to be sighted from her decks-the
first vessel to come within her ken since
had arrived out"
Don't feel badly, Emily" Paul said,
as the gold woman faced him. ANY
hour may bring us with homeward-
bounder."
II do not feel badly" she answered.
and her pride helped her mask her
feelings; but II we are going to be
home by next Sunday we are going TO
have one more picnic.
With that she went forward to the gal
ley. The preceding Sunday she had pre-
pared a luncheon for both OF them and
they had eaten II at the wheel together.
They had prepared for IT day ahead.
talking childish make-believes of what
they would wear and of the good things
they would have to eat Paul had stolen
the time TO shave. Emily had found
bit of pink ribbon and put IL in her hair.
This had been their change OF apparel.
Such a meal as the cheap, sea-sour pro-
visions of the Daphne afforded had been
thu picnic luncheon of their fiction.
But Saturday Of this week had slipped
by, and neither had spoken OF a rept-
ton. Emily had waited for Paul to say
something. He had waited for her. Yet
there was a bit of ribbon in her hair.
And she had observed that morning
when he had come on deck to relieve
her at 10 o'clock that he was freshly
shaven.
OF a sudden Emily paused in the
midst of her picnic preparations, her
mind stumbling upon the strangest
thought that had yet come to her OF
Paul's inexplicable mood.
Can there be another woman in his
IIfe?'' whispered this thought.
Instantly there came into her mind
the night on the Isle Of Hope when she
had heard him in unconsciousness of a
woman to whom he would soon come
home.
She remembered that she had even.
prayed for this woman.
"Cherchez la femme" Nothing was
truer than that. Always the woman.
Her thoughts went wild. They began
pIcturing the sort OF woman who might
have come into his life and who might
be coming back into il. No; she would
never come back into it, for If she had
let him 90 when the blow fell he was
not the kind 10 let her back. Still love
moved men In strange ways.
1t was a sorry picnic that was spread
on the Daphne's deck. 1t came 10 an
end at 2 o'clock when Paul turned the
wheel over to Emily and started for
ward with the dishes they had used
"I think ! shall break out some coal
for the donkey" he announced.
But it's Sunday, you know said
Emily, making a brave effort TO smile.
There was an invitation for him to re-
main. in her glance, but he would not
"And you've forgotten your sailors
90 six DAYS thou shalt work, doing all
that thou art able, and on the seventh,
holystonc the decks and stow away
the cable
He smiled as he quoted the sea-grimed
lines, which the first shellback on the
ark must have turned. Then slowly he
put down the dishes and irresistibly-a
powerful magnet might have been con-
trolling nlm-ne was NTd"n art 10 the
gold woman. He took her face between
his hands and kissed her as he had
kissed her that day in the lounge.
She dropped the wheel and staggered.
NV lover" she whispered
Darling" he whispered.
Just as the Daphne was striking
aback the madness which was upon La
velIe. passed from him. and he seized
the wheel.
AS ne sent her of before the wind
again the back draft of the shaking
saiIs waited to him a sulfurous odor.
which chilled the last drop of blood in
his veins.
''Eimly, take the wheel. Keep her full
as she Is"
Paul, dear, what
The psllor Of death was In his face.