Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-03-07

o'clock that evening, with only a
handful Of passengers for the trip to
Naples. George had wired from Da-
mascus to Cairo to have his luggage
sent on. and he saw II put aboard him
self. Without letting Fortune know.
he had also ~telegraphed the hotel to
forward whatever she had left; but
the return wire informed him that
Mrs. Chedsoye had taken everything.
They we're leaning against the star
board rail. watching the slowly con-
verging lights Of the harbor. Fortune
had borrowed a cloak from her stew
ardess and George wore the mutt OF
the frstof1cer. The captain had Of
fered his, but George had declined.
He would have been lost In Its ample
folds.
Il can not understand why they
made no effort to find you." he unused.
1T doesn't seem quite human"
Don't you understand? 1t 10 sim
pie. My mother believes that Horace
and l ran away together. II not that,
I ran away myself, as that day
threatened to do. In either case, she
saw nothing could be done In trying to
find out where l had gone. Perhaps
she knows exactly what did happen.
Doubtless she has sent on my things
to Mentone. which, Of course, shall
never see again. No. mol can not
go back there. have known the
misery Of suspense long enough" She
lowered her head to the rail.
He came quite near to her. Hill
arms went out toward her, only to
drop down. He must wait. 1t was
very hard. But nothing prevented his
putting forth a hand to press hers re
assuringly, and saying: Don't dc
that, Fortune. 1t makes my hear
ache to Q a woman cry"
II am not crying" came in mufied
tones. e" am only sad. and tired
tired"
Everything will come out all right
In the end" he encouraged. "Of course
you are tired. What woman wouldnr
be, having gone through what yor
have? Here; let's sit In the steam
er-chairs till the bugle blows for din
ner. I'm a bit tagged out myself"
They lay back in the chairs, and nc
longer cared to talk. The lights twin
killed., but fainter and fainter, till al
last only the pale line between thu
sky and the sea remained. Sht
turned her head and looked sharply a
him. He was sound asleep. "Pool
boy!" she murmured softly. rHov
care-worn!" There was something
grotesQue in the mask Of desert tai
and shaven skin. How patient he hat
been through 1t all, and how kind ant
gentle to her! She remembered nov
Of seeing him that night in Cairo, ant
Of remarking how young and fresh h
seemed In comparison to the men sh'
knew and had met. And she mus
leave him, to 90 into the world ant
fight her own battles. II God had bu
given to her a brother like this! Blu
brother he never could be, no, no
even In the pleasant sense Of adoption
She did not want pity. . II
think Of his getting those things TO
her in Damascus! . Pity sue
gested that she was weak and helI
less, whereas she knew that she wa
both patient and strong. . . . Wha
did she wantY She glanced up an
down the deck. 1t was totally desert
ed save for them. Then, clad in tn
beauty Of a thousand stars" sh
leaned over and down and brushed hi
hand with her lips.
And George slept on. Only the blair
Of the bugle brought him back to muI
dane affairs. He was hungry, and h
announced the fact with gusto. The
would dine we'll that night. The cal
tain placed Fortune at his right an
George at his left, and preached a DO
tie Of fine old Johannisberger. An
the three Of them had coffee in tn
smoking-room. II the other passel
gers had any curiosity, they did NJ
manifest 1t openly.
Upon finding that they had no rel
need of staying yer in Naples, tn
captain urged that they take the r
turn voyage with him. He saw MOI
than either Of the young people, wit
those blue Teutonic eyes of hi
George promised to let him know wit
In a dozen hours Of the sailing. Ce
tainly Fortune would decide one We
or the other within that time.
Both had seen the Vesuvian ba
many times, with n~ever.failing 10,
and interest. They sailed across Il
bay in the bright clearness Of Il
morning,
You are going back with me
George announced In a tone which |
ferred that nothing nor was to |
9 said upon the subject. But. for 9
his confidence, there was a great al
heavy fear upon his heart as he ask,
l. for mail at the little Enclosure
1. Cook'A in the Galleria Vittoria The