The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-07-30

Inc soup anu lSH are eACeileHl'
she answered hastily. Il simply
haven't any appetite. . What
does he think has become of herr"
Tom shrugged his shoulders. "Wha
can he think? He imagines all sorts
of dire things. and is nearly crazy with
though"
"Police!" she exclaimed in a
shocked voice. is 1t really as bad
as that?"
Shows" said Tom sagely, lust
how much one thoughtless girl can
turn things t%opsy-turvy. But,
hang it all; I'm sorry you're not en-
joying your luncheon. Feeling ILL.,"
The girl had pushed back her plate,
and she now sat silently contemplat,
ing her hands clasped upon the table
edge.
"I-I-believe ! am not feeling very
WELL" she replied family, meeting his
anxious look with eyes so somber that
Tom was alarmed. "A touch of head.
ache-don't let me spoil your appe.
tite-it will be gone in a minute" And
she mustered up the ghost of a smile.
Tom, though, continued to watch
her, his own c~ountenance rejecting
his suddenly awakened concern, while
her smile grew until presently she was
apparently her normal self again.
"There!-it is gone!" she lightly de
clared, and, to Toms immense relief.
commenced c%hattering gayly, and did
not again allude to the scatter.
brained' cousin. But neither did she
do more than trife with the succession
Of dishes which Hewitt's deft hands
placed before her.
When the meal was finished, her
mood underwent another abrupt
change; she grew serious again.
Nov. If you will excuse me, | be-
lieve | will go and lie down for a
while"
Eyes. do" he urged. TOO bad you
should feel so! Isn't there anything
| can do?-anything | can get you?"
His eagerness to serve her was re-
warded with a smile that made her
lovely countenance inexpressibly sweet
and winning; but 1t was manifest even
to his needless regard that she was
distract and wanted TO be alone.
The long afternoon dragged by in a
monotonous fashion, and Tom was
both disappointed and troubled when
Molly, the mulatto stewardess. in
formed him that zone of the ladies
would appear for dinner.
The other young lady seems ter
ribly worried" Molly enlarged; "she
has something on her mind that's driv'
ing her distracted. Miss-your friend
is trying to quiet her"
The news augmented his curiosity.
What seems to be the matter?" he
asked.
Don't know" replied Molly with an
air of Importance. she just suffers
and don't say anything. She's a high
| strung young lady, the kind that feels
more than most do. She's taking II
pretty hard, whatever her trouble may
be-"
As he dined In solitary grandeur
| Tom puzzled over the circumstance
not a little, and, as was usual with
him, the inference vas slow In com
ing. that whatever had upset the mys
terious young lady. it must have oc
| Cured on the yacht. The merriment
| OF all three. as they came aboard las
night, testified to this fact. AT any
rate. he thus accepted the conclusion
without taking into account that thu
trouble was a secret one. and that it l:
woman's peculiar gift to be able Il
hide carking care behind a mask o
gayety.
But he had scarcely got his pipe Il
| going before one OF the watch sough
him out where he had retired upon tn.
bridge. bearing the information tina
a young lady wanted to see him i'm
mediately at the gangway.
He descended to the main deck ant
made his way aftward with as brave
| show OF nonchalance as he could rally
The night was clear and starlit
| and consequently the darkness wa
not so dense as it had been the previ
GUS night: therefore. when he arrived
at the gangway he was able to make
out that the group standing there were
in the midst of a strained situation.
The first officer. Mr.. Mercer. ant
two sailors showed plainly that thei.
state of mind was exceedingly blacl
and cheerless. while the girl stood
little apart. impatiently tapping tn
deck with one foot.
AS soon as he approached she ad
dressed him eagerly.
"Oh, Captain Phinney! II seem
that l am trying to transcend your al
thority. I'm sorry. But I'm SO ans
ious to be taken over to the Clare
mont landing that ! neve though
there might be any special formalitie
to be observed"
why, l suppose It's all right" h
returned uneasily. "You have a-er-
a permit from Mr.. Willard. o
COURSE"
She drew swiftly back with q 18th
movement.
Permit" she exclaimed uncompre
hendingly. Toms fears were realised
she had none and he groaned inward
ly-'T don't understand"
He all at once felt as unhappy q
Mercer looked. Wheeling upon tina
gentleman. be snapped in an under