South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-04
BY MABEL HERBERT URNER.

on now. sir. She's ready to pull of"
The words struck terror TO Helen,
but Warren threw open the door with
rough:
We'll. II you put people off at this
outlandish hour you'l have TO wait
till they get ready. Here. you can
take this trunk"
Through the open door Helen could
see Warren thrusting things into his
suit case with more haste than she
had ever seen him exert. His hat was
on the back Of his head and he was
Enthusiastically worried. She longed 70
go in and help him, but feared he
would only roar at her 70 keep out OF
the way. Suddenly he called:
Where's the shawlstrap?"
Why isn't II there" rushing in to
find him struggling with the big roll OF
steamer rugs and coats and looking
desperately about for shawlstrap.
"Whered you put it, he shouted.
Why. dear ] didn't see it; You I'M
rolled the rugs"
Yes and put it right there on top
OF that wardrobe"
Helen climbed up on the berth TO
! look on top OF the wardrobe, but only
life preservers were there. In the
meantime Warren was ringing wildly
for the stateroom steward-swearing
Under his breath.
Here the chief steward appeared
again at the door They're waiting,
sir. The captain says they'll have to
put of in a moment"
We'll, they'll not go without us.
We're booked for London and they've
got TO land us there. It's the lines
fault for putting passengers off at this
indecent hour. Here you" as the
staterOom steward rushed up. I'VE
put a ShaWlStrap on top Of that ward
robe-what did you do with it?"
Sorry sir, didn't see it, sir" and
/ he began "A hurried search.
Now they were all searching
Helen. Warren, the room steward and
the steward. At any other time il
would have struck Helen as irTesistibly
funny-these four people falling over
each other in their frantic search for
a shawlStrap in that tiny staterOom.
But with the tender waiting and no
way to take the rugs and coats, the
situation was far from humorous.
Now the second officer came to the
door TO find out what was the trouble,
and to say the captain would hold the
tender only three minutes longer.
Hell hold her till we get on" al
most shouted Warren, cor I'll raise a
row at your London office that your
whole blame line will hear from"
Then TO the room steward. Get a rope
and rope up those rugs. No use look
ing for that strap"
OF TO the Tender.
The steward dashed out for a rope.
and in second two Of them were on
their knees, tying up the rugs. The
chief steward caught up the rest OF
the hand baggage and fairly swept
I them down TO the tender
Although only a few Of the pas
sengers were landing at Plymouth.
many of the others were ND to see
them off. And now as Helen hurried
on she flushed holly under the many
disappearing eyes. All these people
knew il was for them that the boat
had been kept waiting.
The tender itself was something like
o ferrybOat and the other passengers
who with their baggage had come on
board in plenty of time. stood in a
little group at the bow. Helen bowed
and smiled to a few she had met on the
trip, but she felt they were talking of
her and Warren, and wondering what
had kept them.
Already the sailors were pulling up
the rOpeS-in a moment they would be
of. There was a heavy morning mist
which obscured the shore and even
| the maStS of the big ship that still
doomed up beside them.
Just as she began TO. put off a shout
OF AOlu. went up from the deck and
Warren's stateroOm steward came
rushing down the railing
It's for Mr.. Curtis-Mr Curtis" he
cried as he leaned far over and gave
something TO one OF the tender officers
/ just as they swept away
Everyone turned TO look at Warren
/ as the officer handed il to him. Helen
caught the CLINT of gOld-it was his
watch,
j Warren quickly slipped it into his
pocket, but not before they had all
seen or guessed what il was There
was a general laugh in which he was
/ forced TO join. AS he waved back his
thanks TO the steward
" our watch cried Helen untact-
fully. "Oh, where did you leave ito"
Under the pillow. I suppose" he
snapped. Now yOu'H have something
10 harp on for the next six months"
Why, Warren. ycd know L never
did harp on anything. Only YOU were
so hurried. If YOU only had packed
last night, and
Packed your grandmother. 1t was
that internal shawlstrap that made
the trouble. If you hadn't hidden il
away In one of your Strengthening M
manias we'd been all right. VVhere'd
YOU put the blame thing-that's what
l want to know"