Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-09-25

lue soup anu ubh are e8Ccheht.
she answered hastily. Il simply
haven't any appetite. What
does he think has become of herr"
Tom shrugged his shoulders. What
can he think? He imagines all sorts
of dire things. and is nearly crazy with
anxiety. The police will find her
though"
"Police!" she exclaimed in a
shocked voice. ''Is 1t really as bad
as that?"
Shows" said Tom sageiy. Just
how much one thoughtless girl can
turn things topsy-turvy. But.
hang 1t 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
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 countenance rejecting
his suddenly awakened concern. while
her smilegrew until presently she was
apparently her normal self again.
"There!-it is gone!" she lightly de-
clared, and. to Toms immense relief.
commenced chattering gayly, and did
not again allude to the scatter
Drained" 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.
Now, II you will excuse me. l be-
lieve I will go and lie down for a
while"
Yes. do" he urged. TOO bad you
should feel so! Isn't there anything
can do?-anything I can get you?"
His eagerness to serve her was re-
warded with smile that made her
lovely countenance inexpressibly sweet
and winning: but 1t was manifest even
to his needless regard that she was
distrait and wanted to be alone.
The long afternoon dragged by in q
monotonous fashion, and Tom was
both disappointed and troubled when
Molly. the mulatto stewardess. in
formed him that none 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 1t
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 was slow In COM
ing, that whatever had upset the mys-
terious young lady. 1t must have oc-
Cured on the yacht. The merrimeut
of all three. as they came aboard last
night. testified to this fact. At any
rate, he thus accepted the conclusion.
without taking into account that the
trouble was a secret one. and that It is
woman's peculiar gift to be able to
hide carking care behind a mask OF
gayety.
But he had scarcely got his pipe to
going before one of the watch sought
him out where he had retired upon the
bridge. bearing the information that
young lady wanted to see him i'm.
mediately at the gaugway.
He descended to the main deck and
| made his way aftward with as brave a
show of nonchalance as he could rally.
The night was clear and starlit,
and consequently the darkness was
not so dense as 1t had been the previ-
ous night; therefore. when he arrived
at the gangway he was able to make
out that the group standing there were
in the midst of strained situation.
The first officer. Mr.. Mercer, and
two sailors showed plainly that their
state of mind was exceedingly black
and cheerless. while the girl stood a
little apart. impatiently tapping the
deck with one foot.
As soon as he approached she ad-
dressed him eag erly.
"Oh. Captain Phinney! 1t seems
that l am trying to transcend your au-
thority. I'm sorry. But I'm SO anx.
ious to be taken over to the Clare
mont landing that ! never thought
there might be any special ,formalities
TO be observed"
why. suppose it's all right" he
returned uneasily. You have a-er-
a permit from Mr.. Willard. OF
course-?"
She drew swiftly back with a 1.-THE
movement.
Permit" she exclaimed uncompre,
hendingly. Toms fears we're realized
she had none. and he groaned inward