Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-06-23
She Stopped at the Rail.


them. There was some rumor of her
being engaged to the duke of What's
his-name, but it fell through because
she wouldn't settle fortune on him.
Only sensible thing she ever did, prob
ably"
"And did you notice who sat next
to her at luncheon?"
"a gentleman with a past, Mr.. Craig
tells me-"
II dare say Miss Chetwood has a
past, too, if one but knew. To travel
alone like this!'
Busybodies! Martha rose indignant
ly and returned to the other side of
the deck. She had lived too long with
Elsa not to have learned self-repres-
sion, and that the victory is always
with those who stoop not to answer.
| Nevertheless, she was alarmed. Elsa
must be warned.
All Elsa said was: "My dear Martha,
in a few days they and their tittle-tat-
tie will pass out of my existence, ad-
hitting that they have ever entered
it. I repeat, my life is all my own,
and that I am concerned only with
| those whom I wish to retain as my
friends. Gossip is the shibboleth of
the mediocre, and, thank heaven, I am
not mediocre"
While dressing for dinner Elsa dis
covered note on the floor of her
cabin. The writing was unfamiliar.
She opened it and sought first the
hnr
| dened, and her lips twisted in disdain.
She did not read the note, but the
natural keenness of her eye caught
the name of Warrington. She tore
the letter into scraps which she tossed
out of the portfolio. What a vile thing
the man was! He had had the ef-
frontery to sign his name. He must
be punished.
1t was as late as ten o'clock when
she and Warrington went up to. the
bow and gazed down the cut-water.
| Never had see seen anything so
weirdly beautiful as the ribbons of
phosphorescence which fell away on
each side, LUMINOSITY blue and faxed
with dancing starlike particles,
I luIOuSu WulCu, ever duu duOu, Lug
fish, dripping with the fire, spun out
ward like tongues of flame.
"Often, when I was stocking, during
an hour or so of relief, I used to steal
up here and look down at the mystery,
for it will ever be a mystery to me.
And I found comfort"
"Are you religious, too?"
I'm one thing, that God demands
that every man shall have faith in
himself
How deep his voice was as COM
pared to Arthur. Arthur. Elsa
) frowned at the ripping magic. Why
was she invariably comparing the two
men? What significance did it have
: upon the future, since, at the present
moment, it was not understandable?
There is man on board by the
name of Craig" she said. Il advise
you to beware of him.
"Who introduced him to you?" The
anger in his voice was very agree
able to her ears. Who dared to-"
mo one. He introduced himself on
the way up to Mandalay. In Rangoon
I closed the acquaintance, such as it
was, with the aid of hat pin
"a hat pin! What did he say to
your roughly.
:. Nothing that I care to repeat.
Stop! I am perfectly able to take
care of myself. I do not need any
: valiant Champion
He has spoken to you about me?''
ga letter I saw only his name and
| r - ~
: board. Let us go back. Somehow,
everything seems spoiled. I am sorry
I spoke
81 shall see that he does not bother
you again." ominous1y.
\ They returned to the promenade
: deck in silence.
When Warrington found Craig the
man was helplessly intoxicated. He
lay sprawled upon his mattress, and
} the kick administered did not stir him.
Warrington looked down at the sodden
wretch modify.
Craigs intoxication was fortunate
for him, otherwise he would have been
roughly handled; for there was black
: murder in the heart of the broken
man standing above him. Warrington
relaxed his clenched hands. This evil
breathing thing at his feet was the
: primal cause of it all, he and mans
damnable weakness. Of what use his
} new-found fortune? Better for him
J had he stayed in the jungle, better
: have died there, hugging his poor de-
fusion. Oh, abysmal fool that he had
been!