Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-18

"I saw what You were doingr"
ticipated my suggestion. It's going to
be very important for one of you to be
on 5000 terms with the pcrser I think
take chances by asking too much. He
did he?"
mo" said Mary, regretfully. Il
never thought TO ASK
placently. He showed me over the
whole ship. Awful bore it was, too
! crossed in her half dozen times
Know things So ABOUT Bout Ser SMa he 'mns1ne hasn't
even suspected yet! But I wanted
look at Mr.. KS cabin--and I got II.
There's a small safe in there-and
SHELLY ss explained 10 me that he and
the only ones who have the combina.
tion. It's changed for every voyage
and even the captain doesn't know it,"
he, Hell i. lsp keep his papers there. Of
1--WE don't have to worry go much
about where he's hidden those valuable
papers. Unless all signs fail we know
that what we've got to do is to get
men who can do 1t. II he'd turned his
stun over to the purser for safe keep
Ing I'd be lot more dubious-because
a purser's strong room is the real
and very faithful and conscientious.
couldn't have done anything with him"
Just what do you expect to do as It
isT' asked Mona.
one OF you-and Miss Mary has
started. so that she'd better be tho
one-will have to make friends with
Shelley. The other will have to see
If there's human side to X. There
must be, you know-he must be suscep-
tible in some way"
II don't like his looks" said Mona
"And I doubt very much whether he'll
see anything in me-"
you'll have to try" said Mary.
'Oh. I'll do that" said Mona.
Mona lost no time in attempting TO
arouse the interest of the mysterious
Mr.. X. 1t seemed to be well understood
on board that Armstrong was not his
real name; that he was some import
ant, and probably, official parsonage,
who chose to travel under an assumed
name. He excited good deal of Curl
trude upon his evident desire to be
alone.
On an American ship 1t might have
been different. But on this vessel were
passengers much more accustomed to
the peculiar ways of an official caste.
Armstrong; privacy was rather point
edly respected: lie took no part in
the common life of the ship. He was
games OF cards, when tables were mado
up, on the spur of the moment for
bridge or poker. never claimed him.
He seemed to see no fun in throwing
rope Quoits at a stick, and he passed
the devotees of shuffleboard with a
tolerant smile. He made no friends at
meals, for he was careful to take his
meals always after the passengers at
the table had returned to deck; this,
when he did not eat in the solitary
state of his own state rooms.
So Mona saw herself deprived OF the
aid OF all the pleasant cultivators OF
t..Aa -
ship. On the ocean the conventions are
relaxed; introductions are dispensed
with more often than not. But though
plenty OF the men among the passeng-
for Joining in her walks about the
wind-swept decks, SIR. X. held aIoof.
If he noticed her at all he gave no
sign, and Mona, though she might have
managed II skilfuily enough, was
afraid to resort to the crude strata
gem Of boldly beginning the acquaint-
ance herself
She did as much as she thought was
was coming toward her, she stood at
the rail, peering out over the waves.
Calculating her time to a nicely. she
dropped the case that contained her
of the self-styled Armstrong; in a mo-
ment: cap in hand, he was bowinR be-
"Permit me-" he said. handing her the
"Oh, thank you. so muchw said Mona,
prettily confused. What a clumsy
thing to. dol I'm SO afraid they're
broken
Gravely he took the case from her,
drew out the glasses. and inspected
them.
"You are fortunate" he said. They
are quite uninjured. congratulate
youw
He restored them to her then. and
she had, perforce. to look through
them at q distant, gull. And when she
turned. expecting to find him at her
side. he had gone. She bit her lip; a
certain chagrin at her failure to
arouse his interest, that was wholly
personal, sent the color into her cheeks.
1t was a feeling distinct fl ON her dis
gust at the effect of his action upon
the more important phase of her work,
but 1t promised to rankle. 1t was a
long time since any man whom Mona
had deigned to notice had turned away
from her. She turned to go back to
her chair. and saw X. regarding her,
Bpeculatively, faintly amused. from a
spot little distance away.