The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-10-03

sand tons, with bridge and deck
houses rising like an island amid
ships, indistiguishable from hun
derd others of her kind that hardly
roam the seas in search of trade.
Captain Nelson Sackett sat at the
desk in his mall cabin and tried to
write a letter to his wife. The task
was not so pleasant as usual. His
solid shoulders were hunched for
ward. the ruddy, interpid counte-
nance was clouded, and he wiped n
perspiring brow with his shirt sleeve
after making several false starts with
a sputtering pen.
At length he managed to say what
1t sorely troubled him to disclose,
and then, with a reader mind, he
wrote these closing words:
You and l will laugh over this
when l steam into the Mersey and
you are waiting for me on the land
Ing stage with the youngster holding
fast to your hand. Bless him!-
that was fine school report for an
eight-year-old that he sent me at
Rio. l shall have some time to play
with him while the ship is in Lever
pool l am loving you, Judith, the
same as always, and l shall ever be
Your fond and faithful husband.
In haste to post the letter in the
next outbound mail, he sent boat
ashore with it, and went below to
CnnSIlt ioF
When he returned to the deck.
small tug was making for the Chill
ton Grange at top speed, frantically
Blowing its whistle to attract notice.
AS it foamed alongside Captain
Sackett saw standing in front of the
wheelhouse a tall, smartly tailored
young man with a pink and white
complexion, Enthusiastically English
his smile frank and boyish
Flourishing his straw hat. the
young man called up:
Not such an awful lot of time to
spare-what? They told me at the
wharf that you had cleared for
Liverpool. L should like to come
aboard, if you please"
He held kit bag, and the two
leather trunks in the bow were OBJ
Viously his property The puzzled
shipmaster bluntly replied:
You have chased the wrong YES
sci. Better have another try at il
Undismayed, the debonair Young
man calmly returned:
Not bit Of it, This is precise
~ all right. The Chiffon Grange is
what | want. Hoist this luggage
aboard, will you?"
Drunk or daffy." said Cantain
Nelson to his elderly first mate. "A
person who mistakes us for a mas
Senger boat has violent delusions
The voice OF the young man float
ed up to them in amiable expostuIa-
tior:
II fancied you might recognize
me. Evidently not. Stupid of me,
I am Mr. Hayden Norcross Won
know My father happens to own
7Ne Chiffon Grange"
captain Sackett's mouth hung
open While he stared down at the trg
fhoades. the melancholy first mate
F'uns to the rail and forgot his er-
rand. The seamen within earshor
Tcuihed to the side to view the SEN
sational stranger
You are the son of Sir James
Habh Norcross?" incredulouslv cried
the skipper
The only one there is. NV dear
man. can't very well give you nv
card until you let me aboard. I in
tend to sail with you
You intend to sail with me? II
don't know about that. OF course if
you put it to me as an order; but"
The captain spoke slowly. his rather
stolid features working with some
hidden emotion
Crisply, with a touch of impa-
Tence. the heir Of the great shipping
house Of Norcross exclaimed as heI
made for the side ladder:
"Oh. say, drop that nonsense,
You and l will have to get ON hetter
than this. Please do as I tell Won -
With shrug Captain Sackett or
dered the trunks taken aboard. and
noted that they bore the stenciled
name OF Hayden Norcross. Again
ergdPingly affable fha youno ..