Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-02

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 acquaintanceship that so abound
on a ship. On the ocean the conven-
lions are relaxed; introduction are
dispensed with more often than not
But though plenty OF the men among
the passengers found excuse for talk
ing with her, for joining in her walks
about the wind-swept decks, Mr.. X.
held aloof. If he noticed her at all
he gave no sign, and Mona, though
she might have managed it skiltully
enough, was afraid to resort to the
crude stratagem of boldly beginning
the acquaintance herself.
She did as much as she thought was
safe. One day, when she saw that he
was coming toward her, she stood at
the rail, peering out over the waves.
Calculating her time to nicely, She
dropped the case that contained her
marine glasses. They fell at the feet
OF the selt-styled Armstrong; in mo-
ment, cap in hand, he was bowling be-
fore her.
Permit me-" he said, handing her
the case.
oh, thank you, so muchP 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. l congratulate
your
He restored them to her then, and
she had, perforce, to look through
them at 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 feeling distinct from
her disgust at the effect of his action
upon the more important phase OF her
work, but it promised to rankle. 1t
was long time since any man whom
Mona had deigned to notice had
turned away from her. She turned to
60 back to her chair, and saw X. re-
garding her, speculatively, family
amused, from spot little distance
away.
"Beastp' she said to herself. Hes
perfectly sure | dropped those glasses
intentionally--for him to pick upl |
wonder-am | getting clumsy, or is
he preternaturally wise and expert
enced? He looks like the sort of
man that women are supposed to find
irresistible!"
But though Mona's determination
to succeed was only sharpened by
this incident, she was obliged to adj
nit to herself, after few more
days, that she had met man at last
who was entirely impervious to her
charms.
The two girls had followed the sug
gestion Of Jones; they contrived with
out resorting to anything obvious, to
give the ship the impression that they
disliked one another. Like all the
women on board, they spoke, but
each was cold and distant. 1t seemed
that they were of opposite and in
stinctively antagonistic types.
Meanwhile, though Mona had failed
in her part of the undertaking,
Mary's triumph was complete. Her
subjugation of the purser was the talk
of the ship. The two took long walks
about the decks; heads nodded as
they passed, and there were many
smiles and whispers about the bud
ding romance. Shelley found Mary
captivating; it was difficult for her to
keep his ardor within bounds at all.
He sighed, talked of his wretched
work, that almost forbade him to
marry; conhhded to her that he in
tended as soon as he could, to find
work ashore.
This sort of thing is all very we'll
for time" he told her. But when
chap begins to think Of marrying
and settling down-why, the seas no
place for him, them
"Oh-oh" said Mary, innocently
why, when l first came aboard, you
told me that you loved your work,
Mr.. Shelley"
"Oh, well-one says lots Of things
one finds one was mistaken about.
when one has time to thinkP he said
fatuously.
Shelley was far gone, indeed; there
could be no doubt about that. And
Jones, taking note Of everything, was
we'll satisfied, on the whole. He knew
that Mona had failed, but he had
never built very strong hopes upon
the outcome OF her attempt to pene-
trate the shell of Mr.. X. He knew
very we'll that in the spy he was op-
posed by an antagonist who would
require the very best efforts Of any
who opposed him. And his determine
ton to recover the plans was not one
whit daunted by the increasing dark
ness of the outlook.
The day before the steamer was to
dock saw the three conspirators again
in consultation.
"By Jove-it looks pretty badw
SAID Jones. NOW, II we were on an
American liner, going into New York,
I'd have no difficulty! I'd have that
safe opened in jiffy on the plea that
he was smuggler-and get the
chance to search things"
Mary started.
wait a minutew she said, sud-
denly. 81 believe I've got an idea-it's
terribly risky-but, if there was any
real trouble, you could get us all out
of it, sooner or later, couldn't your"
"As soon as / could reach the near
est American minister with my Gre
dentialsn said Innes mRut that sart