Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-10-24
their hardness. One Of the stewards
was engaged In stacking them up and
making them fast.

their hardness. One Of the stewards
was engaged In stacking them up and
making them fast
Miss Guile's chair and that Of Mrs.
CASTOR were stanchly fastened down
and their rugs were In place. r.
Schmidt experienced an exquisite
sense of pleasure. Here was q perfect
exemplifcation Of that much abused
thing known as circumstantial evi-
dence. She contemplated coming on
deck. So he had his chair put In
place, called for his rug. shrugged his
chin down into the collar Of his thick
ulster and sat down to wait.
She literally was blown into his
presence. he sprang to his feet to
check her swift approach before she
could be dashed against the wall or
upon the heap Of chairs In the corner.
She uttered an excited little shrek as
she came bang up against him and
found his ready arms closing about
her shoulders.
"Oh. goodness!" she gasped. with
what little breath she had left, and
then began to laugh as she freed her
self in confusion-a very pretty con-
fusion, he recalled later on, after he
had recovered to some extent from
the effects Of an exceedingly severe
bump on the back of his head. "How
AWKWARD"
"Not at all," he proclaimed. retain
ing q grip on one Of her arms until
the ship showed some signs Of resum-
ing its way eastward instead Of down
ward.
T am sure it must have hurt dread
fully" she cried. "Nothing hurts
worse than a bump. It seemed as
though you must have splintered the
wall"
II have a singularly hard head"
said he, and forthwith felt Of the
back of it."
"Will you please stand ready to re-
ceive boarders? My maid is follow
ing me. poor thing, and can't afford
to have her smashed to pieces. Here
she isl"
Quite q pretty maid, with wide,
Mortified eyes and a pale green COM
plexion came hustling around the
corner. R. Schmidt, albeit q prince.
received her with open arms.
"Merci. m'sieur!" she squealed and
added something in mufled French
that strangely reminded him Of what
Hobbs had said In English. Then she
deposited an armful Of rugs and mag
azines at Robins feet and clutched
wildly at a post actually some ten
feet away, but which appeared to be
coming toward her with obliging
swiftness, 80 nicely was the deck ro-
tating for her. ~Mon dieu! Mon
dieu!"
You may go back to bed, Marie"
cried her mistress In some haste.
But ze rug, feex it." groaned the
unhappy maid. and then once more.
'tMerci. m'sieur!" She clung to the
arm he extended and tried bravely to
smile her thanks.
"Herel Go In through this door" :"
he said. bracing the door open with
his elbow. You'll be all right in q
little while. Keep your nerve" he
closed the door after her and turned
to the amused Miss Guile. We'll, it's
an Ill wind that blows no good" he
said enigmatically, and she flushed un-
der the steady smile in his eyes. al.
low me to arrange your rug for you.
Miss Guile"
THANK you, no. ! think ] would
better go inside. It Is really too
windy
"The wind can't get at you back here
In this cubbyhole," he protested. do
sit down. I'll have you as snug as
bug In a rug before you can say Jack
Robinson. See! Now stick 'em out
and I'll wrap 1t around them. There!
You're as neatly done up as mummy
and q good deal better Of, because
you are a long way short Of being
1000 years old"
"How Is your head. Mr.. Schmidt"
she inquired. with grave concern
'You seem to be quite crazy. Ihope"-
Every one is little bit mad. don't
you think, especially in moments Of
great excitement. I daresay my head
has been turned quite appreciably, and
I'm glad that you've been kind enough
to notice It. Where Is Mrs. Gastonf
he was vastly exhilarated.
She regarded him with eyes that
sparkled and belied the unamiable ma
ture Of her reply.
"The poor lady is where she Is not
at all likely to be annoyed, Mr..
Schmidt"
Then she took up magazine and
coolly began to run through the pages.
He waited for moment, considerably
dashed. and then said. "Oh," In q very
unfriendly manner. She found her
place IN the magazine, assumed q
more comfortable position and with
noteworthy resolution set about read
ing as II her Life depended upon It