Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1917-07-11
CHAPTER Ill.

Long after dark Miss Carteret wax
ened. For some minutes she lay in
lazy content, unstirring, wide eyes
dreaming into obscurity. The state
room was dusky with shadows; but
deck lights beyond the open window
ports pointed wan squares upon the
white interior woodwork. The sweep
of clean sea air through the room was
as sweet as fresh cool water to a
parched throat. Feeling stronger and
more herself for each delicious breath,
humbly the girl gave thanks; for 1t
seemed that, with the passing Of the
gale, the CHASTITY incubus of mal-de-
mer had been exercised.
Presently, conscious of pang of
hunger, she touched the repeating
spring on her bracelet watch-an ex-
quisitely small, jeweled extravaganza,
her fathers gift of the previous Christ
maS-and bent an attentive ear to it's
elfin chime. Eight o'clock. 1t was too
late to dress and dine in public. But
as she lay in doubt, trying to decide
| whether she was really as hungry as
| she felt, or would do better to deny
| herself food until breakfast, she heard
sound from the outer deck so singu-
lar that in a twinkling it focused her
drowsy, Grant wits.
The sound was "Psst-pssst-psssst,"
trisyllabic hiss of which each part
was longer and more emphatic than
it's predecessor. Enthusiastically of hui
man origin, though as odd and alarm
ing as the warning of a serpent, it
brought the girl from her bed to her
feet with a start.
Her movement was noise;csS one.
The man who had sounded thG. strange
call she discovered stealing immedi-
ateIy outside the window; his back
was to it, so that she could see little
more than the concave line of his
dark, lean, shaved cheek, and the back
Of a long, narrow head beneath a
steamer cap with vizor we'll down over
his eyes.
Almost Immediately the hiss was an
swered by quick, light footsteps, and
the voice of one as yet invisible, a
voice of guarded accent but vibrant
with indignation, "What the devil do
you mean by buZzing me like that?'
The girl trembled. Unless her senses
were untrustworthy, she knew that
voice better than her own. 1t seemed
impossible that she could be mistaken.
It was again audible, the response
of the man outside the window having
escaped her, ''You infatuate ass Don't
you know better than to take srch
chances?'
ooh, it's all right. He's up on the
boat deck, chinnin' with some skirt
you. Trust me-"
'Trust. you to play the fool! Don't
you know every word you utter can be
!, overheard in those staterooms?
Instinctively the girl crouched in the
shadow of her bedstead, in deadly ter
ror lest she be detected at her involun'
tary eavesdropping-so strong upon
her sensitive perceptions the psyche
logical effect of this surreptitious pas
sage.
But her fears were quickly dissipat
ed the interview terminating as ab
ruptly as it had begun.
Goodnight I" that well-rememberec
voice continued incisively. "And fol
the last time I warn you: Don't ap
proach me again aboard this ship"
"But-listen," the other pleaded
and threatened in the one breath
"We got to get straight answer GU
of you"
"Pve given it already-twice. Fol
the third time-now With this the
last speaker strobe brislzly forward.
Rising as silently as any shadow
Miss Carteret again turned her face
to the port.
The man who had Kissed was still
there, watching the other way.
She fancied something sullen ant
menacing in the lowering inclination
of his head, the stoop of his marrow
shoulders.
Suddenly, with a mumbled word
inarticulate with anger, he turned ant
went swiftly aft.