Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-10-31

wonderful for you to tight your way
like that. when your father was rich
1t was a mans work. Tell me about
it. Your sea life, / mean"
The eagerness of her voice must
have touched a responsive chord. for
almost before l realized my purpose.
began speaking. l began at the first,
relating my life as cabin boy. and as
man before the mast. my first voyage
as mate, and the experiences Of my
earliest command. told of shipwreck
In the South seas; of a battle for life
in the Indian ocean Of strange peoples
met In every quarter Of the earth
of fighting windy gales OFF the Allan
tic coast, and the silent desolation of
trOpic seas. Breathless with interest,
she questioned me, and 1 answered,
feeling the magic of her eyes on my
face, the soft intoxication of her pres
ence beside me. She was natural,
wholesome, the very sort of woman /
had dreamed about, as being some
where in the world. yet had never met
before. Her very presence was inspi-
ration, but beyond this vague impress
sion my dream did not go. Then I
looked aside a. her and laughed, realiz-
ing suddenly how loquacious / had
been.
Really, 1 must have nearly talked
you to Sleep" said regretfully. II do
not know when 1 have before been
guilty of such egotism."
"Do not say that. II was most in
teresting. 1t is nice to be spoken to
as though one was an intelligent hu-
man being-it is quite an experience"
Perhaps I do not understand"
Doubtless not, for you are not a
girl, and you tell me you never sought
society. The very nature Of your life
has left you frank and straightforward.
You talk to me Just as you would to q
man."
IF my frankness has interested
you," ventured, "can you not realize
how much desire to learn more-who
you are, why you are hereT
"Of course; but I cannot tell you.
Mr.. Hollis-not yet"
She looked at her wrist watch, hold
Ing 1t out into star-gleam. which re-
vealed the white shapeliness Of her
arm.
II dare not even remain here with
you longer"
But you will come again? This is
not to be our last meetingT
She hesitated, her eyes meeting
nine almost kindly; then she held out
her hand.
'The last-yes, in this way. You
will meet me again, but not as we are
onight. have truly enjoyed being
With you. of hearing your story, but
his meeting here alone was not my
.hOice. You understand l could not
void it, and after I was discovered,
had to remain and win your pledge
o secrecy. You will not forget that"
"Assuredly not. You will not return
o the deck tomorrow nightT"
She laughed softly, and withdrew
Ter hand, which I still held.
AouOiiOW AiSul' OHs CduuOI |
ell; we may be far enough at sea by
hen SO need no longer seek fresh air
y night. l told you my concealment |
vas only temporary. Good night, Mr..
Iollis."
The gray dress she wore left upon
,e the impression that she faded
rom sight, her dim outline vanished
0 suddenly amid the shadows. l took
swift step forward, impelled by an
'resistible desire to ascertain In what
ortion Of the yacht she found conceal.
tent, yet paused almost as quickly.
Vho she was, and why she had chosen
D unconventional a manner of Joining
8, was beyond my guessing. I essayed
lany theory, yet one after the other,
II broke down, and left me cropping in
arkness. Only one fact remained
to which I could cling with
onfidence-the girl was no mere ad-
enturess, no criminal; she was doing
othing of which she was In the least
shamed, nor had she the slightest
ar the consequences.
1 slept so soundly as to be the last
lest at the breakfast table the next
Orning. although as I sat there alone
Osdick returned from the deck to the
bin, seeking raincoat, and report
g heavy fog, through which the
lcht was proceeding slowly. The YES
i was still within easy view Of Mon
uk, or had been before the mist shut
,wn, but the really important news
I'd come to Darlington by wireless
,sitive information of the outbreak
war. Russia and France were pit
d against Germany and Austria In
e death grapple. The German troops
ID already begun an invasion of Bel
um on their drive toward Paris. It
as still unknown what course Eng
nd would take.
The nature Of this news obscured all