Williams news., 1917-07-12

Now and again friends paused to pay their addresses to the Dowager Dragon; amiable, light-hearted people, personable and attractive; yet of them all the facile waxen tablets of Miss | Carteret's memory retained impress sions of but three personalities. One was the famous Peter Trait, claiming her interest more because of Mrs. Beggarstaff's outspoken delight in him than through any qualities he paraded during the few minutes he spent with the twO-a youngish, we'll poised body, with drawl and sort of insouciant humor that seemed to afford the Dragon intense diversion. But much of this mans discourse was couched in a modified phase of Ameri- can slang or else harked back to local American topics; both largely unintel- ligible to a sense of humor nourished on strictly British slang and 1ocalisms.
 Then there was a Mrs. Merrilees- according to Mrs. Beggarstaff not a year out of mourning for a worthless husband-an adorably pretty creature, and so bewitchingly gracious that Miss Carteret, at sight, first caught her breath with envy, then fell hope lessly in love with her.
 A third she remembered for no req son she could assign. His name was Quoin-a tall, taciturn man with a quiet voice, sen1f-ironic attitude toward the Dowager Dragons gush of spirited inconsequence, and sugges- ton of reserve. For some reason she remembered him more definitely even than she remembered Mrs. Merrilees. AS for the others, they might as well have been shadows on a cinemato- graph screen.
 By ten o'clock, leaving Mrs. Beggar- staff firmly fixed in the fourth seat at card table, engrossed by her one confessed infatuation, auction bridge, Miss Carteret was abed and asleep.
 A bed of almost sybaritic luxury it seemed, as 1t rocked her gently to for getfulness; but a bed of misery when she awoke in the chill of dawn, with the AlSatia, for all her immense bulk, dancing drunkenly to the tune piped by mad northeaster. And for more than sixty hours she was held the victim of mortal weakness and the ele. mentS' immortal rage.
 Intervals there were, of course, when, her sufferings temporarily abat- ed, she was able to talk a little with one or the other of her would-be com forters-Mrs. Beggarstaff and the stewardess. But on Tuesday a mem- orable conversation took place, neg ligible though it seemed at the time.
 It was at about six bells in the fore noon watch when the Dowager Dragon came below, ostensibly to find book, in reality to convey fair tidings.
 ''You're feeling better" she assert ed, after a shrewd look at the girl. | Propped up in bed, Miss Carteret moved languidly negative head.
 Don't tell me! I haven't crossed this mill-pond thirty times not to know when seasick woman's on the mend. Besides, haven't you noticed how much steadier the boat has been this last hour or two?"" 'S
 q thought I must be imagining it," the invalid murmured incredulously.
 'Nonsense! The barometer's been rising since midnight. The wind shift ed at dawn, and now we've a clearing sky and falling sea. Of course you're feeling better. You'll be on deck before night"
 "Oh, please, Mrs. Beggarstaffl" 6 Don't worry; shan't carry you off by force. Bless my inadequate in- come! Whats this?"
 The girl turned her head wearily to look
 Mrs. Beggarstaff had been standing | beside the chest of drawers, a hand | abstractedly toying with her protegee's simple jewelry, and suddenly had singled out brooch for wondering in- | terest.
 This brooch was a very beautiful thing, an exquisite cameo in -sardonyx framed in an oval frame of fine dia- monds; and Miss Carteret treasured it above all her possessions.
 "Where under the sun, child, did you pick this up?"
 Tt was given me on my fifteenth birthday"
 ''Ffve years ago?"
 "Just about. Why?"
 The Dowager Dragon laughed de- lightedly. My roundabout way of asking your age, dear" She turnaA the brooch over and held 1t to the
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