The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1917-08-03

out the meal with downcast eyes, mute
save when courtesy dictated speech.
Later she found herself seated by her
Dragons side on the lee Of the prone
made deck, in darkness save for the
beams from lighted ports. For little
the girl relished all this with gladness.
But presently her spirits sagged again
and she grew drowsy, and fingered
from her bed only to please the
adopted her pro tempore-"on susp1-
cion," as Mrs. Beggarstaff put 1t, not
without q little harmless malice: 80
Now and again friends paused to
nay 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 ne
naraded during the few minutes he
spent with the two-a young1sh, Well
poised body, with drawl and sort
of insouciant humer that seemed to
afford the Dragon intense diversion.
Rut much of this mans discourse was
couched In q modified phase OF Amerl-
can slang or else harked back to local
American topics; both largely unintel-
ligible to a sense of humor nourlsheo
on strictly British slang and locallsms.
Then there was Mrs. Merrilees-
according to Mrs. Beggarstaff not
wear out of mourning for 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 rea-
son she could assign. Ills name was
Quoin-a tall, taciturn man with
quiet voice, semi-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 q cinemato-
graph screen.
By ten o'clock, leaving. Mrs. Beggar-
staff firmly fixed in the fourth seat
at q card table, engrossed by her one
confessed infatuation, auction bridge,
Miss Carteret was abed and asleep.
A bed of almost sybaritic luxury 1t
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 a 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 little with
one or the other of her would-be COM
forters-NIrs. Beggarstaff and the
stewardess. But on Tuesday mem
orable conversation took place, neg
llgible though it seemed at the time.
1t was at about six bells In the fore
noon watch when the Dowager Dragon
cSme below, ostensibly to find book,
in reality to convey fair tidlngs.
You're feeling BETTER" she assert
ed. after a shrewd look at the girl.
Preppe5 up in bed, Miss Carteret
moved languidly negative head.
"DOn't tell mel / haven't crossed
this miltpo thirty times not to
know whe1 a seasick woman's on the
mend. Besides, haven't you noticed
how much steadier the boat has been
this last hour or two7"
Il thought must be imagining It"
the invalid murmured incredulously.
"llonsensei The barometer's been
rising since midnight. The wind shift
ed at dawn, and now we've a clearing
sky and a falling sea. OF course
you're feeling better. You'll be on
deckf before night"