The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-04-10

VANCE
CHAPTER l.

queenstown, promptly at FIVE o'clock
In the afternoon of every third Satur-
day.
At about one o'clock of a Saturday
late In September one forehanded pas
senger found her way by dint of per-
sistence through the pandemonium in
the pier-shade to the Alsatia's first
cabin gangway.
This was a young woman not far
beyond her twentieth year, with a tall
and slender body, a face of uncommon
distinction, and at the time somewhat
pale, and a striking abundance of hair
the color of raw, red gold. Dressed
simply In dark travelling costume, with
hat In excellent accord, she carried, in
addition to a light wrap and tightly
rolled umbrella, a conspicuously new
Oxford bag lettered In black, IL. c.
New York" Behind her a porter stag
gered beneath her only other piece of
luggage-a battered b~lack-leather
trunk Of great age, which, curiously
enough, bore the legend In letters of
nhAbSs haLl Vuiteidlcus IL Aoh-
don"
Tipping and dismissing the man, the
girl confidently assembled the gangway
to the saloon deck of the Alsatia, and
asked a steward to conduct her to her
stateroom, displaying at the same time
a ticket emitting Lucy Carteret, Spin
ster," to a berth in Room rs, Deck b.
Once alone In her room, she bolted
the door, fingered before a ~full-length
mirror to remove her hat, eying her
reflection with a shadowy, puzzling
smile. and turned away to review the
cubicle, one-half of which she was en-
titled to call her own for the next six
days. The other half had been engaged
by a woman of whom she knew moth
ing whatever, not eve SO much as her
name.
1t was a stateroom unusual in ar
rangement and luxurious in appoint
ment. Twin brass bedsteads stood end
to end against the inner wall. The
other furniture comprised a capacious
chest of drawers, a comfortable sofa,
and two wicker armchairs. At n
end narrow doors admitted to a
cramped but adequate lavatory and a
roomy clothes-press. The woodwork
was enameled a creamy white, and the
walls boosted panels of golden bro
cade-a color scheme conveying an eff
feet at once of warmth, airiness and
scrupulOus cleanliness.
With a grave little nod, the girl APP
proved. II expensive-and it was hor-
ribly expensive for her slender purse
this stateroom was well worth all it
had cost her. There ran in her blood
the instinct for luxury, though now her
purse, upon examination, yielded but
four golden sovereignS, a half-sover-
eign, a half-crown, a shilling, and a
few ponderous copper pennies, barely
enough for the inevitable tips at the end
of the voyage. She would land In New
York practically penniless. But that
would be on a day the seventh distant:
sufficient unto it its potential mischief.
She was very tired: the last few
nights had brought her little sleep,
thanks to the excitement engendered
by contemplation of a step whose bold
ness was unprecedented In her history.
But now, with that step successfully
taken, excitement yielded place to IA
tigue. Unlocking and in part unpack-
ing both bag and trunk, she appropri-
ated a fair half of the wardrobe &C
commodations. then wrapped herself in
a dressing gown and lay down on n
of the beds. Transient, odd visions
painted the rudy gloom within her
closed eyelids-of the life she had dis
missed; of the temerarious adventure
that engaged her; of the life to which
she looked forward.
In time a knocking sounded on the
door. The girl stirred and moved her
head impatiently. The knocking grew
imperative, and the deeps Of sleep
were disturbed by other sounds as well,
by voices
Miss Carteret came fully to her
senses in the act of christening the
door. But of a sudden she paused with
fingers resting nerveless upon half
drawn bolt, eyes wide with apprehen-
sion, and her face robbed of all that
gracious color with which sleep had
lmbued 1t. For an instant she stood
so, in doubt and hesitation, listening ;
then, as If treasured, she drew the bolt
clear and opened the door.
This act disclosed two figures wait
ing beyond the threshold-a luggage
laden steward and a lady of abundant
person and ~post-mature years, in a
gown not three days out Of the Rue de
la Paix.
'rm sorry" the girl apologtzed.
standing aside. II was quite sound
asleep, and couldn't seem to wake up"
"But II is / who am sorry to have
disturbed you" With a nod n a
smile of acknowledgment, the speaker
sailed grandly into the stateroom, a
somewhat overpowering Presence.
Submitting perforce to the necessity
-