Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-01-04
CHAPTER xI-continued.

into the race or immortal beauty. "Of
course l love you. Won't you try to
sleep, Ida?" he asked.
Eyes," she answered. releasing her
self. "But you don't love ne, Don
add knOw!"
And slowly she withdrew into her
cabin, leaving Donald a prey to intense
bewilderment and despair.
Who was she, this almost invisible
beauty? Had she followed him here,
aboard the ship, or-swimming behind
the submarine? Was she another spe-
cies of the sea devils?
Suddenly, for the first time since
their conversation, he recalled Master
mans words:
II brought my specimen home with
me. Think Of that, lad! She didn't
want to eat. They don't eat after they
are mature, Donald"
Now it came to Donald with convlc-
ton that the old captain had had ref
erence to-this woman!
And, straining his eyes through the
darkness, he saw Ter again.
But this time there was visible upon
her face an expression so pitiful that
1t almost brought the tears to Don
AIDS eyes.
She was watching him with a dumb
yearning of inexpressible pathos. That
look reminded Donald Of the old leg
end of the mermaid who could obtain
a soul only from some human lover.
An idea came to him. He would 60
up into the coming tower; in that mar
row space he could see her better and
understand what she was.
But Us ne stood in the passage, at
the bottom Of the trapdoor, Clouts ap-
peared before him. 1t occurred to
Donald afterward that he had been
there for a considerable time.
"1t's all right, sir !" said Clouts.
"You told me to call you when you was
to 90 on duty, and it's all right"
"What's all right?" demanded Don
aid.
"It's all right, sir. I understand such
things" said Clouts.
"Clouts, what the devil are you talk
ing about?"
"It's all right, sir" replied Clouts
Tor the third time, pointing before him.
And in the passage, not more than
d dozen feet away, Donald saw the
woman's form.
His anger vanished. He took the
sailor by the arm.
"Clouts," he , aid, do you suppose
we could get her into the coming
tower"
II don't know, sir" said Clouts,
shaking his head. "If she's willing to
30, sir. That's the question, sir"
"Clouts"-Donald's voice sank to a
whisper-"you must understand that
this MT a wOman-at least not a
human one. She's-she's-'
"Quite so, If I might say so, or there
abouts," said Clouts.
sand do you think you could get
her therew
Clouts scratched his head. II sup
pose so, sir" he answered. "But she'd
have to come out again, you know"
"That's what l intend" said Donald
desperately. Back into the water
through the airlock."
"Push her In, sirT
LEAD her in, Clouts. Put on my
coat and let her follow You. Then,
when you've got her inside, put on the
Icc% Ity,t~n danes md Cnn thot chn-
that she doesn't come back. I don't
mean you to hurt her. She can live
under the water, you know. And,
while you're about 1t, Clouts, you
might see If you can adjust the rud-
der"
For a moment Clouts and his cap
tain looked hard into each others
eyes. Then Clouts' grim face softened.
Putting his hands to his pocket, he
drew out his mouth organ, and the
soft strains of "Annie Rooney went
up into the air. Clouts played 1t
through with quiet resolution.
Tll do it, sir" he said.
Donald turned and saw that the
woman of the sea stood exactly where
she had been throughout that inter-
view. She had not stirred.
He waited while Clouts found the
last diving suit In the storeroom, and
then the two went back into the mess
room. Presently Clouts emerged, en-
cased in his cylinder, and holding the
glass mask In his hand. About his
shoulders he wore Dcnald's coat. Don
aid waited within.
He heard the coming tower trap
door close, and after that he could
hear nothing. He waited an indefinite
time. Suddenly a soft splashing Of wa
fer told him that the lower levels OF
the sea were being agitated by the
condensed oxygen In the alrlock. There
followed silence. The sounds were
cut off abruptly, and for a long time
Donald waited.
His nerves were so tense that when
Clouts opened the door he started VIC
lently. He peered into the sailors
face.
ave done it, sir" said Clouts. "She
followed me like-like a dog, sir. And
I saw her eyes when I pushed her into
the water, and l don't want to see g
look like that gain. 1t fht like muir