Charlevoix county herald., 1918-03-22
and forgot breakfast-coHes
in my first big heart-trouble.

One takes IL hard at forty. Like
the measles and youthful contagious
generally. love should have Its spasms
In the years of prompt reaction and
superabundance OF vitality. ! moped
about during the next four days like
an elderly hen with the pip. Purser
Reedley was the only man aboard who
would have put up with me, for he
could counterfeit my effect with his rag
time drone. changed my meal hours
to his, which were not the captains,
and spent much OF my time learning
how to run line of passenger-steam-
ers carrying freight. from this CHEEKY
faced lad.
As we neared Mazatlan and my
fears that Marcus might decide to
hold me grew less each hour. i hated
myself worse. II there was to be no
excuse for running this wonderful
friendship. spelling what might have
been an Arcadian journey In perfect
tropic seas, would want to jump
over the side out beyond the three
mile limit where the water was deep.
The relief OF knowing was not to be
arrested for murder would never or
set the fact that had fatuously kill
ed the greatest hope my life had ever
held.
went to Reedley's cabin the night
before we should reach Mazatlan, talk
ing little because Of the memory OF
the two days she and / might have
spent together there; Reedley as quiet
save for the wordless song that ebbed
from his chest. He sat at his desk.
checking up his books or drumming
to the tune, and twice his careless 81.
bow brushed a yellow sheet OF paper
to my feet and replaced 1t.
The second time ! laid 1t back on
his desk. he began words to the tune
he hummed, singing them low, and
somehow they penetrated my abstrac'
ton. they were such misfit words. The
tune was familiar enough. from a pop
ular light opera. but the words didn't
belong. Every little minute. you're
damneder fool! Why in HELEN
Blazes don't you read what's wrote?
Every little minute that your wits are
wondering you are taking chances
like q goat!" Again the yellow paper
fluttered to the floor.
Reedley was toting up a column Of
figures, his eyes riveted on the book,
while l read:
Captain Blake, 8. 8. Wilton: Arrest
John Gilmore at Maxatlan, outside
limit. transship to Nanaimo In irons.
Murder suspect. Warrant here.
1t was signed by San FTancisco's
chief of police and made dOubly GER
tain by Thurston's counter-signature.
/ replaced the paper on his desk.
Thanks" he said idly. pinning 1t face
down on q spindle.
when will we reach Mazatlan"
asked after , pause.
Three o'clock or thereabouts to-
morrow afternoon" he answered.
Thank you, Reedley. III turn in.
Good night" and l left him humming
wordlessly and adding up columns of
figures.
AS / stepped from the door I heard
the ships bell strike FOURTEEN o'clock.
Still early for planning, plenty of time
to decide what to do. / would take
spin around the decks and let my
thoughts cool of; was too mad for
sober consideration of a grave prob
lem. Thurston's name to that wire
less message was one insult ] had not
expected and 1t had bitten deep. Even
my friends were turning on me.
'Transship to Nanaimo In irons."
Thurston had ordered. ! laughed grim
ly at my foolish idea Of nominal Inn
prisonment, detention In my cabin.
perhaps a guard. There was nothing
about irons; that meant
dark cell In the fore-hold and the dar-
bies; even bread-and-water diet quite
likely.
Blake would arrest me three miles
out of Mazatlan. say at two-thirty In
the afternoon. Nice people crowding
the deck. waiting to get into port;
whole crew up from below; actors and
audience. with Isabelle Reade in q
loge-box.
Enter Captain Blake, curly hair
blowing In tropic breezes; "Seize that
mani"
AYE. aye. sir!" from chorus Of
deck hands.
Proper business of seixing. Spare
mel" from me. on knee. "Unh-uh! No,
indeed!
would 60 to Blake right now and
insist on being stuck into the brig
quietly and automatically. But that
would give Reedley's kindness q SOL
ar-plexus jolt: cost him his Job. may
be more. To walk around the deck
until my brain cooled was the only
thing to do spontaneously.
was passing Isabelle's deck-corner
when she spoke to me. joint" she
whispered. I paused. Don't stop
20 on! But come back" she said
quickly.
returned. but she was not there. A
few PAGES farther, where the main
cabin crowds close to the rail. she was
waiting In the shadow. Follow me
to my room." she whispered. and fit.