The Washington times., 1919-06-24


slept, and just as precisely postured
on the other side Of the wheel, slept
the helmsman, who was none other
than Perclval, the black Kingston
negro.
The waist OF the schooner was
strewn with the bodies OF the
mixed-breed seamen, while for'ard,
on the tiny forecastle head, prone.
his face buried upon his folded
arms, slept the lookout.
Leoncia, in her high place on the
cabin-top, awoke first. Propping
her head on her hand, the elbow
resting on a bit Of the ponchO on
which she lay. she looked down
past one side Of the hood OF the
companion-way upon the two young
men.
She yearned over them, who were
so alike, and knew love for both OF
them, remembered the kisses OF
Henry on her mouth, thrilled till
the blush OF her own thoughts
mantled her cheek at memory Of the
kisses of Francis, and was puzzled
and amazed that she should have 1t
in her to love two men at the one
time.
AS Sn6 ndu dlEGduy AG0A nSA u
herself, she would follow Henry 70
the end of the world. and Francis
even farther. And she could not
understand such wantonness OF in
clination.
Fleeing from her own thoughts
which frightened her, she stretched
cut her arm and dangled the end of
her silken scarf to a tickling OF
- ~
movements. still in the heaviness OF
sleep. struck with his hand at what
he must have thought to be a mos
quito or a fly and hit Henry on the
chest. So it was Henry who first
awakened. He sat up with such
abruptness as to awaken Francis.
Morning Greetings.
Good morning, merry kinsman.'
Francis greeted. why such viO-
lence?"
Morning. morning, and the morn
ing.s morning, comrade," Henry
mutteTed. such was the violence
of your sleep that it was you who
awakened me with a buffet on my
breast. I thought it was the hang,
man, for this is the morning they
planned to kink my neck He
yawnsd. stretched his arms. gazed
out over the rail at the sleeping
sea. and nudged Francis to OBJ
servance of the sleeping skipper
and helnsman.
They looked so bonny. the pair
OF Morgans, Leoncia thought: and
at the same time wondered why the
English word had arisen unsur-
moned in her mind, rather than ?
spanish equivalent Was il because
her heart went out generously to
the two Gringos that she must
needs think of them in their lar
guage instead of her OWN
To escape the perplexity Of her
thoughts she dangled the scarf
again. was discovered. and laugh
ingly confessed that it was she VINO
had caused their violence of wax
ing.
Three hours later. breakfast OF
coffee and fruit over. she found
herself at the wheel taking her first
lesson steering and of the compass
under Francis tuition. The Angel
que under crisp little breeze winch
had hauled around well to he
north lard was for the moment
heeling il through the water at =
six-knot clip.
Henry. sWaying on the weather
side of the after-deck and search
ing the sea through the binoculars.
was striving to be all Unconcerned
at the lesson, although secretly ne
was mutinOus with himself for not
having first thought of himself in
PRODUCING her to the pinnacle AMI
the wheel. Yet he resoluteIy re-
Trained from looking around ~
from even stealing a corner-of-the-
eye glance at the other two.
But Captain Trefethen, with the
keen cruelty OF Indian curiosity
and the impudence Of a negro sub
ject of King George, knew no such
deltcacy. He stared openly and
missed nothing Of the chemic draw
ing together OF his charterer and
the pretty Spanish girl
When they leaned over the wheel
to look into the pinnacle they lean
ed toward each other and Leoncia's
hair touched Francis cheek. And
the three Of them, themselves and
the bread skipper, knew the thrill
induced by such contact. But the
man and woman knew Immediately
what the bread sqippeE did not
know. and what they knew was en-
bassaSsment.
Their eyes lifted to each other in
a fash of mutual startlement and
dropped way down guilty Fran
els talked very fast and loud
enough for half the schooner 10
hear. as he explained the lubber's
point of the compass But Captain
grinned.
A rising pun of breeze made
Francis put the wheel up. His
hand TO the spoke rested on her
hand. already upon it. Again they
thrilled and again the skipper
grinned.
Leoncia's eyes lifted to Francis.
then dropped in confusion. She
slipped her hand out from under.
and terminated the lesson by walk
ing slowly away with a fine as
of casualness. as if the
wheel and the pinnacle no longer
her. But she had left
Francis afire with what he knew
was lawlessness and treason as he
glanced at Henry's shoulder and
profile and hoped he had not seen
what had occurred.
Leoncia, apparently gazing on
across the lagoon to the jungle
clad shore, was seeing nothing, as
she thoughtfully turned her en-
ring around and around
on her finger.
But Henry. turning to tell them
of the cmudge of smoke he had dis
covered on the horizon. had mad
Vertently seen. And the negro
Indian captain had seen him see.
So the captain lurched close TO him,
the cruelty of the Indian debating
the impudcncc Of the negro. as ne
id in a low voice