The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-11-27


II not be possible 10 so disguise my.
self as to become unnoticeable?
sprang up 10 stare at my features in
the small mirror hanging oyer the
washstand. The face which confront.
ed me in surprise was almost n
strange one even To my eyes. Instead
OF the mart young soldier. smoothly
Shaven. with closely trimmed hair. and
rather carefully attired, as | had APP
peared on board the Warrior, the glass
reflected n bearded face. the skin Wis.,
IDLY roughened aud Redeemed by ex-
posture, the hair ragged and uucOmbed.
Even TO my view there remained
scarcely a familiar feature-the lack
of razor and shears, the exposure TO
u and water, the days of sickness
and neglect. had all helped to trans
form me into a totally different,
appearing person from what had for
merly been The officer and gentleman
had, by the mystery of environment,
been changed into the outward sem
blance OF II river roustabout. Nor was
this all. The new character was EN-
phasized by the clothes | wore-far
too large to fit also the texture and
color. not 10 mention the dirt and
grease, speaking loudly OF a rough
life and the vicissitudeS of poverty.
The metamorphosis was complete so
complete that | laughed aloud, assured
by that one glance that the gambler,
confident that | was dead, would never
by any possibility recognize me in this
guise, or while habilitated in si,ch
nondescript garments.
But the girl-Rene? And so this
was how | had appeared to her. No
wonder she questioned me; doubted
my first explanation had APP
preached her confident that my APP
pearance as a gentleman would awak-
en- her trust; ! had felt myself to be
a most ~presentable young man. in
whom she must instantly repose faith.
Yet this had not been true at all
instead | came 10 her with the out
ward bearing of a worthless vaga-
bond. a stUhble-bearded outcast. And
yet she had trusted me: would trust
me again. More she could never be
deceived. or fail to recognize my pres
ence aboard IL she had the freedom OF
the deck. Kirby might be deceived,
but not Rene. If | could only plan to
g with her first alone, the peril OF
her recognition would not be extreme.
But | must also figure upon the
other woman. Who could she be? Not
Eloise Beaucaire surely. for the mate
had only mentioned one of the two as
being sufficiently white to be notice
able. That one would surely be Rene,
and IL vas scarcely probable that
Eloise. with no drop of negro blood in
her veins, could appear colored. Per-
haps this second woman was Della,
the quacroon mother. But IL so how
did she Chance TO fall alone into Kir-
by's clutches? Was she aboard the
keelboat. locked below in the cabin,
when il rs,mmed into us? If she had
been captured ut Shrunk's camp dur
Ing their iaurderous raid, what had
become OF her companion? Where was
Eloise BeaNcaire? The harder 1
sought TO straighten out this mystery
the more involved 1t became.
With every additional glance Mt the
face reflected by the mirror my conf.
dence strengthened In the ability to
encounter Kirby and pass unrecog-
nized. Convinced AS he undoubtedly
was Of my death In the black waters OF
the river he could not possibly imag-
me my presence aboard the Adven-
turer, while my personal appearance
WAS so utterly changed ms 10 suggest
to his mind no thought of familiarity.
The conditions we're all In my favor.
! was smiling grimly mt this conceit.
we'll pleased at the chance thus af-
forded me. when the stateroom door
was suddenly flung open and the hairy
face OF the mate thrust within.
"I reckon yer better tote them wet
buds down ter the boiler ROOM he
said grufiy. IAN then git sum grub.
Likely 'nough yer wouldn't mind
eatin' n bit. Be yer a river mang''
1--WE never worked on a steamboat.
if that IL what YOU mean
No; web. I reckoned not. but the
captain he thought maybe yer had. I
toll him yer didn't talk like no steamer
hand. Howsumever. were almighty
short o. help aboard, an maybe yer'd
like n job ter help pay yer way?'
My fingers invoiuntarlly closed on
some loose g~oldpleces In my pocket,
bur a Sudden Thought halted me. Why
not? In what better way could
escape discovery? AS an employee
Of the boat I would go about the decks
unsupported and unnoticed. Kirby
would never give me a second thought
or glance. while the opportunity thus
afforded of speaking TO Rene and be-
Ing Of service TO her would be immeas-
nrahly increased. l withdrew my
hand. swiftly deciding my course of
action,
II suppose | might as well earn a
bit" ! admitted. hesitatingly. "Only I
had about decided I'd enlist IL the
war was sin going on when we got up
there"