Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-01-01

sprang up to stare at my features In
the small mirror hanging over the
waRhstand. The face which confront
ed me In surprise was almost
strange one even to my eyes. Instead
Of the smart young soldier. smoothly
shaver, with closely trimmed hair, and
rather carefully ,attired, as ] had APP
peared on board the Warrior, the glass
reflected a bearded face, the skin Wis
IDLY roughened and REDEEMED by ex-
posure, the hair ragged and uncombed.
Even to my view there remained
scarcely a familiar feature--the lack
Of razor and shears, the exposure to
sun and water, the days Of sickness
and neglect, had all helped to trans.
form me into 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 river roustabout. Nor was
this all. The new character was EN-.
phasized by the clothes / wore-far
too large to At; also the texture and
color, not to 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 such
nondescript garments. ..
But the girl-Rene' And so this
was how had appeared to her. No
wonder abe questioned me; doubted
my first explanation. I had ap.
preached her confident that my ap-
pearance as gentleman would awak-
en- her trust; had felt myself to be
4 most presentable young man. IN
whom she must instantly repose faith.
Yet this had not been true at all
instead I came to her with the out
ward bearing Of worthless vaga.
bond. stubble- 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 If she had the freedom Of
the deck. Kirby might be deceived,
but not Rene. II could only plan to
meet 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 1t was scarcely probable that
Eloise, with no drop Of negro blood In
her veins, could appear colored. Per
haps this s.,ond woman was Della,
the quadroon mother. But II 30 how
did she chance to fall alone into Kir-
bys clutches? Was she aboard the
keelboat, locked below In the cabin,
when 1t rammed into US? II she had
been captured at Shrunk's camp dur
ing their murderous raid. what had
become Of her companion? Where was
EloiSe Beaucaire? The harder i
sought to straighten out this mystery
the more involved 1t became.
With every additional glance at 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
t'ariver he could not possibly imag-
a oh ar1 n.
turer. while my personal appearance
was so utterly changed as to suggest
to his mind no thought Of familiarity.
The conditions were all In my favor
] was smiling grimly at this conceit,
well pleased at the chance thus nf'
forded me, when the stateroom door
was suddenly flung open and the hairy
face of the mate thrust within.
81 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' 4 bit. Be yer river manY'
"rve never worked on q steamboat
II that Is what you mean."
mo; we'll, I reckoned not, but the
captain he thought maybe yer had.
toll him yer didn't talk like no steamer
hand. Howsumever, we're almighty
short O. help aboard, an maybe yerd
like Job ter help pay yer way"
My fingers involuntarily closed OF
some loose goldpieces In my pocket
but sudden thought halted me. Why
not1 In what better way could
escape discovery? As an employed
of the boat would 60 about the decks
unsuspected and unnoticed. Kirby
would never give me 1 second though'
or glance, while the opportunity thus
afforded Of speaking to Rene and be
ing Of service to her would be immeas
urably Increased. withdrew my
hand, swiftly deciding my course o.
action. .
II suppose ! might as we'll earn {
Bit" / admitted, hesitatingly. "Only
had about decided I'd enlist II thu
war was still going on when we got VI
| there"
"ThatTl be all right Well keep yel
busy TIL then, enyhow. Go on dowr
below now ar eet, an when yer g.!
through climb up the ladder an repor
ter me. What'll I call yerY'
"Steve."
"steve-hey; sorter handy man
amt yer?" 49,.
"Well, I've done a little Of every
thing IN my time. I'm not afraid II
work"
During most Of the remaining hour
of the morning the mate kept me en-
ployed below, In company with mum
Der Of others Of the crew, in sorting