The Dolores star., 1920-03-12

| might not came TO me in n flash. Might
! IL not be possible TO so disguise my
| self as to become unnoticeable?
| sprang up TO stare at my features in
! the small mirror hanging over the
washstand. The face which confront
ed me in surprise was almost n
strange one even to my eyes. Instead
OF the smart young soldier. smoothly
shnyen, with closely trimmed hair, and
rather carefully attired. as | had ap-
peared on board the Warrior. the glass
reflected bearded face. the skin Wis
IDLY roughened and Redeemed by e1-
posure, the hair ragged and uncomhed.
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 tit; also the texture and
color, not to mention the dirt md
grease, speaking loudly Of rough
life and the viclssitudes 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. ~ while hahilitated in such
nomde,- lpt garments.
Eut the girl-Rene? And so this
was how | had appeared TO her. No
'rolder she questioned me; doubted
Wy first explanation. | had ap-
preached her confident that my ap-
pearnnCe ms gentleman would awak-
en- her trust; had felt myself to be
mos, preSentahlc young man. in
whom she must instantly repose faith
Yet this had not been true at all
instead | came to her with the out
ward bearing of a worthless vaga-
bond, Ttuhble-bearded outcast. And
yet she had trusted me; would trus,
me again. More: she could never be
]
ence aboard If she had the freedom of
| the deck. Kirby might be deceived.
| but not Rene. If | could only plan to
meet with her first alone the peril of
her recognition would not be extreme.
But mmst also figure upon the
O'her woman. Who could she be? Not
Elolse Beaucairc surely, for the mate
] I.n., Il
being sufficiently white to be notice
able. That one would surely be Rene.
and II was scarcely probable that
Eloise. with no drop Of negro blood in
| her veins, could appear colOred. Per
! haps this second woman was Della.
| the quadroon mother. But If so how
did she chance to fall alone into Kir-
| by's clutches? Was she aboard the
keelboat, locked below in the cabin.
when 1t rammed into us? If 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 |
| sought to straighten out this mystery
| the more involved it 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
| the river he could not possibly imag-
inc my presence aboard the Adven-
turer, while my personal appearance
was so utterly changed as TO suggest
to his mind no thought of familiarity.
| The conditions We're all in my favor
| l was smiling grimIy at this conceit,
well 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.
~ reckon yer better tote them wet
duds down ter the boiler room" he
said gruffly, "an' then git sum grub
Likely 'nough yer wouldn't mind
eatin' bit. Be yer river man?'
'1've never worked on u steamboat
if that is what you mean"
mo; well. ! reckoned not, but the
captain he thought maybe yer had.
tol' him yer didn't talk like no steamer
| hand. Howsumever, we're almighty
short o. help aboard. an maybe yer'd
like job ter help pay yer way?"
Ny fingers involuntarily closed on
some loose goldpieces in my pocket
but a sudden thought halted me. Why
not7 In what better way could
escape discovery AS an employee
of the boat would go about the decks
| unsuSpected 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.
urably increased. 1 withdrew my
hand, swiftly deciding my course OF
action.
II suppose I might as well earn a
Bit" admitted. hesitatingly. "Only
had about decided I'd enlist IL the