American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-09-09

Brown had a stateroom between them
the size of a packing-box, and some
body turned out and resigned anoth-
err to me. / retired there to dress for
dinner. In the haste of my departure
from San Francisco | had not brought
a trunk, so the best | was able to pro-
duce In the way of a crusher for Miss
Higglesby-Browne and her fellow-pas-
sengers was a cool little white gown,
which would shine at least by con-
trast with Miss Brownies severely util-
itarian costume. White is becoming
to my hair, which narrow-minded per
sons term red, but which has been
known to cause the more discriminate
ing TO draw heavily on the dictionary
for adjectives. My face is small and
heart-shaped, with features strictly
for use and not for ornament, but for
tunately inconspicuous. AS for my
eyes. / think tawny quite the incest
word, though Aunt Jane calls them
hazel and | have even heard whispers
of green.
Five minutes after the gong sound
ed | walked into the cabin. Miss
Browne, Captain Watkins of the
| ~freighter, and half a dozen men were
already at the table. l slid unobtru-
sively into the one vacant place, for
tunately remote from the captain,
who glared at me savagely, as though
still embittered by the recollection Of
my aunt's fits.
Gentlemen" said Miss Browne In
icy tones, miss Virginia Harding"
Two Of the men rose, the others
stared and ducked. Except for Miss
Browne and the captain, / had re-
ceived on coming aboard only the most
blurred impression of my fellow-voy-
ayers. I remembered them merely as
a composite of khaki and cork he'll
ments and astounded staring faces.
But / felt that as the abetters of Miss
Browne a hostile and sinister atmos-
phere enveloped them all.
Being thus In the camp of the en-
envy, l sat down In silence and devoted
myself to my soup. The majority OF
my companions did Iikewise-audibly-
But presently I heard a voice at my
left:
II say, what a jolly good sailor you
seem to be-pity your aunt's nott"
l looked up and saw Apollo sitting
beside me. Or rather, shall / say 9
young man who might have walked
out of an advertisement for a ready
made clothing house, so ideal and Inn
possible was his beauty. He was very
tall had to tilt my chin quite pain
fully to look up at hlm-and from the
loose collar of his silk shirt his throat
rose like a column. His skin was
beautiful clear pink and white just
tinged with tan-like a meringue that
has been In the oven for two minutes
exactly. He had a straight, chlseleC
profile and his hair was thick ant
chestnut and wavy and he had cleal
sea-gray eyes. To give him at once
his full name and titles, he was the
Honorable Cuthbert Patrick Ruth
more Vane, of High Staunton Manor
Kent, England. But as I was ignorant
of this, / can truthfully say that hi
looks stunned me purely on their owl
merits.
Outwardly calm, l replied, "Yes
it's too bad. but then who eve
dreamed that Aunt Jane would go I'D
v~enturing at her time of life1
thought nobody over the age OF thtr
teen, and then boys, ever went traaa
ure-hunting."
=--
"Ah, but lads of thirteen couldn'
well come such a distance on thei
own. You know" returned Apollo, witt
the kindest air of making allowance
for the female intellect.
J / hurriedly turned the subject.
II really can't imagine Aunt Jan
) on a desert island. What will she d
II she meets a cannibal and he trie
to eat herr"