The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-09-06

far'ivnwprth was an old Spartan
az holding her liquor: LenoFc and
Ned were merely stimulated and
laxative.
The older woman concealed the
bottle In her stateroom. but tho
effects ~ what had already been
| consumed did not az once pass
away. Their recklessncss in
creased. " became manifest. TO
some small degree. In speech.
once or twice Ned's qulbs wero
shade off.eolor. but always rollick-
/ ms laughter was tho response. once
Mrs Hardenworth. half without
thinking, turned a phrase IN such
way that questionable infer
encn could hardly be avoided.
Why, mamaF' Lenorc exclaimed.
In mock RmaSrment Thank heav.
en- you've got tho grace 10 blush.
You wioke6 old woman" Ned
followed up with pretended gravity.
what II our iittis ncedle.woman
had heard your
In reality Bess Gilbert had over
heard tho remark. as well al some
% Ned's aulha that had preceded
u. and had been almost unable TO
believe her cars. II was not that
she was particularly ingenious or
Innocent. A an omploye in a
great factory aha bad a knowledge
Of lifo beyond any that these two
,enderiy bred women could have
hoped % gain, but always before
sho had associated such speech
with ilhbrcd and vulgar people
with whom abe would not permit
herself 20 associate. never with
those who Ia their attitude and
thought presumed TO DO Infinitely
her superior.
She was not lacking in good
sense; 30 she gave no align Of hRv.
ing heard. She wondered. however.
/ Just how she would have received
such sajliea had shn been properly
member Of their party. Wholly
independent. with a world OF moral
courage 70 support her convictions.
sho could not have Joined In tho
laughter that followed. oven to
avoid being conspicuous. II would
have been situation Of real en-.
barraSsment 70 her.
The eunclasian that Ahs earno TO
was tina, her three months Jour.
ney on tho Charon would bo besct
with many complications
she made the very sensible 70.
solvo 10 avoid Ncd'a society and
that Of HIS two guests tust as
much as possible. She saw at once
they were not her kind Of people:
and only unpieazantness would re.
suit from her intercourse with
/ them
| sho couidn'; explain tho darksn.
Ing Of her mood that followed this
resolve. Surely sha did not lean
on these three for her happiness:
the Journey itself offered enough
In tho way OF adventure and pleas.
uEe. She anticipated hours OF en-.
joymcnt with Knutsen. tho Morse
pilot and owner Of tho boat. with
! McNab. tho freekicd. sandy haired
first engineer. and with Forest.
/ his young assistant. Yet tho weight
OF unhRppIneas that descended
upon her was only too real. sho
+, tried In vain TO shake II Off. a
sensible. selfmastercd girl. she
I hated 20 yield TO an oppression
| that seemingly had It's source in
/ her imagination only.
i Ned had seemed SO fine, 40
CHEEKY. so comnanionable the night
he had taken her home. after the
i accident. Yet he was showing
himself weakling: she saw the
] signs Of Il too plainly 10 mistake.
She saw him not only on far
different social plane from her
own. but some way fallen in her
respect. He was separated from
her not only by the unstable bar.
Il rier OF caste, but by tho stone
] wall OF standards. She knew life.
this girl OF the world OF toll. and
she seemed to know that all her
half. gilmpsed, Intangible dreams
had come TO nothing.
i And her decision 10 avoid tho
. three ar4stocrats stood her In good
stead before the night was done.
saving her as bitter n moment as
, any that had oppressed her In all
the steep path OF her life. Just
!. after tho dinner call had sounded,
Lenore. Ned and Mrs. Harden.
worth had had momcntous con.
ference In the little dining saloon,
The issue was silly and trivial
from the first; but even insignifi.
cant things assume dangerous pro.
portions when heady liquor Is dying
in the veins. II had been too long
since Mrs. .Hardenworth had had
her drinks. She was in doubtful
mood, queruous so far az her own
assumption Of good breeding would
permit. ready 70 haggle over moth
ing. Tho three OF them had come
into the dining room together: none
OF tho other occupants OF tho little
schooner had yet put In an appear
ancc.
II $50 the tables set for four
slio began. who's the other place
for--Capt. Knutsen?"
I'm afraid the captain has u
mind his wheel. This isn't nm
oceanic liner. / suppose the place
is set for MISS Gilbert"
watching tho older womans
: face, Ned dIscerncd an almost i'm
pcrceptible hardening OF tho lines
|, that stretched from tho noso "a
, the corners OF the lips Likely he
, wouldn't hava observed II at all ex
, cspt for tho fact that no had nov
! and then seen the Same thing In
Lenoro, always when sho was dis
. pleased.
. MISS Gilbert seems 10 FIJI the
. horizon. May I ask how many
moro there are In tho crow7"
MgAuh Ea.aal .ul