The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-03-13
'sHEs aINE-slINE ny EVERY JusrIcE"

SHE y MlNEs--MlNG III IN Ettt
Ills passenger. Two or three seamen
ioitercd nearby. hoping TO get frs,
shore leave, when the skippcr's
boat touched the steps. stevens
abruptly underwent a sharp trans
formation. He raised his fists, and
the grinding OF his teeth sounded
like tho grinding or clear ice on
rock.
"She's mine. Mine by every law
OF right and justlee' BY every hu.
man and divine right she's mine. by
Heaven. and mine shO shalt hcr'
gritted stevens, in a gale OF pas
sion. and the two other mates drew
back amazed al tho depth Of feeling
N the man. His paroxysm passed
over quickly. and he gave orders
calmly; but sailors running forward
to get ready for a shore jaunt car.
ried Joyful news Of chief mate who
was hot against the Old Man.
Drake turned and smiled at Mary.
and she started towards him all
brightness and rosy warmth. But
his smile was not what she expected.
II was the courteous smile Of n cap
tain for his favored passenger. He
passed inside the chartroom and be-
gan TO pore over the chart.
Last night he was the perfect
lover she breathed. angrily. Il sup
pose II was wlney'
when Drake finished his chart
work. he took down q volume OF
Sailing Directions for tho Indian
Ocean and sat down as II he ex.
pected to stay there for hours. Mary
turned away in a temper
She went to the breakfast table all
primed and loaded for the face to
face explanation she meant TO de-
rnand from Capt Alden Drake.
He camo down all smiles and
pride. Her wrath was swept away as
a fresh breeze dlssipates smoke He
looked ruddy and clean; the bruises
and scars OF battle were no more
than very masculine embellishments
10 his handsome, strong face.
81 thought you had forgotten me.
or considered mo beneath you august
notice." she challenged him. He
touched her hand lightly and
laughed.
II could not forget you. Mary" he
said; 'and as for being beneath my
notice. you know that cannot be.
either. You forgot 1t was notice OF
you which first drew me down TO the
docks"
She looked sharply at him. There
was something about his words and
tone which puzzled her. And last
night she had thrilled in her very
inncrmost fibre 10 the ardor Of bis
passion.
You're not under the weather, are
your" she asked.
II? Good Lord. no! Never felt
better in all my life! DO let me give
you some more omelette. DO you feel
the ship leap? She's out for a record
10 Java Head. Mary. I'll show you
what shs can do with a sailing
CoFinthian 10 drive her. No moro
onelettc? Jove! you haven't the
appetite OF a canary.
When Mary sat in her deck chair
after breakfast, maxim. pretense
at reading. she wondered II this first
day at sea was n fair example OF
the many other days that must pass
before Java Head was rounded, even
Bupposing a record TO be made.
why. he's no more to me or !
10 him than simply captain and pas.
sengerr she angrily told herself Per.
haps unwittingly she had stumbled
upon the exact situation. Captain
Drake might hold so rIgidly to tho
religion Of duty as 10 consider her
nothing but passenger while his
ship called for his vigilance. She
had heard Of such men. III truth
were told, she admired tho man who
could sacrifice all for duty. But
Mary was a feminine woman. And
what woman ever lived who wouldn't
feel enraged IL her own man sacri
feed her own company for his dutyl
Her lips were prlm and pressed on
she took out her fathers letter from
her book and glanced over parts OF
II again.
MIR. Drake offered such n price
for tho orontcg that could not re-
fuse" Captain Manning wrote. "ITc
must have plenty Of dibs, Mary. Ia
can't make n profit on the ship, pay
ing tho price he did. But according
10 his lawyer, profits don't bother
him. Apparently he was at sea bo
t4rc. and never quite lost the fever