Evening star., 1927-08-29
LADY SLIPPER
Bv Ella Wister Haues
Author of "MYTERIOUS SWEETHEART
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Chris knew that the captain was only
lxeepiug her a prisoner to assure hei
safety. If Chris could only communl'
cate with her. reaSsure nef. ~ oiity
the ga ptain had allowed him to tell her
the whole story of the slippers thelf
nresence in the big chair in his room
| his own unworthy suspicious about
herself. it would have helped so much
to smooth out the trouble between
! them.
! christopher stepped across the room
to the wall which divided him from
the girl he loved and tapped Nightly
upon it. No answer,
Chris tapped again, more quickly
| this time, and making louder sound.
! bat no response was forthcomlnS ana
after making several efforts Chris
| drew hack in despair, his hand rub:
hing his brow AS If to stir his mind
| to greater activity,
What could have happened?" he
asked himself. why wont she an
swer. She must be IN there. after
what the captain said. III have to get
out of here and find out' And suit
| ing his action to his thoughts, he rang
the bell for Fritz. pacing his floor as
he waited for the steward to appear.
How dark it was was his next
thought, Surely night had not come
) O'Clock Hurrying to his window.
he looked out and saw that the sun
was obscured by a thick black cloud.
and waves were dashing high. one
washing the deck rail at that very
moment.
Christopher shut his window and
became aware of the fact that the boat
was tossing violently, pitching head
long into the waves.
This is one of those tropical storms
we read about" he thought. I've
heard of the terrific lightning they
have down here once in a while And
at that moment a streak of lightning
appeared in the sky. followed by ter
rifle crash of thunder.
"Anne"' Again Chris ran to the
wall, tapping now with all his force
Anne. Answer me-
He knew that storm was the one |
thing Anne dreaded. Thunder and
lightning terrified her. She must be
in agony, shut into her cabin alone!
No answer. Where on earth was |
Fritz. Why didn't he come, Christie |
pher rang and again and again, but |
nobody came, and now the storm was
increasing In fury, the ship pitching |
so violently that Chris could hardly !
keep on his feet.
Another frightful crash, and this |
time the ship plunged forward so ter |
rifically that Chris was thrown head. |
long. sustaining a severe blow. which |
for the moment laid him out.
II have any head left after this |
trip" he unused disconsolately. rub
bing the sore spot, I'D better put it |
into the bank vault for safekeeping.
And then as the thought Of Anne |
came rushing back he hurried to her |
wall. tanning reDeatedly.
Anne" he shouted at the top of his
lungs! Anne" But only thunder
ing roar came in response, and Chris |
took refuge in his berth. clinging to
the sides.
How long do these blooming blows
last down here?" he was asking him
self, when another thought presented
itself. The captain had said he was
no longer a prisoner. although he was
to remain in his room in order to
throw the real criminals off their
guard. Straine had entered his room.
Had he done so with key from the
captain or was the door unlocked?
Chris was on his feet in a second,
turning the dOorknob. but alas for the
hopes so newly awakened. The door
was locked, after all. Intentionally or
not. he remained a prisoner. while
Anne must live through the storm.
alone ana uncomforte0.
Why didn't she answer him? 1T
was not possible that she believed him
a murderer, or still cherished a doubt
about that forged decoy note! Anne
was too sensible a girl to allow her
mind to be obscured by such trifles.
and she had a keen sense of justice
as well. No; something else must
cause her silence. Perhaps she was
not in her room at all?
Another headlong lurch, followed by
sharp report of something cracking.
The ship gave a tremendous culver.
She shakes herself like wet collie
dog" Chris exclaimed aloud, grabbing
at the doorknob. "You surely are a
temperamental little lady. my good
ship Hope"'
1t occurred to him that it was fool
ish to remain in the inky blackness
which now enveloped him. and he
fumbled for the electric light switch,
knowing where it was placed beside
his door, and pressed the button. No
response. The light was out!
THAT lightning struck us: that's
why she shook"' And the conviction
added to his disturbance. Anne was
not only alone, but in the dark! Chris
swore aloud. but it did not relieve his
mental agony. Never had he loved
-
never had he longed more ardently to
be at her side.
Lying again on his berth, trying to
plan some means of escape from his
captivity. he went over all that had
occurred during the trip, and in the
darkness the whole affair appeared |
more terrifying than ever before |
Anne's unknown danger even greater.
Somebody wanted to harm this girl.
Who could it be? Why had Prof.
Morris ever let his only child start out |
on such wild journey alone? If he
ever had a daughter-his daughter
and Anne's-Chris felt the blood rush.
ing into his face. He mopped his
brow. This was no time to be indulg.
Ing in romantic dreams! Why couldn't |
he think Of some way to help her now,
The storm ragged more and more
fiercely. The noise. was deafening,
the ship almost turning over in it's
frantic plunges. The wind shrieked
along the deck, the waves broke in
torrents against his window, and (
Chris clung to his berth, waiting.
Hours passed. the long night drag.
ging itself out at last. and only with
the coming OF the dawn did the tur.
bulence OF sea and wind abate. an
ugly. gray dawn which stole in the
window. and found Chris looking
through 1t, eagerly. his eyes trying
to penetrate what appeared to be a
great gray cloud. not far from the
deck rail.