Evening star., 1927-09-22
CHAPTER I.
The Woman i'm 90.

TIME girl who was down on thf
passenger list Of the Btach
9 Star Lines Mediterranean
/ steamship Sudanic as MISS
Julia Deane" was lying ptCh
idlv in her deck chair one balmV MdA
afternoon. \ book of poems IN itd!iai
was loosely clasped in one smaii. rlis
less hand and her half-closed blne eA 9
seemed to be gazing dreamllN ou' oN''
the vast expanse of bluer sea, ~
though her thoughts were aIaF ~
some land of girlish romance.
Nevertheless, they narrowed sI'h,
ly as another woman appeared III t III.
door of the companionway ana came
s1ou,l,r forward and the hand holding
the book of poems tiEhteneo un'I i.'
linn leather cover curled. Yet she ap
reared IN take no notice OF the ap
preaching figure. =, -.
The newcomer. however. did hot
wait TO he greeted. but, sWaylng grace
fully with the light roll OF the snip
she advanced to the empty char ne
side the girl and dropped INTO II Win
a smile.
II stopped at the door OF your state,
room, my dear, but the steWardess toId
me- YOU had recovered and were up
on dock SO wise of you to brace up
weather" Her voice was cordlality
itself vet it held a peculiar. catllke,
n,1rrfng note that brought FAINT
frown 10 the girls pretty brow. al
though she turned politely enough to
her neighbor.
You stopped at my door. Mrs. Car
lin" That was kind of YOU. Jula
Deane replied in perfect English, but
with a shade of precision as though
her native language did not come
easily to her tongue.
I'm in the statcroom next 10 yours.
Number %. YOU know. ! wanted 70
give you this novel. You Il ma II
interesting. though perhaps not the
sort of literature the good sisters have
been providing for YOU" Mrs. Carlir
laughed and the girls eyes widcned
then fell quickly to the dainty volume
placed on the arm of her chair.
The Golden Lure. She read the
title aloud and then looked up once
more. You knew l had studied IN a
convent?
"And that you've taken French
leave" Mrs. Carlin leaned forward
confidentially. You came on board
at Marsc..o. and even American girls,
as young as you, don't travel alone
girls of your class. anyway. You don [
seem to know your own name very
well, either. but your secret Is safe
with me. I'm not telling you this TO
intrude, but TO offer you my friend
ship; you're going TO need friend
very soon, and very badly.
Il don't understand. You think l
have run away from school" the girl
faltered, biting her lips. Then her
brows lifted and her little chin thrust
itself out determinedly. Il have need
of no friends except those to whom |
am going, and if l travel alone it is
my own affair. You do not know me;
why do you speak SO strangely"
Mrs. Carlin did not at once reply. A
set, conventional smile had appeared
on her vividly Redeemed mouth, and
with slow deliberation she put back
a loosened strand of her too-blond hair,
but from behind the sleeve of her trav-
cling coat she seemed to be narrowly
watching the approach of fellow
passenger. A tall young man with
clean-cut features and keen gray-blue
eyes sauntered by with the uncon.
scious. 1.-THE poise of unquestionable
breeding.
He glanced once, impersonaly. in
the direction of the two chairs and
their occupants, then out over the
rail, but his stride did not quicken
till he had rounded the forward part
of the deck and disappeared.
"I speak as a friend and / know
more of you than you think! The
older woman spoke at last, deeper
urgent note in her voice. You do
not know what you are going to face
in America, but | warn you that you
are in danger now You saw the
young man who just passed? He has
made your acquaintance, l think"
A little flush had mounted in the
girls face.