Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-26

~ HRISTOPHER'S claim tha
Anne was his wife acted upor
the little party gathered ir
the captains room like an eX
ploding shell from highl!
charged bomb A gasp and cry. the
latter from Anne. and Chris felt him
self being slowly consumed under the
burning fire of her eyes.
Chris. you-you-' her resent
ment was beyond utterance. She could
not finish the sentence, and Straine
for the moment, lost his poise. so thai
the captain was the first to speak.
This is curious statement for you
to make, Mr.. Dalghren," he said. ex
aiming the ring attentively. Miss
Morris. is this your ring?'
Mo-
"Anner' broke from Chris. in a cry
OF protest so Enthusiastically genuine
that it carried conviction to all who
heard it, you can't deny it's our ring
oh, my dear. don't''
well" Anne faltered, II gave 1t
back to your
"Theh it was yours?" the captain
pursued mercilessly.
"Yes, but it wasn't q wedding ring;
we were only engaged. / can't under
stand how you can say such thing,
Chris, It's unfair
MIR. Straine," the captains quiet
tones interrupted her. I'm sorry, but
I cannot comply with your request
until l can get into communication
with Miss Morris people. which, ow.
ing to the accident to the wireless.
may not be accomplished until we
reach Gatun. Marriage is solemn
step, and I cannot be responsible for
1t under these circumstances"
But, captain" Anne protested, you
+ all rwol
to Mr.. Dahlgren; we broke it of be.
fore l sailed"
"Yet, he is in possession Of we'd
ding ring bearing both your initials,
and. in addition to that, Mr.. Winston
claims you as his fiancee! No, Mr..
Straine. I'm sorry, but you will have
to postpone your ceremony until am
convinced that such a marriage may
lawfully take place"
"It seems to me, captain" Straine
said haughtily, that you are allowing
yourself to be unduly influenced by
INSCRIPTIONS people. Nobody could
take Winston seriously, the poor chap
is mentally deranged, and, as for Dahl
gren, admit that / won Miss Morris
from him! Isn't that enough to &C.
count for his desperate attempt to pre-.
vent me from scoring complete vic.
looked the detail that I found him in
possession Of Lady de Vere's money
and that her slipper was found in his
room? Surely, you have not given the
matter your fullest considerations
II have overlooked none of these de-
tails, Mr.. Straine. but other matters
are also important. The glass slipper
undoubtedly could be worn by Miss
Morris, and she has yet to explain her
presence in strange cabin during last
s night"
Captain" Anne's anger had died
away and her tone was imploring, Il
can explain that, il you'll only let me
tell you alone. You didn't give me a
chance.'
You are quite right" the captain
was somewhat Modified. land / will
allow you that privilege now. Mr..
Straine will excuse you: please leave
the room. Officer, bring Mrs. Winston
and her son here. Fritz and the stew
ardess may also leave. Mr.. Dahlgren,
will ask you to remain here with
Morris alone"' He opened the door
of an inner office. will you step this
way, my dear?"
1t was with the utmost difficulty
that Chris restrained himself from fol-
lowing her. What would the captain
say to Anne? What could she reply?
Oh, for an answer to all the questions
that seethed in his mind, making life
a nightmare.
After what seemed an eternity the
door opened, Anne and the captain
entered, and the latter bowed Anne
from the room. merely saying:
Il will let you know when I want
YOU again." before he closed the door
upon her.
The first officer had returned with
Mrs. Winston and Aubrey. and that
youth sat in detected silence, his coun.
tenance registering broken heart.
Mrs. Winston" the captain began.
his manner extremely courteous, 81
am distressed to be obliged to further
question you. but / shall be as brief
ing the day yesterday"
"Oh. captain" that lady broke out
excitedly, 80 i'll. this heat. I'm suffo-
Gated, my nerves are all upset, I don't
know what to do. l really think we
had better leave the ship in Panama,
though how to get back from there is
another question. I hear that Pana-
ma is infested with swamps and rob-
bers and things like that. We could
never get back by land; of course, I
don't mean walking, I never was good
when I was a bicycler, long ago; OF
course, when everybody was doing it
and l hadn't a horse at the time be-
cause dear papa met with financial
reverses soon after the war, | mean
: the Spanish War; Of course, when the
Maine was sunk. you remember that,
and
please, please, my dear madam -
the captain tried to stem this torrent
Of "reminiscences, I'm asking YOU
about last night. Did YOU ask Miss
Morris to spend the night with your"
oh, yes, / know it was sillv. but
heing so nervous and susceptible to
dreams and thinks like that and never
feeling sure about my precious boy.
Oh. dear. don't make me think Of that
boy, ] can't bear anything more" and
bursting into flood of tears, she
arosn and fed from the room.
Never mind" the captain said tc
Winston. "1ll continue with YOU
Where did you sleep last night?"
Il didn't sleep! I already told you
that mermaid 'phoned me that she
wanted to learn the Charleston"'
That won't do. Winston! You've
got a fine line. and no doubt 1t amuses
your friends immensely. but l wan,
the truth. We know that you were
not in your room at the time the
cabins were searched. Where were
you?"
We'll" Aubrey appeared deep II
thought. "you say you don't beliey,
my story about the mermaid?"
NO, DON'T
That's funny" Winston replied
slowly, because. do you know, dom
eitheri / don't believe that I eyer dif