Show r r. r j 1 I 1 IA A Man lean and a c Mermaid By W. W GeD George gc Gribble Grlbble I L I L L I t. t by bT Pub lub Co I Mr Ir John Franklin senior I partner of the firm of Sc Ruth Rush lay stretched at ease case In his bis deck I chair on a transatlantic liner Uner It was wu wasa wua a perfectly calm night and the sea was wu murmuring softly In response to the full tull light of the moon which was making the night eloquent Mr Ir ginson had drawn his chair to a secluded secluded se se- eluded corner of ot the lower deck where he was wu closer to the water aud and unsheltered from the heavens He lie had dined full and well and the fragrance fra frat grance glance of his cigar was deeply satis saUs How luminous the water seemed to tonight night It must bo be full of ot those phosphorescent phosphorescent Mr had read about As ho tipped off the ashes from his cigar daintily with his little finger ho he noticed how bow tho the ruby Iq In his ring flashed in tho moonlight It was a handsome pigeon blood blood ruby of considerable considerable con value l For or a while Mr Ir HIg Ilig ginson watched the strange light it t emitted under the rays of the moon From this musing Mr HIgginson's attention was drawn to the water by something moving near the ship Probably Probably ably some somo larger species of fish he mused possibly possibly possibly-as as there was a white flash possibly flash possibly even a porpoise Then he remembered that porpoises come only in schools and leap out of the wa ter Mr HIgginson Idly wondered at atthe atthe atthe the swirling luminous water Suddenly he ho stared below him Strange he thought that might have been a white arm He Ile would have bavo liked to have asked a sailor the meaning of such phenomena but there seemed no one about It was evidently late as the passengers had bad all turned In Again came cam a white flash In the moonlight Then a streak of whiteness whiteness white white- ness splashing and flashing in the shimmering water Mr Higginson gazed spellbound sometimes nearer sometimes farther off whatever it was it kept well up with the steamer Mr HIgginson felt a little ripple creep down his spine e. e Suppose it should be The thought was too unpleasant unpleasant- besides it was obviously alive and and- moving Now It was quite close Inand in inand inand In- In and beyond a doubt it had white feelers feel ers era which looked and moved like likA arms Mr HIgginson's brain swam Pictures by Boecklin came dancing ng before before before be be- fore his mental vision Then he shuddered shuddered dered for there in the moonlight by bythe bythe bythe the boats boat's side swam a beautiful woman What was he to do Could it be some demented passenger The French lady had seemed to him somewhat some what unbalanced Then he be had heard of somnambulism Great Scott And he ho would be required as a witness in lu incase incase lucase case anything happened In a turmoil turmoil turmoil tur tur- tur- tur moil of emotions Mr Higginson waved to the lady She came nearer nearer somewhat somewhat somewhat some some- what cautiously He lie deemed it best to humor her and temporize as she seemed such an excellent swimmer hoping for help to appear meanwhile A A brilliant idea presented Itself to Mr HIgginson I suppose you are a mermaid he called very softly lIe He heard only what sounded like a faint laugh while the lady as Mr Higginson expressed to himself moved with a gallic abandon aban Ion don through the water Perhaps she didn't un understand un English etes et s sune une petite nest ce pas he called again with witha a sympathetic side gesture suggestive of aquatic origin This time he ho heard head an unmistakable and impudent little giggle Mr tried another tack Do you sing sing he called hoping she would throw discretion discretion discretion tion to the winds in her desire to act out the part of a n. Lorelei and thus attract attract at at- tract the attention of tho the watch This time his question was answered Soft like silver sliver c cadences came the most exquisite singing Mr HIgginson had over ever heard Like a sigh the singing ended and Mr HIgginson scarcely yet breathed afraid to lose a note of it IL A laugh rippled up to him There below him wa wed the tho lady whose singing was only matched by her swimming Her hair glistened lIstened like gold and silver sliver In the moonlight while ono one arm moved out of tho the water and In with scarcely a ripple She Sho beckoned and smiled at him radiantly and he be saw sho she was no 00 passenger What do you want he asked almost almost almost al al- al- al most In a whisper She Sho made a gesture with ono one hand and tho the little finger of or tho the other lie He looked at nt his hand and saw the ruby shining there Ho lIe looked at her doubtfully She Sho made madea mades a s pleading gesture a and d gazed at him so 80 fully that as In a dream ho took oft off his ring and dropped It into the ocean Sho She caught It Il deftly as it flashed into the water and pressed it to her lips Thank you your thank you she exclaimed In perfect English So you can speak English he queried Yes Yes she replied and her voice sounded like Uke a ripple of water I can speak any language once I have o touched to my lips Ups something belonging to ono one who speaks It It Mr Ir mind ran over o cases he be had bad heard of witnesses s who could only speak under tho the spell of a golden gold en ell coin She Sho might have hn asked for formy formy formy my handkerchief or my necktie he thought to himself a little rue ruefully full but bul aloud ho be said Who are aro jou your out You wouldn't believe me she sho laughed Not Nol really I bo he exclaimed with a vague shudder She nodded and and splashed the water up to him with s i little laugh Where do you ou JIve liver liveT be he asked Do not move and I 1 will tell you ou at atou you ou have bave been boon BO so kind to me And I softly splashing by the vessels vessel's side she told him the following halt sing half sing singing ing in a curious fascinating rhythm My name is Pelagia and I was born torn in a cave of corals many miles mUes below belo the surface Down there is a world orld I of beings of ot all aU sorts sorts mermaids mermaids like me mermen oyster maidens which grow from pe pearls moth mothers pearl mothers rs of pearl which are the mothers of the oyster maidens coral dwarfs which never come to the surface and Sea An dents which are old men descendants descend descendants ants they say of the god Neptune We have our laws and we are bound to keep them One Ono of them is that we may only appear once In our lives JIves to human beings Mr HIgginson felt a subtle glow ot or satisfaction at these words So you ou are having your night out he ventured But she ignored his remark remark remark re re- re- re mark by diving under the water When she came up she continued Have you ever heard of Undine He remembered the name vaguely but could not recall her story Well she went on You should read It it for it is quite true A recollection flashed through his mind Do you mean to say that that old story of mermaids not having souls but being able to acquire ac an- qt quire lre them through human love is true She nodded her head half sad sad- ly Iy That Is why we are allowed to show ourselves to a human being once In our lives And do you generally choose an ocean ocean liner liner he asked thinking mermaids must be developing a sense for business Not generally general general- ly Iy she replied mostly it is sailors or fishermen But do you remember last year hearing of ot a very rich man who was lost at sea Mr HiggInson Hl remembered perfectly perfectly-a a very wealthy Wall Wan street broker who had thrown himself overboard from a transatlantic steamer Yes he said I remember remember ber very distinctly Well he is mar marS married ried to one of my friends she said with a mischievous glance that made Mr Higginson shiver I hope hes he's He Took Off ON His Ring and Dropped It Into the Ocean happy ho he managed to say in a con cou conventional conventional tone Oh perfectly she replied coolly he gave her a most lovely engagement ring almost aa III handsome as this one Mr HIggIn HIggInson son turned icy cold But he choked and his voice sounded strange thai that thatis Is not an engagement ring She sent out a ripple of laughter and splashed the tho water merrily Oh yes it Is And do you mean to say that I am af at affianced to you 7 gasped Mr Higgin son By Dy the laws Jaws of our realm you yot aro are bound to mo me mel she said tossing her golden hair In the spray But Dul 1 know nothing of your laws Jaws By out OUI outlaws laws laws laws-by by the laws of Great Britain and the law Jaw of the United States States States-l I Iam am not bound to you or any woman His Isis tone was almost defiant But sweetheart mine she sho laughed dont you ou see you are not in any ono one orI ot or I those countries but on the tho ocean AndI and should you not be tied by the law of or orthe I the realm you are In n 1 An awful log Jog logis logic ic is in her remark struck him speechless speech speechless less with horror Besides she resumed resumed resumed re re- re- re reflectively gazing at the ring you ou ought to be glad to have me Am I not beautiful and with naive frankness she half halt lifted herself on a 11 little wave and clasped her hands behind behind behind be be- hind her head up at him in a away away awny way to make him giddy and set his heart henrt racing wildly In truth she was gloriously beautiful Ills His antipathy for her seemed to melt into o the tho moonlight There was a flash nuh of m merriment in her eyes which wholly escaped him lie Ho was bending over devouring her beauty with his eyes She stretched up her arms to him When he whispered when shall I come comeT comeTA A yearning look Jook crept Into her faco face and her mouth seemed formed as ns If for Cor an lion answer or answer or a kiss Ills His elbow and one ono foot were on tho the when he was seized from behind with n a grip of Iron and forced backward while a gruff voice said In his ear car Its Ils against the orders to ta Jump overboard Mr started stared and walked slowly to his stateroom |