Show it S E RIAL Q il THE LER by ELLA MIDDLETON by ray walters ta Z othlo SYNOPSIS three TI ree girls Mi eizabeth zabeth gabriell and nd Elista ahbe rAed for or canada to spend tile hie summer tarp on board steamer they ayere afre fright ewd by an app arenth klement id d stranger Bt who ario b g belonging to to oneo dern took in seim a photo of the w trio ille ellse shared ber stateroom with H u mrs isias grabara Ora Gra liam barn alto also bound for canada i CHAPTER I 1 continued the light w was burnong ln in iny fay stateroom yoom when at last I 1 myself to enter it and mrs graham lay asleep pi in the lower berth her lips slightly parted and her face resting upon her hand nature had meant to be kind to this woman and had bad been ll 11 liberal eral indeed with her gifts the lashes which swept the pale cheek wei wera dark and curling like the lux luxuriant urla t hair carelessly usla pushed arld on oil the pillow while the face itself though thin and haggard hag gaid had evi evidently denty once deen been a perfect oval with a singular purity of outline and innocence of expression As noiselessly as possible I 1 made my preparations for the he might night and climbed in into i 0 my berth turning off th the electric light with a sense ot 0 f relief that the switch was within easy reach of my mi hand band I 1 lay staring into the darkness wide awake and alert to every sound A murmur of voices came from the next room interspersed with occasional sub sab dued laughter laugh tei and at last I 1 heard ard a winda window w bp opened e and some 0 one k I 1 alp ilp apparently clr leaned out althan with an ejaculation 0 of relief jove what what a nighal 0 and to think of wasting it in a cell like this I 1 blake sou yott old sinner have you no soul tor for the b beautiful ful look at the light on the water the reply was inaudible evidently blake had gone sensibly to ped but adjie h e voice I 1 ce continued jan daunted V as citsay ay it be jolly to dive off 1 the railing rallin gand and swim a mile or so I 1 declare ive bait a mind to do id it I 1 caught my breath apprehensively surpooe he be should jump A match was now scratched and the odor of a c cigarette Iga floated through my slatted blind maybe think youre on an or binary a nary steamer mpr blake but lla its nothing ot of the kind it is a royal barge belonging to the gods and its carrying theT the three pree graces to attend apollo im I 1 m apollo you understand and venus venas in it ahls trip I 1 think ot of course im not yet sure but I 1 think thalia is the chosen one the berth barth crded plaintively and a second match was struck apparently blake considered it wiser to join his patient at the window dont be an ass he said with a slow drawl but his companion mere ly whistled a few bars of an old song how happy could I 1 be with either were sere vother dear charmer away ell eh blake he laughed the way with this world always too much or too little 0 quite enough for you I 1 think not a bit of it the thing I 1 want most I 1 lack but some time some how im going to get it silence for a few moments then he r resumed more gravely of course its no end jolly hotly to have you ou with me blake but it Is a queer business tor for you to take up and I 1 dont altogether like it you were built for better things it is interesting fute resting work and said to require special fitness no doubt welt well its an III wind you lou know and since tt it blew you my way ive tao kick c coming ang but old chap there Is no use in publishing what you jou are doing and for for both our sakes it is better you should pa pasa 8 simply as my guest As you please bennett now for heavens sake come to bed I 1 dont know whether I 1 had actually been asleep or whether I 1 was waa merely in that delightful state of half con ness which precedes I 1 profound slumber but x J started up tip broad awake with the echo of a cry ringing in my lay ears was I 1 dreaming I 1 wondered for I 1 heard beard nothing but bat the sound of the waves against the boat A then it came again from just bene aall ath me a sobbing 1 I frightened cry infinitely distressing dispir sing to hear and instinctively I 1 turned on tho light ant and jumped to the floor mrs graham sat uptight in her berth hor her dark eyes looking into space and her hands tightly clasped not again harry she gibe moaned no so od soon I 1 took her hand bands a in mine and spoke to her ber calling her by name ii several e eral times and ad gradually the blank look in her eyes was wag replaced by utter bewilderment wll dorment as ie ibe began to realize her surroundings i what is I 1 rt she am a M 11 hae bate I 1 be been en owr i i 1 I 1 you were dreaming I 1 suggested bugs ested A bad d baw berhau pe A bad b ashe repeated ipg abed ayes abat it it a 6 acad d dream and only a 1 ream thank d pv ened ut ivo you she lie continued con tritely trl tely and ad of course urse you are arc tired too ini im so surry sorry please KO go to steep sleep again and I 1 will try not to disturb you I 1 am all right indeed I 1 put out the light and got back into my berth and lay there thinking about my irly companion and more than halt I 1 expecting her to cry out again evidently she ow did not net at a once go 1 to sleep for I 1 hearther heard tier her sigh softly now and then and once she whispered brokenly only a dream thank god cod only a i dream dosani dr sani C CHAPTER A R 11 1 when I 1 wakened the next morning I 1 was aone ant and should have beer been ln in dined to believe the preceding night a dream were it not for the penciled words worda on a scrap of paper pinned to my counterpane that thanked roe me mr for sharing my room loom and expressed the hope that we might meet again in the future it was raining when we landed and upon reaching our botel hot el lifter after two ho hours tirs run by train and a talt halt hour hoier spent spend in crossing troubled waters in aa orlou little steamer we were not in a condition to be enthusiastic about our new new quartets Ellb abitha booklet had said well appointed hoube combines the comforts comfor tx of 0 horne home with the conveniences con venlen es of if the best belt hotels it liot els th thio pozy cozy bedrooms abundant carefully prepared food and cheerful willing ire im appeal at orice once to id the jaded traveler niT mitering ering all ear essential bodily comforts and refreshment while natures nature s never ending away into lit at fords pleasing to the eye ee and the of other cultured ruesta guests provides the mental stimulus so 0 o necessary for true recreation afren now however I 1 hesitate toye to recall recal our farst week in this ideal deal retreat when it rained without ceasing and t the beauties ot of nature were left to the imagination while the house itself proved a delusion and a snare elizabeth got along best tor for she immediately inspected Inspect eO her wardrobe ind and ripped up two skirts and a shirt waist preparatory to making them over with circles of lace insertion let in fay by hand her ardor was a little dampened when she discovered slie she had lace and nowhere to buy it but slid she rallied bravely and resorted t to instead with satisfactory results gabrielle Gab ilelle and I 1 were not so BO fortunate for experience had taught us I 1 sa how I 1 would voul d like to G get e t In nal sidel del exclaimed ed elizibeth elizabeth longingly not to attempt to improve on our raiment and atter after we had bad written to everybody we knew and told them what a delightful summer we anticipated we had reached tho the end of our resources and I 1 only stared abse absently fitly out of the window while gabreille Gabrel lle took to reviewing her hei past life which la Is proof positive that she is very blue indeed what use have I 1 been in the world she demanded lying face downward down waid on her bed 1 I do nothing but eat and sleep and enjoy myself year after year you are lots of use to me interrupted elizabeth cheerfully would you cutt cut these heso sleeves elbow length 0 no o I 1 I 1 dont oat liko like them 11 well ido and elizabeth clashed her scissors vigorously elbow sleeves leeves being a point upon which they d differed differed emphatically while gabryelle ga Gabr ki helle lelle pulled a pillow under her head and continued solemnly it have quite decided that next winter shall be different when we go vack to Wh washington ington I 1 intend to rad something improving every day and to spend money I 1 generally waste on theaters in flowers for the Child childrens hospital and I 1 will read to the blind and take them up and down to the congressional library to those entertainments tain ments you know we exchanged smiles miles over her unconscious head for the blind had often be before 1 to been promised the pleasure of without actual benefit and reference to them always Indica indicated tet tha t ar hor spirits bad ha drenched denobel ge nobel the etro p a t ale t us ua g out I 1 sugg suggested doted feeling thi that i something e thin must lust be done dohe to cause at to dive diversion 61 even A it W wa got get wet it mill be bett bettger y r than here so we donned our rain coats and walked through the little village with its modest frame dwellings and occasional cas ional pretentious hotel up tip a hill and straight out on it a bluff overlooking the soft sea there Isolate dand was ft a vacant cottage with a covered veranda I 1 shall never forget our first of the ocean all gray like the en ve loping tog fog except where the white creist cheated ed waves i rolled oiled highest with green geen shadows and opalescent lights As AH we looked the tha pilat lifted the sun came caine out and wo we saw tho the vt atlantic away bibb space s restless awesome and irresistibly sisti bly alluring with its vigue vague suggestion of hidden marvels lust just beyond the horizon hoil zon elizabeth beckoned front from the turn of the veranda vo which ran quite about the house and we joined her speechless with admiration evidently the island ended here tit in a sharp point f for or while on one hand was waa the ocean on the other was water also hut but closely dotted with little green islands gay with flowers bowers and com fordable looking houses just beyond was the strip of land we knew to till be the border of tho the I 1 untied states high above upon the bluff stood the little cottage commanding an unobstructed ted view on every side there w was as an air of 0 coziness about it deserted though it was which made us homesick in spite of ourselves it was built of shingle now beautifully gray and weather beaten and had cascina t ing latticed windows and overhanging gables with an outside chimney or of rough stone anything more unlike the clipboard clapboard houses of 0 the village could riot not be imagined how I 1 would like to get inside exclaimed elizabeth longingly there aint no reason you cant said a gruff voice behind us I 1 almost lost my balance but turned to meet the I 1 nt ruder lie he seemed entirely harmless merely art an old man with a door key who explained that ho be was the caretaker and came up after each rain to be sure that everything was all right sowe so we followed him eagerly if the outside of the cottage was attractive the inside was irresistible I 1 e it consisted of a moderately large lhing room with a stone fireplace a small dining room a smaller It kitchen three bedrooms a bath and a little square entrance hall it was furnished too As gabrielle said modestly it could not have been done better had we attended to it ourselves there were large comfortable wicker chairs and couches upholstered in chintz chintz hangings hannings hang ings delightful little tables and last but not least a generous supply of the necessaries of life in the shape of 0 bed and table linen cooking utensils table appointments of china and plated ware and in short everything ono one desire ohl oh exclaimed elizabeth after exhausting hau sting her supply of adjectives how bow I 1 should like to spend the summer right here beret well returned the caro care taker faker the house la Is to let it was the beginning ot 0 the end W we all knew it privately although we did no more than casually ascertain the renti rent but elizabeth converse conversed 4 aside with ith the old man while gabrielle Gabr lelle tried each chair in turn and I 1 dleo discovered v a light arranged over the couch couch where one might lie and read luxuriously on stormy evenings of course said gabrielle Gabr lelle as we turned reluctantly away it is out of the question for or us to t take it ot of course we echoed but elizabeth added that the rent was ridiculously low and I 1 referred to tho the view from the window and the utter absence of vines or any sort of verdure so necessary to combating hay bay fever we wanted to go back along the shore share as far as possible so descended a very steep little flight of steps leading down to a small shed or boathouse belonging to tho the cottage cot tage A woman stood on the little slip looking out oye oyer over r the water she turned as we approached and I 1 recognized mrs graham grinham tho the keen air had brought a little color into her face but her lips looked blue and pinched and her voice bolce as she responded to my surprised greeting shook uncontrollably 1 I am waiting for my husband she said he went out early this morning in his bis boat and has not yet returned our cottage Is just beyond the bluff but I 1 had no idea wo we were your neighbors I 1 explained that we were at the batel and expressed the hope that she felt rested after her journey but she had resumed her scrutiny of the ocean and did not reply to my inquiry TJ BU COINTIN CONTINUED VED |