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The Wingham Times, 1916-11-23, Page 7t n; ry November 23, 19L6 MEM ssSSS" SSSS Zs'S liMENNEEEEMEME THE WINGHAM TIMES LINKED BY FATE BY CHARLES GARVIS some thsfance of your care affil thoughtfulness. Is there nothing I -can do?" "Yes; go to bed," retorted Man- nering, cheerfully. "It's time we all ' turned in, Miss Nina, you can't work by this light." "I can see quite well," she said„ "but if you wish it—good night!" After she had gone the two ' men. were silent for a few minutes, then Mannering said: "Has she said anything? Is she frightened? On a raft in the open . sea! It is enough to alarm the bray- . •est!" "No, she has said not one word," replied Fleming. . "I don't think she knows what fear means," said Mannering with--•som:e- thing like a groan. "And yet sh i must realize the danger; she is so quick, so intelligent—" "She is the most intelligent and acute girl I have ever known," said Fleming. "Will you give me your • hand, Mannering?" IIe was so weak that Mannering almost carried him to their hut: Mannering would have lain awake that night brooding over the situa- tion, but the next day's Herculean toil loomed before him and he forced himself to sleep. But Nina did not sleep. She went - over Fleming's proposal, Manner- ing's words, in endless repetition; called up the expression of his face, his quick, ,short gestures. Rather than marry him she was going to leave him alone on this desolate l� • island. She did not think of her own peril, on a raft on the open sea with a dying man, but of the ter- -. rible Solitude of the man who had - saved her life, who had worked like . a slave for her comfort. Innumerable little acts, amongst the big ones, - occurred to her, against which, small as they were, his.fight with the Lasa- car was diminished.' My brothers, it is our little deeds, - our small acts of consideration, which weigh with women. It is rho wrapping of a cloak round them, the finding of a chair, the prpffercd hand f in some small difficulty by the way, that counts with them.. -Mcrae setts rift a is all verywell,but, if t. c cyou want to win a woman's •hear, screen, her from the sun, keep her feet dry, help her over the stile. The girl lay tout thought o1 the thousand and one little acts of kind- ness and consideration which Man- • 'tering had performed on her behalf, and she was so busy with the mem- • ,airy of them that she had not time left in which to think of her own -coming peril. And .yet, how eager ho roust be to so,voicVanarrying her, seeing that he wap milling to let her run the risk .. t setting sail on a raft for an un- nown destination! The reflection stung her and made her face burn. ' 'Mannering was up with the dawn— and really, it was almost worth be- ing shipwrecked to see the dawn of day on that lovely island!—but early 4 it was; Nina had risen and Was wtanding at the door of the menet,. t "1 have got your breakfast," she *gid, simply. "Iiow is Mr. Flem- ing?„ The pearly light fell like a benedic- tion on her lovely face and was re- fleeted cfleeted in the calm of her violet eyes, and something stirred in Mannering's bosom; perhaps the thought •that very soon he would not see her in any light. "He was asleep --at least, I think s4; he is very weak," he said as he took the slice of bread and the tin. •art tea. "X am afraid he -is very ill," she ,said, sadly.. "I will go to him. You -are felling trees?" "Yes," he Said, trying to speak in -0 casual way. "I have nearly finish- ed. I hope to have made the raft by to; night. Dant worry }bout the. mail; Scan finish it when I come "It will be done before that," 'she :raid, very slo'wly>an,i, quietly, He went off and resumed `hie work,. The day grew hot and he was thirsty, �r►eiwag reluc antler think, nE, oe- -IDUNSIGHTLY R ' 1 S. �. COVERED THIS FACE, B. B. B. Cured Him. 41,44rAll diseases and hientishe of the shin the blood being in an im• e caused bybet g pure conditiat The best blood cleansing medicine on the market. ttedaay is Murdock Blood ;{'hitters, a arcdidnt'•ihat IniS"•1>til5eitin ftsee iidr over 40 years, ;so you dor hot ettperi- /Sent when you buy it. (' Mr. Lennox D. Cooke, Indian Path, ILS., writes; "1 age 'Willing you a nes to tar you inhale i3urdock'1310' ;tiers ha; x%000- % v nit Mify f eiee was vexed with im err. I tried differ sstt finds of medicine, n- all seemed t0 fai4i. 1': was one day to a friend's home, and there they advised me.ftd its 7 purchased two bottles, and before I had that* taken t •fotiilld i'Wate getting ter. they ,. tie>r : acid w'krt�d e finished' I -was'` 1eoidptetely 'cured. find.- itis a great blood , artd x. ,arcotnmena it to all." •4_ 'IL 13. B. is manufactured only by Itt /AVOW t)T Ont.. S&S .S ur S S'�r .S42..E Si 2 „:g to tnc spring Tor a arms oz wa- ter ater when Nina came towards hire with a mug of lime -water. He straightened his back, and, with an unconscious admiration of her grace, watched her approach, "Is there any need to work so hard?" she asked in a low voice, her eyes half raised with, on her side, the woman's instinctive appreciation and unconscious worship of his strength. "Have you cut down all these—in so short a time? It seems impossible." "There is no time t'- ems; ." he said, as 'he set down the n,u0. "How is Mr. Fleming getting on? I have a hope that the voyage, the effort, will do him good." She looked beyond him gravely as she answered: "He is much weaker 1 am afraid. I have been sitting with him mending the sail. It is finished. Is there anything else I can do'?" She looked at the logs. "I am strong very strong. It is strange, but I have grown stronger since we have been on the island. It is the air, I sup- pose." • Mannering nodded. "And the exer- cise. You are on the move from morning to night. I have watched you. And the simple food. We ens too much over there in England." She looked round almost wistfully. "It is a very beautiful island. 1 have never seen anything half se beauti- ful. The colors aro so lovely. Xi only there were mere people!" she sighed and swept the dark hair from the sunburnt brow. "Can I not help you with these?" "No," he said, almost curtly; "they are too heavy. But you can get the provisions together --the tin- ned meats and condensed milk we brought with us from the wreck—in- to a box, and strap up the rugs in a arpaulin. And mind and put your, spare clothes in the middle of the bundle, so that they can't get wet.'t The small things, my brothers! She glanced up at him, as he stood,. his bare necktanned by the sun, his brow knit with thought of her. • "Very well," she said, and, taking up the empty znug, left -him. By nightfall Mannering had gds the last of the logs' down to the beach at the edge of the .high tide mark, and he worked on -in the moon- light until he had.joined the logs to- gether and constructed his raft. When he dragged himself , up the beach, Nina was standing at the door of the men's hut. "You are late," she said in a low voice. "Supper has been waiting a long time." "I'm sorry," he said. "I wanted to finish the raft to -nighty, and I hay; done so. You ,:twill lie " able to Siert 'to -m rrow. ` Where 'is Mr. Fleming?" he asked, as he entered and saw that Fleming was not there. "He was too • weak to leave his bed, and come 'down here," she re- plied. "I will go to him," he said. "Not till you have had something to eat," she said with a touch of command in her low voice. "He ham taken some milk. I have been sitting with ., hien. Have : your supper, please." "Have you packed the box with the provisions?" he asked as he sank on to a seat. "Yes," she replied, pouring out his coffee. "All will be ready to -morrow," he said. "I have been studying the cur- rents. You roust steer south by southwest. I will show you, oas the compass. If I am right in my idea of the position of the main group, you will sai1 and drift for it with- out' any difficiilty, and Should reach it in twenty, or say, thirty hours." "We may find the mien thero," she said. "The boat may have taken them there." He stopped the mug on its way to his mouth, then he shook his head.. "No, thank Heaven! The wind was in tie other direction. -when they went. • No, they* drifted. out t to the open sea. ' It 1 Were not sure of th'sit I would not let you gee Better run rhoNomriskethiof—marrying'e, than fall into their bands. But there is no chance!, of that; you need not be afraid,' Arent you going to eat ng? She came to the Tarough table and poured nut a cup or coffee. It • was the Stet eneal'tbey Wid.taken along, and he watched her under his lowet- ed lids' for ' Tires', tit,ed :tole afid Wine "'do'wn te' 'the` lie'4oii:-and gazed tilt his raft with rim satisfaction.' A dh thh noitt .neo rihtg he was awake, and stood over Fleming, ho, Aftnnerriag thought, was asleep; hitt Iil"ieming Wetted' his eyes said tanned wanly. aNerirlyt' ready. 'Fleming," said Mannering. "How do you feel?" FlOnwg. emllod 'fend moved his hand fceltl'y, and. Manteriag wenttedown to.. theran.:- H Wired up etc. Mast for the saiirl•`and! Hiked 'e. ratigli, and he was going up to Nina's hut for the pre- gisionse when Ji.MeX her eowiog iftl d as o n'the be ch. T p'rerytl l Ie "ready, I think -a!' ) "said,' hat > ' brtikevin upon him with an anxious ery, "Oh."cwTne °ilk, once! Mr. Fleming is iii—worse!"" On strode •beside, her, his browlw "t, and,- they e'ntered `the hut, k11ng g `leritin w = ci%t As back, Ilam . taco white and pinched, his eyes clot''- Is'that •y(U, 3#altriering?" he ae4- irti in sa Itilr! e. rVoice tirmt Men! airing ••yes, it's S. 'Wha'1:'s the matter, Fleeting?" replied Mannering. "Are you ill—worse? The raft—everything is ready." "Too late!" said Fleming, calmly. It is wonderful how calm your dying roan can be. For hire all earthly turmoil, all earthly struggles, doubts„ difficulties, are over. "I cannot go. I am dying, I am sorry. Where— where is Miss Nina?" She was beside hint, her hand on his wrinkled brow, her pitying eyes full of tears. "I'm sorry, Mannering. I would have done what you wished, but there was not time. You—you will have, to do as I.said. My—my Pray- er Book! Quick! My voice—my breath—are going. Nina, my child, where aro you?" Nina sank on her knees beside the bed. Mannering had got the Prayer Book from underneath the pillow, and Fleming almost snatched at it and pressed it to his chest. "It is too late," he gasped. "Heaven has decided. You—you can- not resist its decree. Kneel, Man- nering.,, Mannering, mechanically, sank onto his knees beside Nina, whose face teas hidden in her hands. "What are you going to do, Flem- ing? Make an effort! The raft is ready, but you need not sail to -day!" "I am dying!" said Fleming, ,solemnly, "I felt that I could not wait—that it would be too late. Mannering, you remember our con- versation? You know that I am right. You—you consent?" "Yes; yes!" replied Mannering, scarcely conscious of what ho said. "But, Miss Nina—" "She must consent!" gasped Fiem- ' Ing. "She cannot refuse. There is no alternative' Take—take her hand. Have you—have you anything that will serve as a ring? Anything—" Mannering, hypnotized by the solrnn earnestness of the dying man, tore the signet ring from his flinger. "'There, if you must!" he said, hoarsely. `• . Fleming had found the 'Service of Holy Matrimony and began to read it slowly, painfully, with pauses in ,which he struggled for breath. As if in a dream Nina and Man- nering, prompted by the dying man, made the proper response. 3Flravely, ' with faltering accents and heroic struggles with his death weakness, the Reverend Arthur Fleming read the Marriage Service. • At the proper moment Mannering took Nina's, hand—it was limp and yielding to his touch—and placed the ring on her finger. The solemn words of exhortation were gasped by the young priest, the Prayer Book dropped from his weak fingers, and he extended his hands above their heads and panted out the benediction. ` With a great effort he wrote sone woods on a sheet of pap- er and -put it in Nina'i; httnde', then, With 'a low cry: he ielF back. Mannering sprang to- his feet and bent over hint., "He is—dead!" he cried, hoarsely, to Nina as she:• knelt, _with her face covered' by her treibbling hands. "He ;s dead—and we are married!" he added, inaudibly. CH4.PTl 11 V, Mannering had read the Burial Ser- vice over Fleming, and Nina, who T Jutd stood beside the grave until the last spade full of earth had fallen, went slowly, and with bent head and tear -blinded eyes, to her hut. When his task was finished, Man- nering leant on his spade and gazed after her with a moody' anti perplex- ed brow. The girl 'and he Was Mar- ried; they were alone on this desolate island; but they were matt and wife in name only; they were as far asun- der as the poles. What a situation! And how were they, going to - take it? Would she trust him, rely On his word, Or would she be—afraid of him?' The thought made his hands elenah tightly on the spade and the blood rush to hill face. Already a feeling of eTnbar- rasamont, a, tragic shyness and dis- corktfort; had assailed him, and he knew that site must be 'feeling in ex- acltly the shine ivttiy, but worse It was for 'him to hells her; it *as his duty ttt make"life' possible,uri(ler the circumstances. aknew that it would * ''tie:Eter o leave' hei''a`Ioat for a while, 'and he got hi>i filching lines affil• west doWn to the rocks to, catch fish and think over the situa- tion, 1 'dor of �ieantpht e,, Nia closet' the o the hut,' and put ln its place the thick bolt or Wood that Mannering had fixed for hhe. Then sine sank into the' chair" and-core/sod her face with her hands. ',Grief for the loss of the young clergyman whom she had loved 08 a brother mingled with the digmay and +eteharraesdlent of heel own condition. Presently she took from her Docket the piece rof paper which l'letliin had pressed into her hand. 1t was a certificate of marriage, and as she read the feebly 'written lirSes ti busing' blush Mee to hhr cheeks and her lipir quivered. She seas married to a. mstn of whom si e kr%wnothinK ba hisname, She wet in power—the power which a hus. band holds over his wife, jI had spill that the marriage should be kis in name only, And, ale yes, she ioli4 treat him! Ile had; Droved WAS TROUBLED WITH HER LIVER FOR FIVE YEARS. When the bowels become constipated the stomach gets out of order, the liver does not work properly, and then follows the violent sick headaches, the sourness of the stomach, belching of wind, heart- burn, water brash, biliousness, etc. Keep your bowels regular by using Milburn's Laxa-Liver Pills. They will clear away all( the effete matter which collects in the system and thus do away with constipation and all its allied troubles, • i1 Mrs, John Fitzgerald, Brittania Bay, Ont., writes: "I have' been troubled with my stomach and, liver for the past, five years, and have had constipation causing headache, backache and dizzy spells, and sometimes I would almost fall down. I tried all kinds of remedies without obtaining any relief. I commenced using Milburn's Laxa- Liver Pills, and they have cured me. I have recommended them to many of my friends, and they are all very much pleased with the results they have ob- tained from their use." Milburn's Laxa-Liver Pills, 25e. a vial, 5 vials for $1.00, at all dealers, or mailed direct on receipt of price by Tire T. MiLnintst Co., LIMrr o, Toronto, Ont. }iiiir'si;lf sif brave, so unserilslf, so eciIi- sacrificing; he had even risked his life for hers. Yes, she told herself, striving to gain confidence from the reiteration of the assurance, that she could trust to his honor. ' She sat for sour; time, the certi- 'icate in her band, her brain half dazed with thought; then she remem- bered that she had work to do, and —blessed be drudgery!—she sprang to her feet with the sense of relief which comes at the mere thought of action, of something definite, something, however, trifling, that must be ac- complished. And—and after all it was the duty of a wife—the name stung her!—to feed her husband. She opened the door and looked out with shy embarrassment, but Mannering was out of sight on the racks, and she went to the spring and filled the can and trussed the wild duck she was going to cook for dinner. She smiled as she perform- ed the task. It was an extraordi- nary wedding, a singular honeymoon. Where were the bridesmaids, the breakfast, the wedding -guests in frock coats and gorgeous costumes, the monstrous and always hideous cake, to all of which she had looked forward, like all other properly brought up girls, as the fitting and only accompaniments of her mar- riage day! Every now and then as she moved about, keeping as near the hut as possible, she glanced, expecting to see Mannering; but he did not make his appearance, and at the usual hour she carried the meal to the men's hut and waited. Half an hour, three-quarters, pass- ed, and he did not come. A grim suggestion flashed across her mind and sent the blood to her face; had he, in terror at what he had done, taken the raft and left her—fled from the woman he had been forced to marry? The idea was a wild and foolish one, and she was suffering from the shame of it when she heard hiS step. She rose from her seat beside the fire, then dropped down again and bent over her pot. Mannering had schooled himself— had, indeed, rehearsed his part—and he came in with a cheerful counten- ance as if no marriage had taken place—as if their position towards each other had suffered no alteration. Nothing—no word of his, no sign— he had sworn to himself, should re- mind her .of the fact that she was tied to him. "Dinner ready? I've had good luck to -day,"' he said, holding up the fish ho had caught. "I mean to catch a lot of these fellows presently and salt them down for the winter." She paused as she was lifting the pot from the fire, paused with dis- may at the prospect, but he thought it was because the thing was too heavy, and he went to her and took it from her hand. "Let me. It smells delicious! And I'm fearfully and wonderfully hun- gry." He forced himself—he had been re- hearsing his facial expressions as well as hie words—to iook steadily and frankly at her as he sat opposite ammemaasimmisimimona The Army of t •n • Conaation le Growing *manor Zv D.,,. CARTER'S LITTLE OVER PILLS as. albl•ltiia7eet iwly pr• /Ad" dwypenneandlye e Genies. tlnw. Mil. Goes we ilii* fir Meas, inir40,40. Sie1?1`r.Jagm, Sd.s DDia. Small Pill, Small Data, Sewall Pilo.. Ggfli1111111 iwnlboat $itnaturs, _ e her' at' the' fable, and s1P cufft7iSed to meet his gaze as openly and as Un- reservedly, "You have proved yourself a re- markably good cook," lie said, as he tasted the stewed duck. "You would be worth at least thirty pounds a year 10 England." She winced at the word which meant Homo. Oh, how dear, how sacred, was the word to the girl east on his desolate island! And full of remorse, he murmured, "Forgive nit! I beg your pardon! •' But she ignored the slip and re- sponded with a cheerfulness equal to his own. Should I, really? 'That's strange; for I know nothing what -,vet about cooking. My father"—she kept her voice steady—'!and I lived alone. IIe had given up practice for some years and amused himself with scient.ttic re- search. Ile used to write articles and things for the magazines and review.. ' nd I acted as his amanuen- sis; st st I had no time for what is call domestic duties. If I had only kr n that I should have need- ed a knowledge of cooking and, oh, so many other things that other wo- men can dot" "You have soon picked them up," he said', promptly. "It is wonderful how quickly you have learned to do things; by a kind of instinct, It's the intelligence of the culture mind. It's always easy for an educated per- son to learn the duties of a servant. That's why lady helps should be such a success." "But are they usually?" she asked as she took her plate and cut him a slice of bread. "I've always been given to understand that the lady help does everything but help. She pre- sides at the table, over an underdone or overdone joint and a watery pud- ding, and is much aggrieved if she is asked to do anything in the shape of work." Mannering nodded and kept the ball rolling. Yes; something like the ordinary landlady. I used to live in lodg- ings, and the landlady—she was too liberal with her h's and said she was the daughter of a clergyman—left the cooking to an infant of sixteen whose notions of a meal would make a Rcd Indian quail. Until I was landed here I scarcely knew, away from home or at a restaurant, what a decent dinner meant. You make coffee splendidly. It is quite a sur- prise to find that it doesn't taste like baked horse beans," "I am sorry to say that the coffee is giving out," she said, gravely. "Oh, well," he responded, cheer- fully, "we can manage without it— though I'm sorry for your sake. It's supposed to be bad for the nerves." Nina smiled. "I've almost forgot- ten that I had any," she said. "You have gone through so much," he commented, sagely. -There is no- thing half so good for nerves as real down trouble and danger and right down hard work," As he spoke he drew his chair to the fire and took out Itis old briar pipe, then remembered that he ha;1 nothing with which to 1111 it; and, after a loving look at it and a sigh, replaced it in his pocket. But Nina, upon whom no action or word o? Itis was lost, took a packet from her pocket and held it out to him. "You've no tobacco. I wonder—of course, it won't—but I wonder whe- ther this would do? • I found some leaves on the edge of the planta- tion, and they looked so like tobac- co leaves that I dried them in the sun, just on the chance—" He took the packet, smelt it, filled his pipe and lit it, and, after a draw or two, looked at her grate- fully. "it's first rate!" he said, with a profound sigh. "It was splendid of you to think of it. Intellect again." She laughed, but as she cleared the things away her eyes went to him where he sat smoking enjoyably, and there was a strangely happy glance in them. There was silence for a time; both were thinking of the dead; but Man - nosing would not refer to them— would not say a word to voice their sense of solitude. "To -morrow I intend exploring the island as far as I can," he said with an assumed casualness. "X shall be away all day. You won't mind'?" "No," she said. "Why should I? There is no one here but ourselves." It was out—had slipped out at last —and she went pale, then red; but she turned away swiftly, and he did not notice her embarrassment. "I thought you might get lonely," he said, simply. "I have not 'been so far away before. Perhaps I ought to have made the exploration before this. I 'shall set up another signal on the north, though I am convinced that no ships pass that Way. I re- meniber—it'S wonderful how things come into your memory ' when you think they have gone 'forever!—seeing these islands—or what X think were them—in a map at home." "Yes," she said, mechanically; for she was wondering *here his "home" was. Should she ask him? It was haunting and, burdensome; this com- plete ignorance of hiS past history, his very identity. But before she could find courage to put her ques- tion he stent on: "X believe the mainland of Aus- tralia'is behind us, so to speak, but I'm hot sure." IIe sighed rid if im- patient of his ignorance. "Xt. is just possible some traderh may drop in on us; on the other hand We nifty be left—" He had been communing With him- self as much as talking to her; and as he suddenly realised' that he was talking aloud, he glanced at her peni- tently. But there was no sign of grief or pain on the beautiful facer and she said, quite calmly. "There u T e e nothing for it but pa- tience." is lr gp tience." "fes," he sighed. She moved about in the quiet, soothing way some women—bIc e theme—possess naturally, then, pre- eently, site looked round ars if ever-' thing were done, and said, quiet'y.: "ls there anything else 1 can Me - anything, else you want'? If not, I will Ko "No, thank you!" he replied as quietly. Be rose and opened the door fig` W. si ff they Wert, ukttinr Children Cry for Fletcher's The Rind You Dave AlwayS Bought, and which has been In use for over 30 years, has borne the signature of and has been made under his per-. sonal supervision since its infancy. �Cl.CClc,%l�/. Allow no one to deceive you in this. All Counterfeits, Imitations and "Just -as -good" are but Experiments that trifle with and endanger the health of Infants and Children—Experience against Experiment. What is CASTORIA Castoria is aharmless substitute for Castor Oil, Pare- goric, Drops and Soothing Syrups. It is pleasant. It contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic substance. Its ago is its guarantee. It destroys Worms and allays Feverishness. For more than thirty years it has been in constant use for the relief of Constipation, Flatulency, Wind. Colic, all Teething Troubles and Diarrhoea. It regulates the Stomach and Bowels, assimilates the Food, giving healthy and natural sleep. The Children's Panacea—The 'Mother's Friend. GENUINE CASTO R IA ALWAYS' Bears the Signature of In Use For Over 30 Years The Kind You Have Always Bought THE CCNTAUR COMPANY. NEW YORK CITY. • Clic night in a house iii M:ij'fitil•,'and, drawing her cloak round her, she passed him. "Good night," she said, and "Good night," he responded. Ile waited by the open door until he had seen her enter the hut, then he closed the door and lay down by the fire. He could not sleep that night in the hut he and Fleming had occupied; it was too full of memor- ies of his fellow -castaway and friend. When lie rose next morning and went to the door he saw Nina run- ning toward the men's hut. She stopped short at sight of him and seemed to hesitate; then, after a pause, she came on. She was panting a little and the color was coining and going on her face, fresh as the morning itself and as beautiful. "You gave me a fright!" she said, as if explaining. "1 went to the hut to call you and could not make you hear—" "I slept here," he said. "Why, where did you think I had gone?" She dropped her eyes. "I didn't know. I thought you might be ill," she said, rather coldly. "Breakfast is ready. I'll bring it." He had his morning swing in the sunlit bay, and returned to find the breakfast laid. But she did not sit down with him. "I have had mine," she said, as she gave him some really well -cooked fish and the remains of the duck. "There is some lunch to take with you. Dinner at seven, I suppose?" "Yes; I'll be back by then. You a1 - ways remember to wind up your watch? That's right." "I shall want some more birds to- day," she said. "I'll get them before I go," he re- sponded. "Is there anything else?" "No, thanks. I'll leave you now. I am very busy turning out my hut." After he had finished his break- fast—it was not so pleasant a meal as that of last night; he missed her —he took his gun and went down to the piece of marsh where he usually found the ducks. It went to his heart to shoot them, for, being un- aalpainted with the tender mercies of men, they were friendly and un- afraid, and, being a sportsman, he had to frighten them on to the wind before he fired. He got a couple of brace and went up to her hut with them. It was the first time he had approached her quarters since Fleming's death, She was standing outside in the midst of a fairly good imitation of a "spring clean," and she paused in her task and regarded his approach with a touch of color in her cheeks and a certain coldness in her eyes. "Sorry to interrupt you," he said in a matter-of-fact way. "Here are the ducks." "Thank you," she said. "Will you put them on the ground, please? Oh"—as he obeyed her and was w tlk- ing away—"what shall I do with these?"intro pointing to a small heap of stones. "They are the stones father found." Mannering nodded. "Yes; they are gold," he said, re- garding them with indifference. Then he smiled. "Gold! It's strange to think that if we were within reach of the world and civilization you would be rich—rich 'beyond the dreaThs of avarice.' " "We, you mean," she corrected him, with a smile. Then the blood burnt in her veins, for it flashed upon her that he Would think she had remembered and refer- red to the tact that they were man and wife and held things in com- mon. But Mannering, with a man's dull- • sess, took het literally. "No," he said. "7/04 forget th.et, your father found it, and that you are his daughter and heiress." "Oh—yes," she said, casually. "Welt, What shtell. X m with theta? They are In the *Ay xri mns.t zttl room untidy." "''itch thein anywhere," be replied. "They are of no lure, mime, W gd '412Loliitd. -> t'.1e them in a heap—oh, better bury them! I'Il get the spade," "Oh, don't trouble!" she said; "I'll put them somewhere." "I wish they were coal," sa;d Man- nering, eyeing them thoughtfully and complainingly. "Or potatoes or pots of marmalade or—oh, fifty other things I want!"- she ant!"•she sighed. ' "Never mind," he said, soothingly., "Perhaps I shall find some coal; the marmalade is hopeless, I'm afraids Good morning. Can I help you molt* the heavy things?" "Oh, no, no, thanks!" she returned quickly—it seemed to him nervously, as if she did not wish him to eater, her hut—and, with another nod, he shouldered his gun and went off. CHAPTER VI, Nina finished her own "spring clean" and, the strain being relaxed„ began to feel lonely. It was perhaps for the best, in some respects, that he should go oil for the day; it lessened the embar- rassment of the situation; but she thought rather wistfully of the hours she must spend in solitude. And to pass them she resolved to rearrange his own hut. Sleeping in the men's was not nearly so comfort- able for him, and—and besides he was farther away from her than in the cabin he and Fleming had occu- pied; and though she was not nerv- ous. she was conscious that she liked to have him within call. She went down to the hut after awhile, and entered it shyly and hesi- tatingly. Her woman's sense of neat- ness and order was shocked by the untidiness of the place, and she set to work to clear and rearrange it. While she was folding and packing Fleming's few belonging and putting them in a box, she came across the kind of diary "log" he had kept on board the Alpine: She sat down and turned its pages and found several, references to herself and Mannering. One of them caught her attention, and she pondered over. it. It ran thus: "The fellow -passengers I like best are a Miss Vernon—her Christian name may be Christina; she is called Nina by her father. She is a very lovely and lovable girl. Her father, a doctor, has come out fox' change and rest. He is a savant of the old school, a learned and an absent- minded man. She is, I am sure, as good as she is beautiful, and her light-heartedness and amiability have done much to make the voyage so far a delightful one. 1 walk and talk with her frequently. How happy will be the man who is fortunate enough to win her love!" Nina blushed at this •assertion, and looked, up from the diary with a sigh. Then she read on: "The other is a man named Vane Mannering. I 'have 'made friends' With him, though it was rather tdifii- cuo t first, for though to dos a ho is by no means morose, he is some- what taciturn and reserved. His id a i r genvlcnian and distinguished looking —which some gentlemen are not. In addition to great physical advan- tages, he has a remarkably pleasant voice, deep and musical. He does not 'mix' with the other passengers, and is given to walking and sitting by himself. I consider myscif favored by his liking, if the word is not too strong; at any rate he does not shun me, and is even willing to stroll about the deck anti chat. If I Were a. novelist I would construct a romance. round him; it -scents to me that he if" just the kind'br roan 'wbKr.may have w rh call hacd� what the lady rite a 1 'a. past.' X dor7't loan. a guilty past; no, there is sotnething about him which isoj resSes foe With; a 'sense of his wortbineeie I land+—bow on° in- dulges idle fancies on board o ship), —that he • ha* had e. recent trouble; t the Io Hien he may hatir log o Viewed 1rw+uli yr I M3st tale to1tiot-sAr ► nett**, ''get **AMC, From s'7rrdr d or two ha let 'el. a, X gathered, the lea iATo EE CONIIN011i4'