The Lion and The Mouse

e, movement and colour, extending to the bleak horizon and like a vast ploughed field cut up into long and high liquid ridg

ey might destroy. The dancing, leaping water reflected every shade and tint-now a rich green, then a deep blue and again a dirty gray as the sun hid for a moment behind a cloud, and as a gust of wind caught the top of the combers decapitating them at one mad rush, the spray was dashed high in the air, flashing out all the prismatic colours. Here and yonder, the white caps rose, disappeared and came again, and the waves grew and then diminished in size. Then oth

ast boilers, shaken by the titanic forces generating in their cavern-like depths, sent streams of scalding, hissing steam through a thousand valves, cylinders and pistons, turning wheels and cranks as it distributed the tremendous power which was driving the steel monster through the seas at the prodigious speed of four hundred miles in the twenty-four hours. Like a pulsating heart in some living thing,

s not Mr. Ryder returning home on the same ship? He would be company and protection both. But Mrs. Blake was bent on making the voyage. She had not seen her sister for many years and, moreover, this sudden return to America had upset her own plans. She was a poor sailor, yet she loved the ocean and this was a good excuse for a long trip. Shirley was too exhausted with worry to offer further resi

r mother would not have cabled except under the gravest circumstances. What alarmed Shirley still more was that she had no direct news of her father. For a moment her heart stood still-suppose the shock of this shameful accusation had killed him? Her blood froze in her veins, she clenched her fists and dug her nails into her flesh as she th

asion they had gone so far as to threaten his life. This new attack was more deadly than all-to sap and destroy his character, to deliberately fabricate lies and calumnies which had no foundation whatever. Of course, the accusation was absurd, the Senate wou

ach approaching wave looked big enough to engulf the vessel, but as the mass of moving water reached the bow, the ship rose on it, light and graceful as a bird, shook off the flying spray as a cat shakes her fur after an unwelcome bath, and again drove forward as steady and with as little perceptible motion as a r

Jefferson, steadying himself against a st

re was capable, yet secretly he did not regret that events had necessitated this sudden return home together on the same ship. He was sorry for Judge Rossmore, of course, and there was nothing he would not do on his return to secure a withdrawal of the charges. That his father would use his influence he had no doubt. But meantime he was selfish enough to be glad for the opportunity it gave him to be a whole week alone with Shirley. No matter how much one may be with people in city or country or even when stopping at the same hotel or house, there is no place in the wor

r stateroom almost continuously. They were, therefore, constantly in one another's company, and slowly, unconsciously, there was taking root in their hearts the germ of the only real

y. "Look at those great waves out there! See how ma

t. It's Nature's grandest spectacle. The ocean is the only place on earth that man has no

during the aeons of time creation

ed Jefferson. "When one says 'da

as the use of that little word 'day' which has

knew that he thought as she did on metaphysical

inced her of the existence of a Supreme Being, First Cause, Divine Intelligence-call it what you will-which had brought out of chaos the wonderful order of the universe. The human mind was, indeed, helpless to conceive such a First Cause in any form and lay prostrate before the Unknown, yet she herself was an enthusiastic delver into scientific hypothesis and the teachings of Darwin, Spencer, Haeckel had satisfied her intellect if they had failed to content her soul. The theory of evolution as applied to life on her own little planet appealed strongly to her because it accounted plausibly for the presence of man on earth. The process through which we had passed could be understood by every

sublimated, lifted from this little world with its petty affairs and vanities up to dizzy heights. She had felt the same sensation when for the first time she had viewed the glories of the snow clad Matterhorn,

hat comes of much tennis and golf playing. Barely twenty-four years old, she was still in the first flush of youth and health, and there was nothing she loved so much as exercise and fresh air. After a few tur

osed their eyes as if resigned to the worst that might happen and their immediate neighbours furtively eyed each of their movements as if apprehensive of what any moment might bring forth. A few couples were flirting to their heart's content under the friendly cover of the lifeboats which, as on most of the transatlantic liners, were more useful in saving reputations than in saving life. The deck steward was passing round tea and biscuits, much to the d

from a heap of rugs as Shirley and

d Mrs. Blake ensconced in a cozy

prised. "I thought you were downstairs.

her breast as if to appease disturbing qualms. "It was so stuffy in the cabin I could not bear it. It's more pl

olunteered

the ocean," he laughed. With a sly glance at Shirley, he

ook her fi

e fun of me I'll never tal

es, mein

old braid and his manner had the self-reliant, authoritative air usual in men who have great responsibilities and are accustomed to command. He was taking his afternoon stroll and had stopped to chat with his lady passengers. He had already

, forgetting that this was one of the questions which acco

lake and gaze at Shirley Capt. Hegerm

-morrow evening. If we do, that will get us to our dock about 11 o'c

hope you won't be gl

worried, anxious lo

ad. It is not pleasure that is br

, and he hoped she would find everything all right on her arrival. Then, politely saluting, he pass

onger. She was tired of walking, so when her aunt left them she took her chair and told Jefferson to get another. He wanted nothing better, but before seating

t comfo

d, smilin

boy, Jeff. But

put himself by her side. "As if any fellow wouldn't

liment. In fact, she already took it as a matte

him for the rest of her life and like him better every day. Then, too, they had become more intimate during the last few days. This trouble, this un

foaming water as it rushed past. Jefferson had been casting furtive glances at his companion and as he noted her serious, pensive face he thought how pretty she was.

your thoughts. You

red her self possession. It never occurred to her to

I was thinking of yo

stance. Her delicate, slender hand lay passively in his big

thinking of m

ow could I think an

on him in wonderme

ween the feeling she has for a man she merely lik

so as to lose no word that migh

ry would I be p

we act like children? Your actions, more than your words, have told me that you love me. I

anxiously, as if his whole f

, unless I felt I reciprocated your feelings? You are young, one day you will be very rich, the

gorous protest, "it is you

every note of his voice. "I love you, Shirley. I've loved you f

ly bent down on hers, so entreating in their expressio

wer you now. I like you very much-I more than like you. Whether it is love I feel for you-

speak of such matters. Your father has first call on your a

ust enough to crave for more. I realize that marriage would

ry commonplace?" g

oman having personal ambitions of her own. Once married he

show as your life work than that questionable asset, a literary reputation. How many literary reputations to-day conceal an aching heart and find it difficult to make both ends meet? How different with the woman who married young and obeys Nature's behest by contributing her share to the process of e

erious but she had not suspected that he thought so deeply on these matters. He

far from it. But give me time to think. Let us first ascertain the extent of this disaster which has overtaken my father. The

ut her hand whic

bargain?"

within him to take her in his arms and kiss passionately the mouth that lay temptingly ne

evening they stood again at the rail watching the mysterious phosphorescence as it spark

Ryder will use his infl

the familiar Ryder gleam came

s and even presidents. Why should he not be able to put a stop to these preposter

nd again depressed by the gloomiest forebodings. The following night they pass