Part 52 (1/2)

ISABEL

I

Throughout the voyage of the _Lithuania_ from Liverpool to New York, Edward Henry, in common with some two thousand other people on board, had the sensation of being hurried He who in a cab rides late to an iued byThus were Edward Henry's ued, and the muscles of many others; but just as er than a cab

For the _Lithuania_, having been seriously delayed in Liverpool byfor the fantastic reed on the business of er was personally determined that she should therein succeed And, despite very bad June weather towards the end, she did sail past the Battery on a grand Mondaywith a new record to her credit

So far Edward Henry's plan was not reat deal to do, and very little time in which to do it, and whereas the ers were relaxed as the shi+p drew to her berth, Edward Henry's htened

He had expected to see Mr Seven Sachs on the quay, for in response to his telegram from Queenstown the illustrious actor-author had sent hie in full Atlantic; the which had inspired Edward Henry to obtain news by Marconi both from London and New York, at much expense; fro receipts at the Regent Theatre, and fro Isabel Joy He had not, however, expected Mr

Seven Sachs to walk into the _Lithuania's_ music-saloon an hour before the shi+p touched the quay Nevertheless, this hat Mr Seven Sachs did, by the exercise of those mysterious poielded by the influential in de here?” Mr Seven Sachs greeted Edward Henry with geniality

Edward Henry lowered his voice

”I'ood rip of Mr Seven Sachs's hand did hie He was utterly tired of the voyage, and also of the poetical society of Carlo Trent, whose passage had cost hi during the final days and nights A dramatic poet with an appetite was a full dose for Edward Henry; but a draht but soda-water and dry land amounted to more than Edward Henry could conveniently s

He directed Mr Sachs's attention to the anguished and debile organism which had once been Carlo Trent, and Mr Sachs was so syan to adore him, and Edward Henry to be somewhat disturbed in his previous estimate of Mr Sachs's common sense But at a favourable moment Mr Sachs breathed humorously into Edward Henry's ear the question:

”What have you brought _hiht hih the bustle of the enormous shi+p, and descended from the dizzy eminence of her boat-deck by lifts and ladders down to the level of the windy, sun-steeped rock of New York, Edward Henry said:

”Noant you to understand, Mr Sachs, that I haven't aon to Chicago?”

”She isn't at Chicago, is she?” deht she'd reached New York!”

”Who?”

”Isabel Joy”

”Oh! Isabel's in New York, sure enough She's right here They say she'll have to catch the _Lithuania_ if she's going to get aith it”

”Get ahat?”

”Well--the goods”

The precious word re at Wilkins's and raised his spirits even higher It was a word he loved

”And I've got to catch the _Lithuania_, too!” said he ”But Trent doesn't know! And letto do the quickest turn-round that any shi+p ever did The purser assured me she'll leave at noon to-morrow unless the world comes to an end in the meantime