Part 22 (2/2)

Evelyn h they had notslave: toiling in the city to further plans which Evelyn suspected he would not have made

In a sense, his life had been bare and ht that he recognized this, though not with regret

She started as Grahaathered in a pool on the floor, but he turned to the fast, and the sea hadn't ti blew out of its lashi+ngs and stopped her coot her before the sea”

”We were on deck hed as he recalled their conversation in the early evening

”After what you ree that there are advantages in keeping in smooth water?”

”Oh, one can't deny it For all that, thensa risk”

She went out on deck and stood for aon by a shroud There was now no fury in the wind, and the athered itself up into tu combers that shook their crests about the rail as the _Enchantress_ lurched over them A few torn clouds drove across the southern sky, but the rest of the wide sas clear and the scene was steeped in harmonies of silver and dusky blue

By daybreak the vessel would be steaain be content with glassy caluorous tranquillity The ture in her; it was as if she had heard a call in the elemental clamor and her heart had answered

CHAPTER XVI

THE RUSE

Cliffe and his daughter were landed at Kingston, and three weeks later Grahame put into a Central-A well, and Macallister, suspecting it orking loose on the shaft, declared that he must put the vessel on a beach where she would dry at loater Grahao before the time Don Martin had fixed; but as the arms were on board he would have preferred to wait at sea, outside the regular steamers' track

It happened that there was no repair-shop in the town, but while Macallister thought over the difficulty a tra that heca _My boat rocks at the pier o' Leith_ sung discordantly, saw that Macallister's expectations had been fulfilled This did not surprise hiht” at Clydebank or Fairfield is a passport to his affection

Macallister's face was flushed and his air jaunty, but the tall, gaunt an by ereasy tools on the _Enchantress's_ white deck with the disregard for the navigating officers' feelings which the engine-room mechanic often displays After this, he went down a rope and sat on the sand under the boat's counter, studying the loose screhile he s any reot up and slowly stretched his lanky frame

”Weel,” he said, ”we'll make a start”

It was eleven o'clock on a very hot hted a blow-la sunshi+ne, and they labored on until dusk fell between six and seven in the evening Offers of food and refreshnored Graha on board

”I'll be back the morn,” was all he said as he was roay

”A new type!” Grahareed ”Only addressed me twice, and then in a very personal strain But the fellow's an artist in his way Spent two hours softening and filing up a taper key, but it fitted air-tight e drove it in So Roman about that man; means his work to last forever”

Operations were resu, and Grahame had no doubt of the excellence of the job when the Scots seemed satisfied late in the afternoon Then Watson said he would co his skipper, and Grahained it had not sufficient bite to please his guests

The tramp skipper presently arrived: a short, stout man, with a humorous eye When dinner was over and the wine finished, the party adjourned to the cafe Bolivar, but Graha about the habits of tramp captains, and had seen trouble result froarrison band was playing in the plaza they crossed, and citizens prohters The clear ayly-colored dresses and faces of various shades, while here and there a jingling officer, lavishly decorated with gold-lace, added an extra touch of brightness

nobody, however, showed a friendly interest in Grahaarded with much favor in the ports of the Spanish Main Indeed, Grahaet into his way, but as a braas not desirable, he tactfully avoided them

The cafe was situated at the end of the square, and the party, sitting at a s the pillars that divided its open front from the pavement, could look down upon theand shalloith an old Spanish fort a it froht behind the town A cathedral stood opposite the cafe; and narrow, dark streets, radiating from the plaza, pierced the square blocks of houses

Walthew and Grahame drank black coffee; but this had no attraction for the rest The traenial, put his feet on a chair and beahbors, while Macallister, as usual, entered into talk with them He discoursed at random in very bad Castilian, but his remarks were huhter followed the fiery _cana_ and frowning at the crowd