Page:Ruth of the U.S.A. (IA ruthofusa00balm).pdf/90

 self. "I'm from St. Louis; I'm going to Paris for work in a vestiaire."

Ruth sat up and put out her hand; she liked this girl on sight. "I'm RuCynthia Gail of Decatur, Illinois," she caught herself swiftly. It was the first time in the eight days that she had been Cynthia that she had made even so much of a slip; but Milicent Wetherell did not notice it.

Milicent went to bed and turned out the light. The boat did not move; and after indefinite hours of lying still in the dark, Ruth dropped to sleep. When she awoke it was daylight; the ship was swaying, falling, rising; the tremor of engines shook it. They were at sea.

The waves were higher than any Ruth had encountered before, but they were slower and smoother too—not nearly so jumpy and choppy as the Lake Michigan surf in a strong wind. The big steamer rose and rolled to them far more steadily than the vessels upon which Ruth had voyaged on holidays on the lake. Milicent Wetherell, in the lower berth, lay miserably awake with no desire whatever to get up; but Ruth let the stewardess lead her to the bath; she dressed and found the way to the diningsaloon. She was supplied, along with a number designating her "abandon ship" place in starboard lifeboat No. 7, a numeral for a seat at a table.

At this hour of half after nine, there were perhaps fifty men at breakfast and just five other women or girls; four men were seated at the table to which Ruth was led—Captain Forraker one of them. He arose as she approached. Possibly he remembered her, Ruth thought, from an introduction at Mrs. Corliss'; much more prob-