Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-12-27
here for another month. / was ffH

here for another month. l was fifty.
five days more"
They may make quicker voyage"
They may, but never have. The
one before was q hundred and forty
days They were both above the av-
erage. but not SO very much"
Then all the more time to prepare
IN" said Tom. entering thoroughly into
the situation. I'VE must get the place
70 rights. you know, sir"
That's true. 1t will help to pass the
time"
Then we might pin up this chart"
"What, and follow the courseT'
Suppose they came no quicker than
you did and put n drawing pin In the
place every day"
Daintree was delighted. He shook
Toms hand, and up went the chart
and In went the drawing pin.
You see." he said. they've not got
to the Cape yet. They're only just be-
ginning to turn the corner and run
their casting down"
That's assuming they came no
quicker than you." said his CONSIDER.
"Well, we will assume 1t. Still. when
they're hundred days out We'll have
a flag ready, and you shall begin 60
ing every morning to the point to see
whether there's ball at the south
yard arm, and after that will he the
longest time Of all"
Meanwhile there was much to do,
and Tom did most Of 1t with enormous
zest. He had never thought to be SO
happy again. His enthusiasm was the
one return that he could make to Dain-
tree, and he permitted 1t no bounds. 1t
was Tom who stuck the drawing pin
through q cork ship Of cunning build.
full rugged, with needles for masts and
paper sails. When Daintree saw 1t.
they christened her the Rosamund.
after her real namesake, with fitting
libation. and from that day forth the
cork vessel plOwed the white ocean OF
the chart and was a good half inch
nearer Sydney every morning when
the master Of the house entered the
breakfast room.
"You sympathetic fellow" he would
say to Tom. and sympathy bred sym
patty Us it always will. You must
marry yourself, Thomas" he would
add, land you and your wife must live
with me and mine, and we'll so into
partnership together up the country
somewhere and all four live happy
ever after"
To all Of which the servant would
shake his head, but continue to enter
into the masters happiness with un-
abated sympathy and enthusiasm.
Nor was this a conscious merit in
Tom: It made him think no better OF
himself He knew how much was in
spired by gratitude and how much
more by the selfish relief OF sinking
his own woes in the hopes and fears
and raptures Of his friend. He was
not even aware of the essential fine
ness Of a nature capable Of this kind
Of comfort Eternal dissatisfaction
with his own feelings kept his opinion
Of himself at zero still. And II the
new bond between Tom and his bene-
factor had done no more than provide
them with common ground on which
they might meet and be at one In all
sincerity. even so 1t would have done
much for Toms peace Of mind.
When Daintree spoke Of his beloved
bis dark face shone, the darker eyes
softened, and the rich voice Quivered
with no common passion. 1t was pos
sible to agree and to applaud without
hypocrisy. which was not possible
when the puny poet stood In the strong
mans shoes. OF his poetry enough has
been said. but about his passion there
was no mistake. The one was gen
uine; the other was not 1t was q
mans passion. selfish passion. but
the sheer masterful strength Of 1t was
patent to Tom from the first Some
times It made him fear for the girl
and despair Of himself. Gratitude
apart, 1t was Us though his spoiled and
petty spirit was incapable of an hon
est. whole hearted. ungrudging ad-
miration and regard.
In oil their talks the only name Tom
heard was Clarinda. 1t was character
istic Of his state that he never inQuir-
ed the other. His sympathy and his
interest were confined to his friend:
real curiosity he had none. He asked
no questions. but a crooked answer
was ready for him IL he had.
"You must let me tell her all I owe
to you." Tom said once. 1T will be q
pleasure to her and n relief to me-"
perhaps you owe as much to her
SELF"
1t had slipped out. but Tom was moi
at all excited.
"You mean that. she believed In me-
tOoY' he asked with a mild sort of In
credulity. and he saw from the others
face that she had not Upon my
SOUL" he thought. Il begin to disbe'
lieve in myself. especially since I've
done as bad out here-and perhaps moi
heard the last Of 1t yet!'
Daintree wondered why he shudder.
ed In the sun. It was because his ona
true and fierce emotion was the base
fear Of further fortunes. He despised
himself for that most Of oil.
Meanwhile the cork ship with the pa
per sails was creeping slowly. but
surely. across the great white south
Atlantic Of the chart, and the wall on
which 1t hung had been repapered. and
the whole bungalow smelt Of paint. II
was q fair sized house Of two stories
with O veranda encircling the one and
balcony the other. Very pretty II
looked In Its new coat Of paint for the
summer. q white coat with yellow trim
mings. which stood out delightfully."- on
the blue waters edge. The garden
lawn merged into q narrow strand that
slid straight under the wavelets them
selves. As summer set in the trees
behind the house broke out in every
gay and gorgeous color: It was thu
plumage Of the parrots that now came
and perched in Aocks among the
branches.
Tom gave up his room. as two ladies
and a maid were expected. 1t was re-
papered for the maid A room was
found for Tom In the pretty little sta
bles amid the trees, where he helped
Fawcett with the horses and the cur