The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-14
LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE,
AUTHOR OF
tThe Black Bag" THE Bronze Bell" The Brass
Bowl" and Other Successes

q man: she knew him for one more wide
( y read than the run OF his kind
A shade Of annoyance ClOUded the
mans eyes when he founz himself sur
( prised: cIouded them and ps ssed- he
smiled, and folding the paper. thrust 1t
Carelessly into the pocket Of his jacket
Good morning Mss Todd Fresh as
! a daisy
Il don't feel that way returned the
girl. a little YEARLY What were you
reading, Wiling"
Just a bit Of newspaper I brought
I from New orleans wrapped round my
tobacco"
Ills face was bland as a chiIds be
: meath her sharply questioning glance
To her il had not looked like scrap Of
/ newspaper But no matter
J Breakfast IS ready. said the girl
: ''YouU find it on the back Of the stove;
/ the COffeeS just made, and standing
( .To1't improve IL III put out the
/ lamp"
Willing rose with alacrity.
: "Thanky, Miss Todd he said, cheer
/ lIy, and was gone
Discipline was sometimes relaxed a
] shade between inspections at the lonely
/ station
/ The clatter OF his heels upon the iron
{ steps diminished, while the girl listened
/ by q double thump at the bottOm-she
/ turned quickly and opened the balcony
J door.
/ 4 gush of keen. clear morning air cut
! combined Odors Of hot metal. sCorched
! kerosene and tobacco smoke-and in a
I IWInkling brought the color 70 her
| cheeks and 2 new light into her ewes
I She stepped out on the iron platform
/ and gently drew the door to behind her
! BehlnQ belt or luminous magenta,
I low upon the eastern horizon, the form
! less daWnllEnt vas Cufvering, and the
| water seemed flowing in over the rim
OF the world IN shining ripples. like a
vast river North and south the belt
shaded by inSensible degrees into Tsur-
pies and blue-blackS- Westward a thin,
I ETayish smudge wavered above the bog
lands OF the delta. Far in the south q
coastinE steamer moved slowly toward
the main Pass TO the Mississippi
calling to mind an aquatic gIowvvOrTn.
Otherwise the Gulf was deSOlate.
Gripping the railing with strong brown
| hands the girl drank in long. inspiring
draughts Of the freshening breeze, and
waited.
1t seemed as II her days were ex.
| pended IN idle waiting She was always
/ waiting. hanging in SUSPENSE ever ey.
Dectant- ever unrelieveG throughout the
| Slow-paSS1ng seconds the lOng-Iinserins
| hours. the interminable DAYS. the tediou.
procession OF the weeks and months ana
| years. Waiting,
Waiting for the prince 10 come ans
| quicken this island kingdom ~ ths
magic Of his iipS-Ss in the fairy tale
20 start the wheels Of life spinning. tn,
/ strands OF destiny weaving rfDo0 tn,
| the enchanted island and-awaken tn.
| soul OF Z lonely girl
As the dawn flushed warm in tn,
] eastern skies. 50 the girls face coIored
/ cTInlSonlng hOtly, yet slowly, from
Throat TO brow, for shame For with TIN
| time-worn metaphor in her mind ha,
! lived 4 portrait OF the prince She knew
: him. and he was coming unquestiOnabIl
! coming back TO the island.
He had told Willing that he would re
/ turn Willing had mentioned meetin;
! him, the night he came back from hi
/ day OF ~ the city And while ne wa
there, sor q few brief hours at least.
; new ane brighter light would dwell uDol
the world.
She did not Ike Willing. Why. shr
could not explain BY any ~rher than tn