Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-16
BY
IAN HAY,
AUTHOR OF 1.-THE RIGHT STUFF"

felt vaguely unhappy on her behalf: but
| experienced a truly British feeling Of re-
lief mingled with slight disappointment
on observing that she wore wedding
ring. He waxed sentimental. Who was
her husband he wondered. He hoped it
was not the proprietor OF the establish
ment-a greasy individual OF Semitic APP
pearance, who occasionally found leisure.
! in the intervals between announcing the
turns and calling the attention OF pa
irons to the exceptional resources OF the
bar. to walk across the room and paw the
girl afectionately on the shoulder while
giving her some direction as to the mu-
sic-nor yet the scorbutic young man be-
hind the bar.
| His meditations were interrupted by AL
lerton.
! "Marrable, eyes front! And fill up your
glass. Hang it. drink fair.
Hughfe turned and regarded his guest.
The greater part Of a magnum OF vftriolio
champagne had disappeared down that
gentleman's throat. His eye had bright
ened and now twinkled facetiously as he
surveyed first Hughie and then the girl
at the piano.
"Une petite piece de tout droit-eh,
WHAT" he remarked.
Hughie. beginning to understand why
his companion was now swabbing decks
instead of ruling ancestral acres, nodded
shortly
Allerton noticed his hosts momentary
distance of manner. and leaned across the
table with an air Of contrition.
I'm afraid he said apologetically.
You sec how it is with me. don't you?
I'm that sort Of bloke Always have
been. from a nipper. Thash-thal's why
I'm here. It's pity. And the worst of
it is he added. in sudden burst OF
candor, that I'm going to get much
fuller. It's a long time since I tasted
this He touched his glass. st isn't
served out on the Orfnoco. Do you-er-
mird?''
Hughie. with queer feeling of COM
passion. smiled reassuringly and ordered
another bottle. If Allerton was about to
get drunk, he should get drunk like a
gentleman for once In way.
Then his attention reverted to the piano.
There had been a development. The
girl was mechanically playing one of the
compositions of that delicate weaver Of
subtle harmonies, Mr.. John Philip Sousa;
but she was not reading her music. Her
eyelids were resolutely lowered, as IL she
wished to avoid seeing something. The
reason resolved itself into a gentleman
who was leaning over the front of the
piano. gazing amorously down upon the
musician. and endeavoring, with surpris-
ing success, to make himself heard above
one Of the composers most characteristic
efforts.
Hughie looked him up and down. He
was a big man, powerfully built, with lit
tie pigs eyes set close together, and q
ponderous and notwithstanding lower jaw.
Was he her husband? wondered the deep
ly interested Hughie. No; he was too OBJ
viously endeavoring to make himself
agreeable.
'Marrable, my son. suddenly interpo-
lated the convivial but observant .Allerton,
you're cut out. No use bidding against
that customer. Do you know who he is?'
NO. Who?"
That replied the deck hand, with an
air of almost proprietary pride, lis Nod
dy kinahan."
"Oh! And who may he be?''
Gee! tSorry! One picks up these rot
ten Yankee expressions somehow
mean. 1 am surprised YOU haven't heard
OF him. He's rather a big man here. In
fact. to be xplish-explicit'- Allerton
was fast arriving at that stage Of intoxi-
cation which cannot let we'll alone, but
must tempt Providence by dragging in I'M
necessarily hard words-"he is my en-
ployer.''
CTo be continued tomorrow