New-York tribune., 1911-12-17


q were racing down the page.
"But the other ladies and two officers are Attits Oh
the stoop. Somebody might see , o. ,o1
a0b iyelll Tell the boys to wait, please. She closed
her door Sleepy black eyes dancing she read the oc
Pctcrkin my honey hcave my dress tog into suitcase
and send by the boys I'm dining aboard i3e tg,P o
the natives reception tonight Wear that little white
dress the one | like But leave of the warpaint ana
"l Yours in a hurry, WAYNE
Berthinc packed his suitcase deity. Then alter
cautious reconnoitcr she started down the pare empty
hall Midway, Miss Abby popped out, open eyed
"Wbv. Mrs Townsend Let me take that bag, quick!
Mercy! And two officers right on the stoop!
DERTHINE pumped the bag into her hands. Her
ID tart New England prudishncss all very anus
ing Yet a hurt red pulsed in her round, childish check
She stared goomily round her ugly little room
With its stiff dull furnishings. its naive Waxwork
camclias and pale embamcd starsh it rasped her very
soul Certainly Wayne had been unreasonable when
his orders had come for coast mancuvcrs Bertne had
promptly decided stay at Hampstead Court the WIDE
gay inn the HILL but Wayne insisted that she live at
this dull beach house instead.
well be anchored right in the harbor,' he urged
81 can run over to lunch with you every day.
"Hcmpstead Court is precisely as near, tretted
Bcrthinc. "And so Jolly and gay, Wayne! That tire
some beach house will be packed with navy women, the
Pyramid and the GraSShoppcr and the whole pussy
footed crew. Yes, am ashamed But, Wayne, I'm 50
deadly desperately tired OF trying to mix IN! And never
I
Wayne's kind, handsome eyes cloudcd. "Well, do
make one more try at mixing in, my honey Yees, the
Pyramid is a pill that's a fact. Yeti wish you
could be more IN touch with the oher wives oi the
service One has to play the game, you know
That was enough. Waync's wishes were as fine gold.
Week on week, Berthnes chffons had traicd these
splinterv floors. Week week, she had bowed her
arrogant Young head, and curbcd her impiSh tongue
and toicd faithfully to propltate the Pyramid, the
Grasshoppcr the whole pussy footed crew And now
The hurt flush decpcned Again She heard the Pyra-
mds high drawing voice, drcnched ana breatideSS
she climbed the porch steps after her wild surt romp
with Jimmy Curtis. Again she felt the elders womanS
bland, rebulng stare.
"Whv Mrs. Townsend When | saw you rolicking
in the surf with Ensign Curtis thought you were one
Of the hotel children did indeed! How amazingly
you keep your youthful spirits! And you have been
marricd-fOur years;
-Four wears. Berhinc crisply assured her. Then She
had fled; but too late to escape the Pyramids irate
snort, the Mousctraps swapping little laugh. NO, the
Her window framed an arc Of beach then a square Of
ocean CLASSY blue Ranked white and stiff like big, cut
paper playthings stood five huge battcsps, so near
that her trained eye could read the single star Of the
Admiral pannant And yondcr third from the flagship
reared the white cliff Of the Kentucky Wayne's ship.
Bcrthine's head lifted. Her eyes flashed, dark.
Wavncs ship, indeed! Wayncs the squadron,
Wavncs the navy, in al its splendid whole; for the
service was Wayncs own, his very being Idol Of his
men, trusted conhlant Of his supcnor comradc, treas
ured guest Bcrhinc counted his tnumphs with angry
low She herself could mix IN. For all her eager
efforts She was forever stumbling in that labyrinth Of
CUSTOM rank allusion which 10 the born navy eye is
cleared pathway Yet deep in her soul She did not truly
care No. She could never school herself to please them,
these grim august others. But what could that matter,
when, niallibly, she knew that She suited Wayne
There lay the heart Of her secret. What else could
count indeed when in every word and thought and
act she knew that she suited Wayne
THE sunset breeze grew stronger The voices from
the stoop rose distinct and clear. Going to the
Citizens Reception? Deadly bore but the townsfok
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