Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29

curved in lovely line to the left and right of him; the
land behind it perhaps fifteen feet high and the
trees twenty-five feet They penciled themselves
against the sky wonderfully green. Arapi was almost
senent in the way 1t conveyed impression of luxury
and happiness. The seabirls waved and .dived and
tished in the brilliant waters, crying they crcled
Damon felt sweeping sense OF happiness, as if nothing
that not gracious and good could happen upon Arap
Henderson tapped him impatiently on the shoulder.
"Well do you see3 he said What do you think of it,
Damon woke suddenly to the fact that he had not
taken IN all the picture 10 the left was moored the
Yacht Clornda Between it and the Simeon Bailey
the break in the reef by which the shore to be
reached and on the shore numerous figures talk
ing, gestculating, pointing to the Simeon Bailey
"Do you see?' Henderson said grmly. "Barstowe is
having the boat lowered and in fifteen minutes
We'll be shore But what has happened is that we
too late We had to turn back course to get to
Arapi, and Wallace didn't. He got there first, and
whatever there is to know he knows
All Damons citation died He felt suddenly weary.
1T doesn't really matter he murmured. Really,
Id almost as soon stay on the Ship and let you go out
and investigate
NONSENSE" said Henderson, looking at him with
anxiety. I'm afraid the monotony of the voyage
has been too much for you. Come on We've got to see
what's happened.
WIHAT had happened this:
W Half dozen hours before the Clornda, the
tide being right had made safe anchorage and had de-
spatched her passengers in boat to the white cleaning
shore of Arapi Island. The brightness of the day
fading; the cool green of the palms had taken hint
of shadow They had gone up the beach quietly little
awed because of the silence. Mrs Beldon walking
with Wallace; Sara followed between Mrs Chester and
Mrs Keene; Angela came last, walking with Frances
Helen. They had almost reached the outer line of the
palms, when coming between the trees they saw tall
1.-the young man.
He was dressed in native costume except for the
wreath round his head; but eye could mistake him
for anything but American. His lean, alert face,
keen, steady gray eye and active walk proclaimed his
nationality. He young, and his first words showed
that he boyish; for, hurryng in advance of the
crowd of natives who followed him, he swung his
with the gesture with which hat, and cried
joyously:
"Welcome People, WELCOMED haven't seen blessed
white face for nearly year,!
Then he stopped dead still, his jaw dropped and he
stared with kind of dazed nentness Mrs Beldon.
He went forward slowly, stfly, a walks in his
Sleep and said to her in hoarse voice.
as it really you, am just going mad?'
Mrs Beldon had been rather carefully reared by Mrs.
Chester who put the conventions par with religion;
but when the young spoke Mrs Beldon forgot her
traditions She forgot that her friends looking and
listening She forgot everything except that she
looking face she had onged for months to
"Oh-is it YOU she cried. Il didn't know it
YOU should find here
He held out his arms and she fled into them quite
stameessly, hearing Mrs. Chesters shocked
clamation Frances Heens jealous cry.
"Oh forgive mel" she whispered. Il cared much
that | afraid to admit it. And you are two years
younger. And everyone said you wanted my money.
Oh, it was SO base of me to believe it, and drive you
away,
at makes no-never mind he said, trying to conceal
with his breeziness his overwhelming happiness Il
came here to get rich and have I've got find in my
two paws that will make your money look small that
we'll have to give it to Frances Helen to throw at the
birds"
Mrs. Chester advanced and tapped her absorbed
niece on the arm. when you quite at liberty,
Nettie,' she remarked coldly
"Oh how are you?" said the young man vaguely.
"Come up to the house, all of YOU Dinners about
ready
TT was because of what said that meal and after