Evening star., 1914-12-27


~ his partner off so suddenly, his gray
eyes picked up his ancient enemies,
Nils Nillsen and Simon Rosentha emerging in haste
from the exchange into the sung of the June midday.
As usual Nilsen's big chin down his chest and
his round yellow head thrust forward bulishly in the
manner that had earned him his sobriquet of Nils the
Bull Necked. And usual whenever these two ap-
peared abroad together Nils leading the way and
Simon trailing at his heels like Chinese wife.
But what held Pericles O'Brens gaze Rosen-
thal's paleness. hue of wood ashes rode the full
countenance that noted for its horidity.
greenish tinge rnged the black, toy-rabbit eyes, 1t
became more than tinge as Simon, with a mechanical
nod recognized the wrecker hesitated and then rolled
down California street in Nils wake. At Liedes
dor street, hundred feet to the east of the exchange
entrance, passing wagon halted Nilsen and enabled
Rosenthal to overtake him. Simon reached up and
said something to the bull-necked one. Thereat Mill
sent furtve glance backward discovered Pecles
looking straight at him, and with shake Of his head
at Simon and, if anything holding it lower than ever
plunged on his way.
TIP to some devtry that pair and Roseys scared
~ stiff" Pericles rejecting when Laysan hold
ing magazine, appeared round the end of the
Here y'are, old man,, said he. Here are that
womans pictures 1 telling you about last night
Now for yourself if they're not the real thing
@If they are, laughed Perices, they're the first I've
any of these magazines that had anything
of the in en. And with two exceptions, the
so-caled stories no better-a lot of alleged
nautical gibberish for background and of farm
ers that drew human breath for characters.
You know As he had been speaking he had been
opening the magazine, and there he paused in wide
eyed admiration of fu-page color drawing entitled
@The Trades, "a driving clipper ship under all sail
Holding it from him he exclaimed, Look out John,
or she'll down." and verify the clipper seemed to
be leaping out of its frame. second drawing showed
steamer evidently liner, pounding to pieces on the
surging white reef of highpeaked tropical island.
itc olxed
to say, @FIits you somewhere inside, this Sad,
lonely, isn't it?"
at pulls" assented Laysan; "but look at this one,
The Master and eagerly he helped Pericles turn to
drawing that showed section of the bridge of big
liner in a storm.
The moment was one of supreme danger The ship
was being hove to. Calm and certain her yeow-oil-
skinned commander standing up to windward, his
face the blast and his eyes following the swing of his
vessels head. One hand outstretched in the act
of conveying order to officer in tense poise at
engine-room telegraph. To eeward of this figure
officers; but, like the at the telegraph,
they had no eyes for ship smothering 1t was
the commander who held their combined gaze; and
that gaze pregnant of faith and reliance said, "Ths
the master!"
Great" was Perices' verdict. "Thats the it
is, John-the spirit of it! Can't believe, though
woman did these pictures. It'd take know the
sea like" Pericles paused and, reddenng, lifted his
gaze to discover his partner studying him with
quizzcal air. @Say, John, this remind you of any
body?' he asked indicating the central figure in @The
Master
Remind me of anybody" chortled Laysan. "Why,
it's you and nobody else, you big pirate! Whoever
Marian Craig is it's you she has put that bridge,
I'm chmpanzee Now who's Marian Craig? Come
and fess up!7
marian Crag?' repeated Percles blankly, and then
for the first time reading the signed to the draw
ings, "Why, Il Tucking the magazine into