Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-25

THE DAILY STORY
Jacks Wife

George Bandis scowled heavily as each
new passenger rounded the afterdeck
I and came within his vision. Mostly he
| glowered at the masculine seagoers be-
| cause they were free to enter tine smoke-
| room and stay there as long as fancy
| willed He, Lands, had intended to have
a nice, uninterrupted crossing spent in
| the smokeroom, spinning yarns or playing
| cards Instead, he was stationed out on
! deck in an ahomnable steamer chair
! keeping a wary eye out for Jacks Gar
| dener's wife.
lands brow lowered more ominously
! as he recalled Gardeners words when
| he had discovered that the same steamer
was to convey both Lands and his wife
| to the Scotch shore.
You can't miss ner Lands, because
| Ethel Is the most beautiful woman in
| the world and the kiddie the most won
derful child Ethel wears one of those
| plush coats-you can pick her out by
that" Jack had smiled happily and
added Just keep an eye on her-she
is bit OF flirt"
rawlings of a married idiot" muttered
| Lands, then drew a swift breath
A figure in a plush coat mad rounded
| the afterdeck. At least lands sup
| posed the coat to be plush; 1t was some
thing soft and silky against which
face of radiant beauty cleaned like
cameo.
Jacks wife," calculated Lands under
his breath. and decided instantly to have
nothing to do with Ethel Gardener. "She
is far too beautiful to trifle with" he
added mentally
He watched the girl and the wonderful
child-for the child was also there-until
they had found a steamer chair at the far
end of the deck. After that he leaned
back and wondered not that his heart was
beating n dull thud against his Shetland
waistcoat.
,She 10 nncupb 70 rnase an iron heart
miss beat he decided, and then rumi-
mated gloomly on Jack Gardeners luck.
What has Gardener done to deserve
fate like that?" he questioned and found
the query unanswerable
Landis settled back in his chair with
half-shut eyes and pictured the girl who
had set his pulses beating. Even at the
far end of the deck her hair cleaned red
gold in the sun; her eyes were gray and
the long lashes gave them the effect OF
having been pressed in by smutty fingers
Lands turned resolutely toward the stern
of the boat and remembered that the girl
was another mans wife.
During the entire afternoon Lands
stayed on deck. The smokeroom had lost
its appeal.
Much to his astonishment he watched
the girl with the red hair talking to a
constant stream of very evident admirers
The sturdy, beautiful boy she carried was
a splendid lure. Every one on board felt |
through him.
As the afternoon wore away it seemed |
as If Lands alone had failed to admire |
Jack Gardeners baby. Since the passen-
ger list was large, he felt conspicuous |
by his neglect. He shut his teeth grimly |
and wondered whether or not Gardener |
was to be envied.
IF she were mine," ne realized men,
tally II would take her across the ocean
in a private yacht. I do not care for
that string of cavaliers" Lands smiled
whimsically and knew that he even en-
We'd the wonderful child whose sunny
head rested against the plush coat.
They were three days out to sea be-
fore the unexpected happened. 1t had
seemed as if the girl looked more often
toward Lands. but he had turned reso-
lutely aside.
'she is a bit of a flirt," he quoted from
Gardener.
But the day of the big storm Lands
was unable to avoid her. The decks
were cleared of all unseaworthy admir-
ers and she alone seemed able to ne
about and on deck. One or two splendid
sailors were clinging to the ropes and
gazing at the ocean in one of her mad
moods Lands watched the girl in the
plush coat and wondered if the mockery
ever left her eyes.
He was standing at the forward decK
railing when the girl was flung suddenly
into his arms Whether 1t was maneuVer
of her own or merely one belonging TO
the wonderful elements Lands never
knew. He only knew that she was cling
ing to him and that her face was radiant
sweeping in maddening tendrils close 10
his shoulder.
1T am so sorry" she said and Lands
knew from the sparkle of her eyes that
she was not one whit sorry.
THAT is not So" he told her with un-
expected boldness. 'T believe you are
glad" He reluctantly set her on her feet
and commanded her to hold fast to the
ropes. "You should have been hatcned
down, anyway"
'I would not miss a sight like this for
anything" she put in quickly.
"Is that a plush coat?" questioned Ian
dis irrelevantly.
The girl laughed.
ITO the masculine eye-yes. To the
feminine sealskln." She answered
but with questioning eyes.
"And are you the most beautiful woman
in the world?" Lands pursued doggedly
and revelled IN the blush that followed.
mo" she returned swiftly.
"And you are Jack Gardeners wifer'
accused Lands.
The girl smiled mockingly and dellber-
ately let another whim of the elements
blow her against Lands. When he had
given her her balance she raised heavy
lashes and remained silent.
"Are you going TO answer me?" de-
manded Lands,
IT think 1t is not in the least bit neces-
sary," the girl said.
But you have on plush coat, you are
the most beautiful woman in the world,
and wonderful kiddie is always with
YOU Also-you are more than a bit of a
airt. All OF these attributes belong to
Gardeners wife"
The girl turned swiftly and flashed a
defiant glance at him. She would have
sItDpad from him had not Lands caught |
her quickly with an iron grip.
"Wer?" ne demanded.
1T am Jacks wife's sister and am not
married." she told him and her heavy
lashes concealed the expression of her
eyes.
"The former part OF your answer pleases
me-" Lands told her with swift laughter,
'the latter part-we can alter"