Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-26
! CHAPTER VI.-Contlnued.

xrTHERE could he go? Not to his club
w and Alans His face would betray
~ scandal with which the club would
NJ buzzlng tomorrow. Not to his big COM
sortable house. 1t would be too gloomy.
even In dIsaCcord, AliX had impaired to
~ somber oak and deep shadows the
slow of buoyant life. When she was
sbsre one felt as though there were
savers In the house. Gerry was seized
win a great desire to hide from his
world, his mother, himself.
He pictured the sCarchCads in the
oapers. That the name Of Lansing should
n found in that galley! 1t was too
much He could not face 1t.
He bought "A morning paper full of ship
ming news and, getting into taxi, gave
M address of his bank on the way he
studied the sailings' column. He found
what he wanted. Tho Gunter due to
ali that afternoon for Brazil, Pernam-
buco the first stop.
At the bank Gerry drew out the balance
AZ hIs current account. IL amounted to
something more than $1,000. He took most
Of It In Bank of England notes. Then he
started home to pack, but before he
reached the house a vision of the serv-
ants hurried after helping their mistress
Of. commlscratng him to each other
pltylng him to his face perhaps or in
he case of the old butler, suppressing n
great emotion, was too much for him. He
drove instead to a big department store
and In an hour had bought a complete
outfit. He lunchcd at one of the quiet
restaurants that divide down town from
up The people about him were voluble in
French and Spanish. Already he felt as
II his exile had begun.
The Gunter was to sail at from Brook
Iyn. Gerry crossed by the ferry. He did
not get out of his cab, over his bag
gage piled outside and in he caught n
glimpse of the suspension bridge. Years
and years ago his father had led him
across that bridge when it was the eighth
wonder of the world. Gerry gave great
Sigh at the memory He had not invaded
BROOKLYN since, AS the cab threaded the
:nterminabe and reeking length of Fur
man street he looked out and felt him.
self upon an alien shore.
He had avoided buying "A ticket. As the
Gunter warped out, the purser came to
him II understand you have no ticket"
No." said Gerry, drawing roll of bills
How much IS the passage to Pernam-
buco?'
The purser fldgeted. This is irregu-
lar, sir"
Il as it?" said Gerry, indfferently
4 81 have no ticket FORMS" said the
eurser weakening.
Fl don't want a ticket" said Gerry. IT
want good room and three square meals
day."
Long, quiet days on n quiet sea are a
master sedative to a troubled mind. Gerry
had great deal to think through He
sat by the hour with hands loosely |
elasped, his eyes far out on the ocean,
tracing the course of his married life and |
measuring the grounds for AliX's ar
raignment. Gerry was just and generous
10 others faults but not to his own. He |
mad forgotten the sting of AliX's words |
and to his growing amazement, saw in |
himse!t their justification. A time server |
ne certainly had been. But he reviewed [
the lives of many other men in his own |
lelsurely class and decided that he was |
not without company. After all, what |
was there in America for such men to do /
except make more money?
Ihe landfall of Pernambuco awoke him
from reveries and introspection He did |
not look upon this palm-strewn coast as
land o. new begnnings-he sought
merely Lethean shore.
!. The ship crawled in from an oily sea to
.he long strip of haTbor behind the reef
above, the sun blaZed from n bowl OF un-
broken blue; on land, the multicolored
houses spread like rainbow under dark
,loud Of brown-tilcd roofs Giant plane
uees cast blots of shade on the cobbled
esplanade of the boat quay In their
sheiter negress squatted behind hor
'asin OF CONSCIOUS and another before
ray of fried fish. ..round them lounged
Tagged crew, bOatmen. stevedores and
iHran' black, brown and white. Beyond
ne trees was a line of high succeed
iouses, each painted a different color all
Feather-stained and some with rusted
laleonies that threatened to topple on to
ne passer-by, One bore the legend, "Ho-
elf