The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-05-02


Il don't know. I'm not sure wheth-
or she was dressed at all or nOt-that
is, she probably had on a kimono or
something. but | don't think she had
on regular skirts and things"
we might take stroll along the
beach," suggested Jim, whom | sus-
pected of wanting to display his strip
ed clothing in public. Possibly we
might find something we could eat"
After the captain and Jim had start
ell out Miss Dunmore seemed lost in
deep and Oewildered thought. | fore.
bore To break in on so pOrtentOus a
brain struggle.
At last she spoke. Where do you
suppose the zebra did bite Captain
Perkins brOther?"
IF you go with him perhaps he will
tell you" | said. with al idea of doing
my searching alone with a weather
eye constantly peeled for Lucille and
BOpp.
NO" she demurred, Il would much
rather 20 hunting with you. 1t will
he more fun"
Evidently she thought that hunting
Old ladies' in the underbrush was one
of our innocent island pastimes
sighed. We sailed forth. II had
wanted to run across Lucille when |
was alone | was just as anxious to
avoid her while was in the company
of Miss DunmOre.
do we have to find her before
lunch?"
explained painstakingly the remote
possibility either Of finding Mrs. Green
or Of having any lunch. Contrary to
my expectations, she took the informa
tiOn about the lack Of food just as
cheerfully as she had everything else.
| don't believe it would he possible to
dampen the spirits of that girl-not
that she was unreSpOnsive to anOthers
distress, for | have rarely met one so
sympathetic, but she was persistently
optimistic.
Il don't mind going without lunch a
bit" she smiled. Il very seldom eat
anything until after the show at night
anyway. Only there won't be any
show tonight to eat after, will there i?
That will seem funny. I've always
been in shows ever since was kid.
except few weeks in the middle of
summer. and then generally l was re-
hearsing.'
She laughed gayly.
Vida chartered away with all the
needless gayety of Il child who knows
that some one is going to provide the
next meal. She told me at length
about her tiance That took n lot of
that | was falling in love with Vida
not n bit of it--but it was too bad as
long as | had lost favor with Lucille
on her account to have her tell me
else. have since reasoned that she
regarded me as being old enough to
be her father or her Uncle Jack and
treated me accordingly.
II wouldn't mind being all alone
with you on this island" she confided
IF you were only Jack"
Jack? Who is Jack?'
IL mean Ned" she explained. Il
was going to marry Jack, but Ned
wouldn't have it. We wouldn't care
much about food even.' she went on.
Ned would find something for me.
He's dreadfully ingenious. That comes
from writing plays, | guess One has
TO be clever to think out plots for
plays, don't you think?"
Not most of them" | lapsed into
my critical manner. Not at clever
as you have to be to sell them"
He wrote play once about two
people on desert island. There was
bully part for the girl in it. They
found bananas and cOcOanutS to eat
and some kind Of birds eggs"
In plays and stories dealing with
castaways Oh an island" l explained,
the scene is always conveniently To-
Gated on tropical island where all
sorts of food products grow wild. May
| ask if in Mr.. Blaney's play there was
any treasure buried on the island"
yes" she aSSented.
And were they attacked by savages
armed with poisoned dartsY
"Oh, you've read his play!'
mo, but l know just what ought to
be in every castaway story. This is
land that we are on, you see, is quite
different Nothing more nourishing
than spruce gum ever grows here, and
there isn't a native with a poisoned
dart within thousand miles unless
you count Lucille"
What do you mean by that?"
did not answer. An idea had
germinated from something she had
said. There was natural food re-
source on the island. | might be able
to develop it quietly by myself and
then if it was successful confer it as a
boon on the entire community.
When we were about two-thirds of
the way around the island stinging
patter of raindrOps drove US to shelter.
AhNAS was u lullISc
house overlooking the lake near by,
and we hastened toward it. In our
path was shallow strip Of water left
by the waves of the night before and
augmented by the rain Vida looked
in dismay at the muddy water.
Il never can cross it, she walled.
''These are Miss Green's shoes, and l
must not ruin them"
We've got to get under cover" |
argued.
You could carry me across" she
suggested practically-"that is. II you
can lift me-"
Il carried you farther than that this
morning"
"Were you the brave man who risk.
ed his life for me?" she exclaimed i'm
pulsively, then added with naive con-
ceit: II know Ned can never thank
v0tx anon0h Tuck YNlOI, vn. 49,, A.. ,,u.,.