The Washington times., 1920-02-05
APRIL FOLLY
A Brilliant Film
Romance With
MARION DAVIES


brilliant Jewels. And the Southern
Cross! when April first saw it
mystically scrolled across the heav-
ems like a device upon the shieldi
azure OF some celestial Galahad.
its magic fell across her soul and
would not be lifted.
This one of the first spells Africa
puts upon those whom she means to
make her own. Ever after. with
the poignant memory of that cross
of struggling stars. there is
thought Of Africa, and the two can
not be torn apart. For April, there
was always to be memory OF
Neroker Sarle. too. associated with
1t, for he it was who first picked
out the cross for her in the lumi-
nant heavens, and he il was who
said TO her on the second night be-
fore they reached Cape Town:
There seems to be some kind of
blessing in that old cross held out
over us as we come trailing back"
4. After that first day at Madeira
she had not seen a great deal of
Nereker Sarle. He had dropped
back quietly from the crowd that
ringed her in and become n locker
in. sometimes barely that, for he
was great poker player and spent
much time in the smoking room
with one or two hard-looking citi-
Zens, who were plainly not draw
ing room ornaments.
Matter for Thought.
April had missed him, with a lit
tie pain in her heart, for instinct
told her that he was one of the
men who count in the world. Also,
she had OWNED that his heart was
as clear as his eyes. Though his
face was so SCARED and rugged as
TO inspire in the wit of the ship
the Jest that 1t had been chewcd
by one of the lions he had hunted.
there was yet something in it that
suggested the gentleness of a child.
and that knightlike chivaIry that
she had sought but never found in
any man.
SO 1t hurt her a little. when she
thought of II in the night hours,
that he should keep aloof from her;
yet. in a way. she was glad. for she
could not SO ardently have enjoyed
playing her role IL Sarle had looked
on too much with his innocent yet
keen gaze.
1t was by accident that he found
her alone that night between din
ncr and dancing, and they stayed
looking at the stars and talking
of the land they were to reach
sometime within the next two days.
He was not n great talNer, and
most of the information April gath
cred was in the form of half-scorn-
full, half-wistful remarks. He spoke
of Africa as "A man might speak of
some worthless woman whom he
yet loved above all peerless women;
of the lure and bane OF her: how
she was the home of lies and flies,
the grave of reputation. the refuge
of the remittanccman and the bad
egg; the land of the unexpected
pest, but never the unexpected
blessing; of sunstroke and fever;
scandals and broken careers; snob-
berry. bobbery and highway rob-
berry.
How yet, when one had been away
from her for a little while. some
times for few months only, one
forgot all these things and remem-
bered only. with hunger and aching.
the pink tipped hills of her, the
crystal air, royal sunsets and ten
der dawns, the unforgetable friends
she had given, the exquisite reve-
rles her wild spaces had Inspired,
the valiant men who lie buried In
her breast, the sweeping rivers. and
leagues and leagues OF whispering
grasses.
How. suddenly, the nostalEis for
the burn and the bite,of her bitter
lips scizes upon the men who have