Evening star., 1921-03-27
THIS Story of Laughing Anne,'
l Written by One of the Masters of
English Fiction, Gives View of Swift
Action In Eastern Seas.

I evening that Davidson from a sense
| or dellcacy made up his mind to say
sood-bye to her at once and go and
| sleep on board. He felt very miser-
pie and. strangely enough, more on
his own account than on account of
mis- wife. She seemed to him much
more offended than grieved.
Three weeks later. having COL
| lected good many cases of old dol
| lars they were slowed aft in the
lazarette with an iron bar and a pad
lock securing the hatch under his
CABIN table,. yes. with Il bigger lot
than he had expected to collect. he
found himself homeward bound and
or the entrance of the creek. where
BamtZ lived and even. in a sense.
tlourished.
1t was so late in the day that
Davidson actually hesitated whether
he should not pass by this time. He
had no regard for Bamptz. who was "A
degraded but not really unhappy
man. His pity for Laughing Anne
was no more than her case deserved.
But his goodness was of a particu-
lariy delicate sort He realized how
these people were dependent on him.
and how they would feel their de-
pendence tif he failed to Gurn up)
through long month of anxious
waiting. Prompted by his sensitive
; humanity. Davidson. in the gather
ing dusk, turned the Sissies head
toward the hardly discernible coast.
and navigated her safely through IA
maze of shallow patches. But by the
time he got to the mouth of the creek
the night had come.
Davidson. seeing solitary light
In the maSSed darkness of the shore.
knew that it was burning in BamtZ's
house. This was unexpected at this
time of the night. but convenient as
a guide. BY a turn of the screw and
touch of the helm he sheered the
Sissie alongside Bamtz's wharf-a
miserable structure of dozen piles
and few planks of which the ex-
vagabond was very proud. a couple
a turn with the ropes thrown to
them round the posts. and the Sissie
came to rest without single loud
word or the slightest noise. And Just
in time, too. for the tide turned even
beforeA she was properly moored.
Davidson had something to eat.
and then. coming on deck for a last
look round. noticed that the light was
still burning in the house.
This was very unusual, but since
they were awake SO late Davidson
thought that he would go up to say
that he was in a hurry to be off and
to ask that what rations there were
in store should be sent on board with
the first sign of dawn.
He He stepped carefully over the
get sprained ankle. and picked his
way across the waste ground to the
foot of the house ladder. The house
was but glorified hut on piles, un-
fenced and lonely.
Like make a stout man, Davidson
is very ightfooted. He climbed the
seven steps or SO, stepped across the
bamboo platform quietly. but what
he saw through the doorway stopped
him short.
"Eour man wara c;ftinr h., ~. ul.
OF a solitary candle. There was a bot
tie. jug and glasses on the table, but
they were not engaged in drinking.
Two packs of cards were lying there
too, but they were not preparing to
play. They were talking together in
whispers. and remained quite unaware
of him. He himself was too astonished
to make a sound for some time.
The situation ended with a scream
proceeding from the dark. interior
given me a turn
Davidson made out beyond the
table Anne's very pale face She
laughed little Historically, out of
the deep shadows between the gloomy
mat walls. 'Ha, ha, ha,'
THE four heads sprang apart at the
first sound, and four pairs OF eyes be-
came fixed stonily on Davidson. The
woman came forward, having little
more on her than a loose chintz wrap
- N SAiPpCiS oH IcI DdTo
feet. Her head was tied up Malay
fashion in a red handkerchief, with a
mass of loose hair hanging under it
behind.
UCHE came forward, past the table
into the light, with her usual
cropping gesture of extended arms, as
though her soul. poor thing. had gone
blind long ago. her white cheeks hol-
low. her eyes darkly wild. distracted,
as Davidson thought. She came on
swiftly, grabbed him by the arm,