Evening star., 1921-09-04

available here. The wretched half
caste doctor had been afraid to land on
the island all through; he came only
once. screaming at them from his
not permit him to run the risk Of car
rying Infection: aSked news Of the
number Of cases, slung some carbohc
ashore, and "chunked" away again as
speedily as his engineer could take him.
town that would willingly have drowned
them all. they worked their way un.
helped. The liner was gone; she could
not walt after pratiqus was given,
knowing that 1t might be many weeks
dead. Another boat came in. but did
not land a passenger; as soon as q
launch came out from shore and spoke
with all speed and steamed out within
with all speed, and stained out within
the half hour, The prisoner. on the
Each one Of them was convinced that
he was not Roing to take the plague, II
only he could get away. Oh. to be out
on that happy steamer-out, and away,
and safe!
Mrs. Arthurs would not give in at
first to the truth: the trouble was slow
in taking hold of her. and for day
or two she kept about. shivering.
breathing hard. and trying her plucky
best to fight 1t of. Whether she had
Of the mind over the body or not one
cannot say. She never told what she
thought: there was not time. On the
second afternoon she dropped fainting
on the sand. and the stewardess, with
a perfectly calm expression of face.
and white apron to lift her up and
help her away.
HCTOP" cried a hoarse voice that
no one recognized. The steward
ess turned round. 1t was Mrs. Waite.
still wearing the eighteenth century
hair-dress. and with the "aristocrat"
expression as If frozen on her face.
IL am not afraid" she said. II
am not canaille. For myself I have no
fear. l speak for these others. Why.
then. should they have to die? Stew
ardess-look here. stewardess." sud
denly changing her manner. II say,
it's an awful shame that every one
who goes has to kill some one
Why do you go with her? She's half
insensible. She could very we'll do
alone. Give her a tin of water. and
stay away. Why should you die?"
Waite" said the stewardess. coolly.
She was supporting Mrs. Arthurs
now-supporting ther toward the
brushwood house.
well. I'll make you" screamed the
other. beyond all control. You'll be
the next. and I shall have to nurse
you-I shall have to die.'
II guess not" said the American
lad. I'll tend to the lady myself.
There isn't any Mrs. Grundy on a
plague island. Stewardess. you needn' t
nurse that lady there. anyhow. I'll
do it. l guess we can't spare our
ladies. no any more of them. that is.''
They all spoke OF Mrs. Arthurs as
dead: the hundred per cent toll of the
fatal disease was known to every one.
And indeed the unseen passengers
last victim scarce seemed to know
what was going on about her.
1t must not be held against the stew
ardess that she hesitated. The scene in
the liner alley-way came rushing
through her mind. as scenes and faces
pass before the eyes of the drowning.
III we get out of this. I'll make
sailors wife of you. :" Had she
indeed no one to leave behind-now
The sea-blue eyes Of the "only man on
the ship" looked at her out of the
shadown that lay upon the brushwood
house. Other visions rose. passed and
faded. and left her senses clear once
more-clear to the burning sand. the
brassy palms. the hooting wind from
the sea, and the bright watching face
of the lad beside her-so young q
face! She thought Of her graying hair,
Of the years that the locust had eat
en-"
Thank you. sir. it's good of you.'