Evening star., 1921-03-27

the year that his regiment was doing
garrison duty at HonEkong. As a
matter Of fact. he ute outshone his
superior officer in this respect, for
Col Bevington-Ardsmore. while every
inch q soldier and a gentleman. had
never been able to shake off that pc
culiar military stiffness and aloofness
which his family traditions had al
ways associated with his majesty's
uniform. So, while Mrs. Ardsmore's
afternoons "at home" were always
graced by the attendance of the Off
cial circles and everything was done
in strictly proper manner-Just as
much so as if it had all been laid
down in the manual of arms of the
retfment-her guests didn't hesitate
to-, whisper among themselves that
they went only because they couidn I
help it, or. as the admirals nag lieu
tenant was overheard TO re'narh H.
'.Deuced bore. this, but one has to go
through it once in SO often, don [
y'know," While the occasional gath
erings at the officers mess (where the
major always asked Mrs. Hopklnson,
the popular wife of the American con :
sui. to preside) were characterized DS
that delightful atmosphere of cordi :
alty and informality which made
every one feel perfectly at home and
at case. Now it was at one OF theSe
that the ma jor, a bachelor to be sure
but by no means an oid or !mpos-
sible" one. turned to Miss Julia In
dSrwood Ga charming young American
artist whom Mrs. Hopkinson was en-
tertaining at the consulate) and ask
ed: well, and how is that painting
of the peak getting on: 1t surely
must be finished by this time. is it
not:'
Not ute yet. major she answer
ed; you see. the weather for the last
few days has been very much against
me. Just as ! get ready to do the
summit and the signal station and all
that, why some wretched cloud comes
along and just blots out all the view
and so l have to wait for another
chance"
II dare say you've seen those dauos
that old Ching Wing-the marine ar
tist' as he calls himself-has for sale
in his -old shop down by the wharf
haven't you? Quite royal gallery IN
its-way. that.
yWhy. yes. 1 went down there only
them all 'daubs.' though: some Of them
are really quite tolerable works OF
art, especially the junks and the sam :
pans and the fuil-rigged ships gayiy
sailing along under full canvas He
a genius in his way.
Yes. all but the perspective The
ships and the houses and the noun
tains are all f1attened up against each
other and half the junks look as II
they were going TO- sail risht up
Well. that's the Chinese OF 1t.
F., suppose replied the young lady ar
tist. with a smile; you see they have
wbnderful initiative faculties but not
much initiative. as we say in Boston:
The conversation on the relative
merits of Ching Wings art was sud
denly. GU. short by the approach of
Consul Hopkinson. who. coming IN
rather late. rushed up to Maj. Oar.
hnEton and said: You mustn't fail
major: we're counting on you and
Lieut.. Chandler. you know"
Delighted, I'm sure" replied the
genial officer. land ! trust the weather
will he most propitious-with only
the clouds hanging over the peak.
Miss Underwood"
'But why do you wish any clouds
At all. MAJOR" she asked in a most
delightful tone of absolute innocence:
why not wish it all sunshine for the
.aOh. -Yes. certainly" stammered her
companion. plenty of sunshine every
where and always. to be sure-except
just a little cloud lowering over the
signal station. don't you see?
fBnt why there?'
why. just to keep American ar
fists from painting 1t at that time.
and give the minor attraction Of the
launeh party chance"
oh But its ,,,,s Esiday' AZ tSs don't Ros,oH yoT
studios is to always leave the oil can
vases to dry on Fridays
why. what a clever idea, 1 sup
pose because it's bad luck day, isn't
it@'
'H-a-r-h-a-p-s." replied Miss Tn
derw God. slowly, but that remains
to be seen" as she rose to bid her
.ho9ts good
stJNsPEcToR." said Sir Evington
i Beecham to Daniel Higgins. the
vited him to chair in his private
Office at government house. Il have
called you up here to consult with me
about matter that gives me no lit
tie anxiety"
Always at your service. sir" re-
piled the officer. giving a regular
military salute as he approached the
prsnered chair.
well, let me begin by asking you
II you've noticed anything queer
about the natives for the last week
Nothing outside what's normal. sir.
You know. as Jimmie. Brownlow. my
deputy, says. WhAt 3 queer WIN US Is
ali right with them; and what's queer
with them is all right with u.s..
I'm not referring now to our ma
tf9nal distinctions or peculiarities."
continued the governor. but to some
thing that seems to be affecting them
at this particular time. There seems
70 be q certain strangeness of man.
nef-a- suspicious uneasiness l might
call II. for want of a better term
that rather indicates that something
Is brewing in the air. as the sailors
say. 1t was first called to my atten-
tJon-by some of the missionaries at
the American college, and ] think 1
have since noticed it among all my
servants and attaches. You haven't
heard Of any anti-foreign placards
being posted up or anything of that
kind. have you?
got a sign of anything, your ex-
celIAncy, but I will make immediate
inquiries from the native force"
You have no report OF any trouble
rounding country. have you? No sail
ors' fights along the water front that
might have stirred up the junkmen or
cArKo-coolies@
Not a report OF anything at head
quarters, sir.
"Of course. it may be only a mat
ter -of their own religious supersti-
tions and not anything that would in
volve the Europeans. but at the same
time one doesn't like these low NUT
terinGs that seem TO indicate an APP
preaching storm.
thing special in their actions. sir. that
we could take ahold OFF,
We'll. just to mention one fact
which came to Lady Beecham's notice
Yesterday, when she went out rather
Unexpectedly to visit the servants