The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-09-24

And here, indeed, was treasure.
two wide hunks. one Of them with
a stack OF blankets upon It; for.
ward Of these, starboard and port,
respectively. n toilet and galley,
tho latter actually containing food
"A blscuittin, some cans OF pork
and beans. Sho did not take time
for a further inventory. Abaft tho
hunks were two clothes lochers--
ualocked. thank goodness' - with
clothes IN them white cotton
trousers. oilskIns, n sweater or two
and o miscellaneous heap Of canvas
sneakers.
At this point in her researches
fho heard Bin calling In q scared
voice, "Prlucoss"
She rushed forward and saw him
peering tragIcally down tho hatch
'It's all right" she called to him.
"lts simply great Why. wo can
1.-Two here az long as wo likel--
Come on down." she added, peroeiy-
ing that though he wanted to obey
be hadn't the slightest idea how 10
net about doing H. "Oh, Just stick
your fcet through and drop. III
catch you"
And this she did pretty success
fully though me came down upon
her like n bag OF cement, and half
led. half dragged him into tho
cabin. lie was all In and no mis-.
take. She sat him down az one OF
,he hunks, got him out OF his coat
and walstcoat, undid HIS cravat and
collar and then knelt at his feet
and took off his shoes.
Sho performed All OF these scr.
vices quite simply ana all but un-
consciously Yet thcre came 10 her
minds ear as she wrestled with the
wet leather buttonholes, family
aud phonographicaliy. a voice that
exclaimed In tones OF horror, "Leda
Swan. what are You doingl" The
only effect II had was to touch
her lips with a smile.
Having rummaged long-sleeved
jersey, Il pair of white cotton trous.
ers and some thick wool socks out
OF the locker, sho told him firmly
20 take Off every stitch of hls wet
clothes and put on these "And call
me ~ soon as you finish" she con.
Cluded.
He asked. looking desperate
again, whore she was going.
Just around behind that cur
tain" she told him. only waiti
l guess | might as we'll get dry
too
The resources OF the locker we're
not by any means exhausted. but
when II came TO ,rousers she found
her only choice was between
small pair that might not be such
a bad tit, but were horribly dirty,
and quite rrosentably clean pair
which were In girth Enormously too
big. She hesitated an instant, but
faBtidiousnes9 conquered vanity
and she chose the latter. She took
a blouse and the smallest pair OF
sneakers and retired with them to
the forehold
before he did. II was not n~
radical as his. OF course, only
a question of getting out of her
skirt, coat and blouse and talk e
ing off her wet shoes and stock. =.
ings. The waiatband of tho
trousers was almost big enough
to wrap around her twice, so
she was able to fasten Il with
her own girdlc. She rolled
back the wristbands of tho vs.
MILDLY blouse so that they i
wouldn't interfere with her
hands and turned the trouse~
legs we'll above her ankles,
licked her arms luxurlously,
stretched her bare toes, re-
leased from the unpleasant CON
ilnement OF wet shoes and
stockings, and with a grimace
put on the sneakers; then she
sat down on one Of the great
rolls of canvas to await the
boys call. ready, she felt, for
anything.
Yet she was not ready for .
the shock that awaited her on
the other side Of the nlmsy
green curtain when Bill spoke,
in a perfectly natural voice ami
asked her TO como in She
pulled aside the curtain, at.
tered n faint shrek and stood
staring about equally Mortified
and incredulous-at the figure
sitting upon the bunk Be
cause il was not Bill; though
at the same time, and even
more horribly, It was. But the
beautiful image of romance
was gone and a cruel, staring
trayesty sat In its place.
You may as well be told the
truth IN plain words, ! suppose.
Bill had taken of his hair. II
lay upon his hat on tho bunk
beside him, The only covering
now upon his hard round head
was stubble perhaps three
weeks old.
He had started at her outcry
and glanced about I'm alarm to
find the cause OF Il, then he
looked up inQuiriugly into her
face.
1T was nothing she said in a
halfsuffocated voice. "Only--only
you look so different"
He smiled "YoI are surprised
A