Rockingham post-dispatch., 1922-11-09
i World and the
Woman
By JUSTIN WENrwooD


Of his property, surveying life.
| The highest point was just six feet
above the level of the sea. The lowest
point was about six feet below. But
the palmettos were so scattered and
the mangroye so dwarfed that Hale
could see clear to the encircling
waters.
Over them a boat was coming. Hale
swore.
lie did not want company. He
would warn off the intruders. He
hurried down to his strip Of silver
beach and assumed an angry look.
In reality Hale could not look very
angry. 1t is impossible to look angry
at twenty-nine, when you are the
owner of an island Kingdom.
AS the boat drew near Hale saw
that 1t was pulled by a single occu.
pant, girl, with copper-cOlored hair
and white arms. She did not see
Hale until the boat grounded. Then
she sprang ashore and gasped:
Goodness, l didn't know anybody
lived on Shell Key!"
II am the owner of Shell Key" said
Hale grimly.
I'm sorry | trespassed. You see,
IL wanted place TO be alone"
Hale softened. "Won't you come
up to my cabin and have cup of
tear he asked. "That is, if you don't
mind condensed milk"
She laughed. She had pretty gray
eyes and delightful smile, though
she looked little sad, Hale thought.
She sat down on the camp stool, and
soon the tea was ready.
you see" she explained, "I was a
school-teacher, but my throat got bad,
and the doctors were afraid of tuber-
culosis. SO they sent me down to
Florida. And it isn't tuberculosis at
all, and I'm getting better, but you see
there's the cough, and the boarding
houses are afraid of coughs down
here, $3.50 none of them would take
me. It's SO hard to stop coughing"
She coughed apologetically.
so | had to come down to Palm
Point and live in cabin there, and
It's crowded all the time with tourists,
and I just wanted to be alone. So
came over to Shell Key to look at 1t,
meaning to camp out here for a week IL
well, If there was no one here"
And then go back to teaching?"
"And then go back to teaching"
she answered sadly.
I'm much like YOU" said Hale. II
was threatened with the same trouble.
only had just hundred dollars left
when my fare was paid. So / bought
Shell Key-an acre and half-for
twenty dollars down, purchased fifty
dollars worth of food and implements
and started--but come, and I'll show
you.'
lie led her to the highest peak of
his domains. Through the palmettos
the girl saw clearing of quarter
of an acre, In which corn, tomatoes,
and other esculents were fiourishing.
Tin going, to gNt a nanny when l
sell my corn,' said Hale.
And you mean to live hepe always"
Rather than go back to clerking,
yes. I'm going to make Shell Key
he most highly intensified example of
Lfuck farming in the world. And I'm
yoing to raid an orange plantation five
niles down the coast on the next dark
light, and bring back sucklings. They
grow the best navels in the world
here"
Slowly they went back. "YOu seem
o have made q little island paradise
lere," said the girl.
"A kingdonp-a world" he answered.
wouldn't go back to the world out
fde for anything" N
And T." she said, "must 60 to take II
p my work in the world again. Each
( us to his fate"
"Yes," he answered,
Perhaps I'll row across to Palm
cint some afternoon and call on you."
"1ve only got one more week." she
mid. "And I'd rather you wouldn't"
why notT'
"lt's-too sad, isn't 1t. I mean \
g saw that her eyes We're full Of \
'ars--"gtV;ng up ones Dreams" 3
I'VE all have to give up our dreams, \
suppose" he said. 2
but you have your dream"
mot all of it." b
They were upon the beach now. She
lrned and looked at him. "What
'eam have you had to abandon?" she 3
;ked. r
"oh, every mans dream, suppose" \
} answered. S
"The dream Of finding some one to \
ARE my kingdom with me. I've often n
ought of her. She has gray eyes and
Dpery hair" b
And you've abandoned that +
eamf" r
1--WE never found her" His look e
us unmlstakable. And she could
muse herself no longer with him. r
II ought to have told you," she said II
"My husbands at Palm N