The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-28
SANDS
 BY ELEANOR M. INGRAM
CHAPTER I. The Girl in the Desert.

The Girl in the Desert.
 The private car of MT. Robert Ar den rocked on the smooth Mexican roadbed, swaying from side to side | as the train sped across the level |, desert. Billy Graeme leaned for | ward and patted Miss Arden's shoul- | der with the cheerful comradery of one young American toward another.
 'Feelin' better?'' he inquired sym pathetically. When you an I start out on our honeymoon, Trix, I'll take you around New York and back. Travelling is too strenuous for you"
 Beatrice Arden laughed. She was slim. d1mpled girl, with the apple-blossom purity of complexion that is the prerogative of the auburn haired beauty. She had the chic ness of the woman whose clothes are made in Paris or New York, and her warm, shining waves of hair were. parted and brought down over her ears in a mass of coiled braids ac- cording to the latest whim of fash ion. But her clear brown eyes had the unspoiled candor of a boys.
 The train was speeding across a vast. mountain-bound plain, an ex- panse of sand frost-white under the intense tropical moonlight, except where clumps of cactus splotched it with dark. The strange, desert fas- eination overlay the silent spaces, crying out to the strangers like the over-civilized
 Gradually the interest in Billy | Graeme's expression deepened to ab- sorption; he cleaned forward, intent | on the unfolding panorama. The | girl rested her round white arms on the railing, losing herself in contem- | plation
 For the first time in her life she | felt discontent, quivering impatience | with all things. and a thirsty desire for something she did not know and could not hope to know. A great | many possibilities lay dormant in her soft young face. She gave the im- pression of one capable of deep feel | ing, but of whom nothing but good humored acquiescence ever had been | required.
 1 TriX, Billy murmured, at last. | Without turning, she put out her hand Her fiance absently took the small fingers into his clasp, still gaz- | ing at the resert.
 '@Trix," he unused, eff there was | only a coyote out there, I could use the idea for Wolfs Sage Tonic"
 The girl sat up abruptly, then broke into ringing laughter. Billy Graeme, How can an art ist be so disgustingly practical? l thought you were going to say some thing pretty to me"
 By George, I did huff that op- | portunityi But if I had thought ot any Romeo poetry, I'd have hesitat- ed before tryin' it on you. Trixie Remember how you used to guy me when we were sweet fifteen an l was in love with the lady bartender at the soda-fountain?
 | tfYeS, She weighs two hundred pounds and has four children
 'An' I'm going to marry the pret- tiest girl in America
 | She nodded derisive thanks, draw ing her hand away.
 Never mind, Bil1y-we do get along together beautifully. And I am awfully sorry you cannot have 8 coyote to order, dear. But you had better go in to papa. He wanted to show you those maps this even ing, and it must be nine o'clock"
 He rose reluctantly.
 l What do I know about rubber. growth in Mexico?" he complained But I suppose I've got to go flaunt my ignorance. Aren't you comin' I don't like to leave you alone.''
 Mama is asleep and you will bt busy I will stay here for a while thank you.''
 The light from the cars interior flooded the platform with yellow radiance as Billy opened the door
 then the moonlight reclaimed pos session. Beatrice sank back in he
 chair and yielded herself to the spel
 of the desert she watched.
 The train was running more slowly , From her reverie she awakened t that fact with a start, thrilled rathe by curiosity than surprise. After
 moment she stood up.
 From the train this desert ha seemed scarcely more real than tn
 possible to tread or touch. But no, she realized that it was not so- , that. if the train stopped, she migh
 stand on the silver floor and plung
 her fingers into the grey sand. An
 it.
 ' There was a gate in the railin
 that surrounded the observatio
 platform. She went there and lai l her hand on it. waiting breathIessl,
 poised in expectation. If the trai
 stopped she would call Billy. The could descend, if only for a momen c The train did not stop Its spec
 slackened still more, until Beatr
 was on the point of calling; hera li1
 were parted when the Iocomoti1
 abruptly 1eaped forward with a js | that was conmunica ted violently O the cars. Taken unaware. the gi
 was flung back, then forward again s the gate.
 The gate opened.