Evening star., 1923-11-25


Anthony Christopher Stoningham
Calvert faced the incredulous glare
of the freckle-faced young gentleman
from Ohio with engaging candor.
You may be the heir apparent to
the greatest rubber business In the
whole jolly globe, but let me tell you
that you see before you the chief.
sole and official British imperial ad-
wiser to the fattest little sultan In
Asia
Young Ledyard broke IN sharply:
81 tell you this whole things rotten
ugly, dangerous business. If any
thing went wrong here. you wouldn't t
have a white man in hundred miles
to turn to. What about that Scotch
engineer who was so everlastingly In
Innate with your precious sultan?"
We'll, what about him.? The poor
chap fell down a shaft and broke his
neck
"Oh, he did. did he? Well. believe
me, that's not what they say III Singa-
pore. Calvert. get out of this place.
Every inch of it smells Of death and
dannation."
But I'm simply cuckoo with
ecstacy over it." the Honorable Tony
assured him earnestly. THE glitter
ing prospect of spending my remain
ing wears In the largest rubber plant
in Ohio leaves me cold"
Ledyard flushed. Thanks! Glad
to discover how much you enjoyed
your visit to US"
II enjoyed every minute of 1t to
the point of explosion. What do you
think that those July evenings under
the awnings on your veranda meant
TO a God-forsaken flying chap back
from the wars. William"
II know one God-forsaken flying
chap who thought it wasn't good
enough for him while he was able to
hop off and rot his soul out in a
water-logged bamboo shack in Asia"'
The owner of the bamboo shack
beamed. MY dear chap. 1t was
heaven. pure and simple, but dash
TOO pure and simple for some OF us.
Every man his own heaven, what?
Well. you're sitting in mine at pres
ent"
Lcdyard rose sharply to his feet.
p!All right. I'll be off. then. II you'll
xet hold Of one Of those black swine
and tell him to get my men and the
Taft-
my dear old chap The Honor
able Tony was at Ledyard's side in
two great strides; his arm was about
Ledyard's shoulders in the old re-
membered gesture of gay affection.
sFor PHYS sake. do try to remember
That I'm simply q feather-headed
goat. It's absolute rot to talk about
going before sundown. The sun
IL
ea1Iow candle. Besides. the jetty-eyed
companion OF your travels isn't back
from her interview with his majesty
Calvert, when I think what I've
been through with that beastly lin
pet. Who the dickens is she, any
may?"
DAISY de valIorosa. My dear
chap. why ask me?"
We'll, I do ask you. She swore
that she'd met you and your sultan
at a special concert while he was
visiting Singapore"
'Oh. extremely special" murmured
the Honorable Tony. reminiscently.
Rather! Bhakdi was most fright
fully bowled over: he gave her two
hammered gold buckles and a warm
Invitation to drop in on him at any
time that she was in the neighbor-
hood. I rather fancy that that's
what's at the bottom Of all this ex-
citement about the expiring brother
and the tin mines! BY the way, how
did the young female barge into
you?"
she had the next seat on the train
from Singapore. curse her!" replied
Ledyard vindictively. When we
found that you and Bhaki had lit out
after tigers, and I decided that I'd
Just have time before the next boat
TO hire a crew and hunt you down,
she went Off into twenty-one differ
ent kinds OF Mysteries until I prom
ised to bring her along, too. Five
. me enit-only Ave small liz meenit to
spik weeth the gr-reat, the good sui
tan and the gr-reat, noble Honorable
Nleestaire Tonee Calve'. and her
Manuelo would be restore once more
to her arms"
Ledyard ran frenzied hand
through the sandy hair. "Listen, how
about getting away now, before she
turns up?"
Well, upon my word. you unprin-
eipled young devil, are you asking me
sertion of this young female to the
lures of a willy and dissolute poten-
tate?"
T EDYARD faced his inqulsitor un-
IL abashed. "Oh, go on, she's prob
ably cousin of his; any one with all
that fuzzy black hair and those black
saucer eyes and nasty Cutlery little
teeth"
Wrong. dear boy. The lady is un-
deniably the legitimate offspring of
Lady Scott's English maid and Por-
tueuese wine merchant, born in Ma
deira. She Is also a British subject,
being the legitimate widow Of the
late Tommy Potts. one time pianist
OF the Imperial Doll Baby Girls"
See here demanded William,
show do you happen to know so much
about this Portuguese Empire Doll
Baby?"
"A trifins matter of a passport.
William"
Ledyard eyed him gloomiIy. well.
I'm through chaperoning Daisy de
Nallorosa Potts from now on. II !
don't make connections with that
boat In ~Singapore, I'm as good as
disinheriteoI My governors not 80
gone on yoL that he'd consider you
1ny excuse for missing two boats,
you know
Not for missing one. you young
ass" The gay eyes dwelt on him
for a moment, mocking and affec-
tionate. Your very able parent new
er entertained any illusions as to my