Evening star., 1923-05-15


passed into JOY and eternal peace
Time will heal even sorrows like
this. Remember, dear little girl, an
other love has come into your ne;
not to efface this other one, but to
show you that life holds for each or
us love nearer and dearer yet man
all others. Jack will be waiting
anXiouSiy for you; come, dearie.'
Jil-Bett looked up into her kindly
face and smiled very faintiy through
her tears. Endeavoring 20 turn her
thoughts into anothe" channel, that
she might not wear that mournful
look before Jack, she remarked. hold
ing the girl off at arms length: Il
wish you could realize how very
pretty YOU look in this very smart
costume. Jack will see no prettier
girl anywhere. My word for 1t, he
will be very proud of YOU"
Those words brought Il rosy flush
to Jil-Bctt's pale cheeks, and dried
the tears on them.
The Mudges went down to the
dock with her to See her off. As they
reached it. to their surprise, Jack was
not in sight. There was a decided
frown on Mudge's face as he started
i'm search of him. Mrs. Nudge could
not hear to see the look OF great dis
appointment that came over Jil-Betts
face.
Why was he not standing there
watching for her to welcome her?
What was of more Importance to take
him to some other part of the vessel?
Nudge found him deeply engrossed in
studying the chart.
'Jil-Bett is here. Jack" he an
nounced briefly.
"Oh. yes. l meant to go for her to
fetch her bundles; / had no thought
that it is so near starting time
Nudge did not make the sarcastic
response that was on the tip of his
tongue. for at that moment Jil-Bett
appeared. and he had barely time to
set off the boat. She was already
drawing UP her gansplank.
When Jil-Bett saw Jack, she ran
Ia him. tiinging her arms about him.
sohbing as though her heart would
break. II owe my life to you-my-
husband" she whispered brokenly.
"PShaW. just paid back an old
debt he returned. unclasping her
cIlnging arms. Don't make so much
Of a fuss over it
But how happened you to be there
in the moment Of my grave danger.
dear?" she persisted.
Il will tell you that later on" he
returned. adding. as he found her Il
seat in secluded nook on deck:
stay here until | come for you"
With that he disappeared. Shortly
after amidst the hustle and cOmmo-
tion. the ganeplank was drawn up,
and the Dolphin moved majcstically
away from the dock
The Mudges waved goodbye to Jill
Bctt till the steamer became but d
black &peck in the distance.
The hours Crept on. still Jack did
not return to her. Had he been left
behind. or had he forgotten her? She
grew alarmed
CHANGING down. she beheld the
black box at her feet. Jack had not
given her the opportunity to tell him
if.r of
ing with him once again. she had
quite forgotten il.
She was aroused from her thoughts
by the SteWardeSS, who had come out
on deck IN search of her to so in to
dinner: the second and last gong had
runE long since. Jil-Bett was sit
ting in tn" Salf-Same place where
Jack had placed her. looking wistfully
out over the black waste of water.
The sun had sunk in the western sky:
dusk had fallen; one by one the stars
had come out, lighting the vast dome
above. The moon had risen, making
Il long path OF silver across the
waters to the far-off horizons edge
AS the girl would not leave the spot
where she had been told to remain
the stewardess. through pity. brought
her out tempting tray of food. She
was pleased to see she ate heartily.
You We're hungry, dear child" she
said. Your brother should not ne
Slect you in this fashion,.
Jack is not my brother: he is my
huSband.' answered Jil-Bett. turning
her large dark eyes upon the woman
with hurt pride. We were married
two days ago"
We'll! Well. I should never have
thought it, returned the stewardess
"He flung himself down i'm a seat aft
went sound asleep at Once-and is
there yet. He should have had it on
his mind that he had a bride aboard
That's commencing married life the
wrong way"
"He--he was very tired" defended
.Iil-Bett Il would be content to sit
here until morning if he could but
sleep and rest. Please do not waken
HIM"
The stcwardess made no reply,
walking away.
At that moment Jack was seen ap-
proachinG hurriedly, much perturbed
down beside her II fell asleep. I
am sorry. You must come inside
see you have been cared for" His
eyes followed the retreating form
with the tray. 1T shall never happen
again"
DO not feel sorry. 1 am glad you
rested. dear
He looked at the girl. How gentle
and forgiving she was, He felt i'm
patient with himself that his heart
did not warm more toward her.
He was not insensible to the fact
that she was exceedingly pretty in
the clothes Mrs. Nudge had fashioned
for her going g-away gown. yet he
sighed at the thought that hereafter.
go where he would, she must be
taken along. Marriage bound them.
He told her of the ARRANGEMENTS
he had made for her, that she should
share the cabin Of the stewardess.
and hoped she would be comfortable
there. Jil-Bett made no comment
quite sure whatever Jack did was as
1t should he. The stewardess receiv-
ed the shrinking young girl with the
utmost kindness. 1t had taken her
no length of time to discover that the
little bride was very fond of her
handsome husband. but that her af-
fection was not reciprocated. 1t was
certainly not love match.
The stewardess. thrice widow,
was well schooled in understanding
the hearts of men. She felt very
sorry for Jil-Bett. She questioned
very adroitly. bringing the subject
about by devious ways; still the girl
barried these shafts of curiosity. She
did not, would not, tell about her
romance-how it had begun, how the
romance grew up to the point of a
proposal that they wed, sharing their
futures with each other, and what
caused their apparent estrangement
There was one thing which Jill -Bett
begged of her. and that was not to
let it get noised about the vessel
hat she and Jack We're newlyweds
Reluctantly the stewardess promised.
She did love to gossip, and this was
such a Savory morse1 on the tongue.
However, a promise once given she
regarded as binding.
(TO he continued tOmorrOw.)