Evening star., 1924-10-16
Confined from Yesterdays starr

Aontlnueo from 1eSleIua! . slail
Horse down with collie. Mother
turned him loose into the stable, corn
bin was open. he ate his fill and then
had a good drink at the trough. I've
had a proper job with him..
"All right now eddn ar
Yes, Iytink So
Simeon shuffied his expansive feet.
"Dont see much of you up to Ros-
warva these days"
More shufiing. I'VE do brearly
miss e.
THAT so?"
Simeon cleared his throat, MY
maid asked e to supper some three
months back well, if you
don't come up soon it'll be getting
cold like
There was an uncomfortable pause:
then Eli looked steadily. II want
YOU to understand. Sim. that things
aren't the same with me as they were
now Ortho's. come home. My father
died to sudden: he didn't leave a thing
TO me. I'm nothing but beggar
row. Ortho
The gaunt slab Of hair and wrinkles
that was Simeon's face split into
smile. -.
..Here. for gracious sake. don't
speak upon oTlHo, He piSteo iiie'N
talked me deaf and dumb night after
night of how he was a king in Bar
barry and what not and so forth
cl,Ink clunk ctunk. In the Lord
name TO you come up and lets nave
a little sociable' silence for change.
"Do you mean it, Eli gasped.
MEAN it." said Simeon. laying
hairy paw on his shoulder. 'Did you
ever hear me or my maid say a word
We didn't mean-son?'
Eli rushed across the yard anu into
the house to fetch his best coat.
Teresa was standing in front OF the
ire, hands outstretched, shirering de-
spite the blaze.
She -rceled when her son went
bounding past her, reeled as though
she had seen a ghost.
Eli My God. Eli she cried.
'What-how-whe YOU been -
In the stable physicking your
horse" he said. climbing the stairs.
II sent Ortho after-that boat.
He did not hear the crash his moth
er made : she fell: he was in too
much of a hurry.
Ortho climbed the forward ladder
and came out on the upper deck. The
ship was thrashing along under all
plain sail, braced sharp up.
The sky was covered with torn
f1eeccs of cloud. but blue patches
CLEANED through the rents, and the
ship leapt forward lit by a beam of
sunshine. white pfnioned, a clean bone
in her teeth. A rainStorm had just
passed over, drenChing her, and every
rope and spar was outlined with gilt
tering beads: the wet deck shone like
a plaque of silver. CheeriIy sang the
wind in the shrouds, the weather
lecches quivercd, the reef points pat
tered impatient. fingers, and under
Ortho's feet the frigate,.tremhled like
am eager horse reaching for its bit.
"She's snortiRg the water from her
noStrils, all right he said, approv-
ingly. ''Step on, lady
So he was aboardship again. How
he had come there he didn't know.
He remembered nothing after reach
ing lawn "a Bal Cove and trying to
push that boat of. His head gave an
uncomfortable throb. Ah that was
press gang.
Well. he had lost that damned girl.
he supposed. No matter, there were
plenty more, and being married to
one rather hampered you with the
others. Life on the farm would have
been unutterably dull. really. He was
not yet 80; a year or two more rowing
wopld du no harm. His head gave
anpther throb and he nut his hand,
to his brow.
4 man polishing. the ships bell
noted the gesture and laughed Feel
in sick. me bold farmer" How d'you
think you'll like the sea-"
"Farmer.' Ortho snarled. "Hell's
bells, l was upper yard man of the
Elijah Impey. pick of the Indies
feet
WAS you. begod?" said the polish