Evening star., 1924-09-07

! Presently they sat down on the new
| pansies to talk 1t over.
Think of it-actually going Why
on earth didn't they send Faulkner?
| He's older and he's got head on
| thusiasm."
| Yes. that was it, thought Jill.
Kingdoms are built on enthusiasm.
| She smiled knowingly.
India receded while he looked into
| Jilrs eyes. There was something
| about them that had always baff1ed
and mystiffed Andy.
you've got mysterious little
face. Jill-like you knew lot more
than you say"
81 do
"Wish you could come along, too.
1t won't be half the fun without my
skipper. ii you were just boys he
groaned.
yes. wouldn't that be grand?
Perhaps I can join you some day"
She could not have the slightest re-
gret slipping in to spoil this big hour
of Andy'S life.
Haven't you got any rich relatives
who might die and leave you some
money!"
Nobody except an old uncle who
took me to a circus when | was
twelve. He's the kind that lasts for
ever, and. besides. he's got sixteen
nieces and nephews to divide it
among"
We'll, I'll write YOU every single
thing we do and every place we go.
You can trail us on the Polly.
doubt if there's a ship af1oat that
can touch her.
:. = i: ::
I'LL spent the next two weeks
~ making little things to add to
Andy's comfort on the great voyage.
They were both orphans, reared by
, relatives, and strong bond had
grown up between them. In child
hood Andy had been her playmate,
her protector, her story book. Out
| wardly Jill had been his devoted,
admiring slave: inwardly she was his
mother. trying to throw down her love
as a soft carpet for Andy to walk
upon, so that the journey of this
blond-haired boy might always be
sweet. She had been too busy and too
happy to analyze relationships. but
now she saw that life to her had
been--just Andy.
Jill watched the days slip past
| with little dead feeling growing
around her heart. And at last there
came d night when the Polly made
her farewell voyage. Many. many
times the first mate had warned her
that this might be the last, but when
the hour came he had no words.
They stood on the foredeck while
the moon-path raced upon the glim-
| mering waters, and Il buoy some
| where doomed its hoarse warning,
and the outline of strange lands rose
| and went past in the night. After
| a long, long silence she said, and
she made it sound a great deal more
cheerful than just the words by
| themselves.
One of US is getting our dream"
| II wish to heaven it could be both.
We've had some fine and merry Yoy-
ages. and you've always stood by, no
| matter what the weather. Now l
| must go it alone. l leave you the
Polly. Keep the old hull shipshape,
| and if 1 can send for you. will you
Gomez"
ANY time, anywhere. And you'll
always remember to be a good sea-
| man, Andy? Women and children
first, and your duty to your ship
! above everything?'
! He promised, very solemnly.
! The half hour rang from the court
| house clock. Andy picked up his
| new suitcase. He smoothed down
| the front of his new coat. Jill put
| out an impulsive hand, but it dropped
II can't stand it if YOU don't come
back.
His chin quivered. He managed,
I'll come back
He put a hand on JilTs shoulder,
then he tore himself away and went
gulping and blinking like boy down
the dear, familiar street. He had
| meant to ask Jill to kiss him good
bye, but at the last he couldn't speak
| without sobbing out loud. So he had
to go without.
| Jill waved and waved from the gate.
| The last he saw was the brave white
| f1utter above the old picket fence.
Like all brave SeaWomen, she kept
up till her man was gone. Now she
know that her aunt came out and
spoke to her and tried to comfort
| her, and presently shook her head
sadly and went in, leaving Jill alone
with the first sharp grief of her life.
So one of them was taken and one
was left. Jill wandered around for
| a while like a lost soul, and then,
| out of the vacuum. Andy's letters be-
| gan to arrive. Some people find
reality less splendid than their dream
| of it. Not so Andy. The world was
still fairy book.
that they had poured over together
| on this great ocean, Andy in this lit
tie green land. BY Thanksgiving he
had kissed the Blarney Stone. He
| held up the whole expedition two
days to do it. How like him. From