Evening star., 1924-11-02
A ASpirited Tale of Love and Vagabondage
BY G. B. STERN.

had brought a mufler These March
days-but. of course, it was all glori-
GUS.
Isn't this the only life?" he cried,
picking up his cue.
What we would have missed IL we'd
been shut up today. You look like
an elf of Spring. I shall call you
Blossom-no. I won't, I'll call you
April. April. April must buy you
a green cap somewhere. No, that's all
wrong; you shouldn't be wearing a
cap at ALL" He twitched it from her
head, and flung it in the air, where 1t
caught on the bough Of tree. Yes,
now you're perfect. All in green. too.
How did you know how. to dress for
YOUR part, April?"
She only laughed mischievously.
twirled round three times, flung her
self down in the grass. Look back
on London, Wilmington" she COM
manded him. lazily, "and turn round
round is magic, you know. and this
is a magic hill. AS to why / am
dressed for the part-havent you
suspected me yet? Or Will you be
shocke ed, Wilmington, to find that J
am only an actress, after ali?'
He was leaning up against tree
behind her. She tilted her head
|
her eyes reflected the sunshine in
tiny golden sparkles. her mouth
| curved provocatively. ..-.
OF course he kissed her. He felt
very young and ardent and in love.
An actress, too! 1t was an ad-
ditional thrill.
Beware Of strolling players" she
warned him, for they are rogues and
vagabonds. / suppose I really am a
| h0nd
a swift change to recklessness. Let's
| start: I want some adventures! But
| they'll miss me tonight at the"
AT the where?"
She baffied his curiosity.
At the theater."
Tell me which one
why should j: It's all hot and
dusty in the past. Well throw it on
! the rubbish heap with your pen and
ledgers. Which way do we go, Mar
cus-north. south. east or west?"
/ He answered: April leads and
| man follows and was pleasantly
conscious that their talk had the gal
liant flavor of nearly all the nomad
books he had ever read.
Without needing direction, they
swung along the open road and
| talked of larks and bluebells .-.
His dream come true at last
| He soon forgot about the munier
! He hoped that he was getting sun
burnt.
1t was nearly 2 o'clock, and they
! had been walking hard for couple
of hours before the sight of a mel
low inn suggested lunch to them.
| Cold duck and salad!' cried the
! girl, with a skip of excitement.
"A tankard of ale. a round Of beef
and some bread and cheese cried
Marcus. very burly. He thrust his
hands into his pock ets-and discov.
cred that they were empty. AT the
| same moment the girl remembered
the little ceremony. which. in obe-
dience to the Scroll for Honorable
i Wayfarers, had taken place in the
Cafe des Boulevards.
! You said she reminded him de-
| murely, that We must earn whatever
we eat. or we shouldn't enjoy it,
We'll, I'm not Sinking" answered
Marcus, beginning to whistle as he
strobe defiantly past the inn. A fat
gray cloud smothered the sun. The
girl seemed a little depressed.
/ What are YOU going to do:" she
| asked
fquire at the farm over there if they
want any extra hand at reaping or
binding or--something," vaguely.
The girl had her doubts, but per-
haps this was because she was
hungry. And the farmer did not re-
quire an extra hand for either reap
ing or binding-which was hardly
surprising. considering the month
was March. Marcus had to apply at
two other farms and one manor
house-the latter was rather, a dis
tasteful moment-before gradgingly
he was given a job Of digging over
| a patch which had to be prepared
| for potatoes.
RY this time the other clouds had
~ raced up from behind the horizon.
Marcus dug fiercely at first but after
a while the thrust OF his spade into
the earth lacked conviction. The girl
sat on top of the bank which
separated the garden from the road
and thoughtfully watched him. The
great bunch of wild flowers she had
picked, wilted and dropped in her
arms. Once or twice she asked him
how long his job was likely to take,
and whether his pay would be enough
for a really big lunch for both of
| them. Conversation tagged after
this-and it was half-past be
fore they were actually and at last
| prunes and custard, in the rigid par
| lor of the Blue Lion. His first wages
| didn't run to beer, SO they drank
water, and noticed apprehensively a
thin spatter Of rain against the win
| low.
Come on" said Marcus, when they
| had finished.
| Come on" repeated April; but
there was a fiatness in her tone which
had been lacking when she had said
Come on on the crest Of Leaf Hill.
The road they followed suddenly be-
/ trayed them and turned into a path,