Evening star., 1925-06-07

| terribly TO De pretty.
She united the black taffeta rib
bon from her hair and parted 1T in
the middle, drew the comb through
it's tangles with that stoical brutality
which always made her mother shiv
er. Two long braids. one over each
shoulder. Mama would never let her
wear her hair that way. She swooped
upon the rug at the foot of her bed,
the Navajo rug which an uncle had
sent her from Arizona. She heard
her mother coming In. Dorcas ran TO
the landing, folded her arms across
her breast, hugging the blanket close.
Her mothers head wac down; she
did not see her until she was almost
upon her; her pale blue eyes became
startled, terrified.
Dorcas stood, eXpressionless, arms
immobile over her breast.
"Dorcas," said her mother.
A voice, deep, solemn. issued from
the lips which had been pressed so
tightly together.
Ugh" grunted Dorcas, gutterally.
Ugh! Me heap big Indian squaw!
Ugh. Ugh"
| That night May Ryder told her
husband that she was going to put
Dorcas into eaaasl In France i'm
mediately.
DORCAS held to the railing of tl.S
- deck and looked down upon the
ocean which was sliding In continu-
.us seething layers to the edge of the
:hip.
Beneath a close hat of yellow felt,
her black hair swept against her
cheeks; her dark lashes. heavy with
salt spray. f1uttered protectingly over
hazel eyes: straight red lips parted,
as she painted in her effort to move
against the wind. Three years of
that old world civilization which Mrs
Ryder esteemed so highly had done
things to the girl. Grace had come
into those long legs and arms; poise
mingled with the pride which always
had held the dark head high . :.
and Indian ancestors were forgotten.
She fought her way steadily until,
turning a corner. she found herself
staring down upon that deck where
the steerage passengers aired them
selves. Some of them were hudd ell,
wrapped in blankets and shawls,
leaning against ropes and capstans;
others, young and straight Embed
and proud, more like herself than
most of her tirst-class fellows, plowed
back and forth. Admiration lighted
her eyes as she singled out thu strid-
ing figure of a young man, swaying
with the grace and surety of a ships
cat, his barred, dark head gliStening
with moisture.
A small boy darted across the deck:
as she watched him, the impact of
that great wave, out of rhythm with
the storm, a wave of waves. mount
ing massively and descending i'll a
fury that smashed and shattered
throughout the entire ship, pulled
Dorcas' hands from the railing, sent
her sliding down steep incline
toward that boiling sea, beyond the
further rail Almost as soon as she
had recovered her feet, her eyes
sought the deck below; figures were
rushing about in a swirl of shallow
water, and the tall young man, hold
ing in his arms a small body whose
head hung Imply, dripping blood,
was looking straight at her and
shouting.
Come down here-quick." Ii was
not only English; it was the accent
of her own Boston. Hurry"
She had not yet made up her mind
to obey, when she found herself at
the foot of the stairs, looking into the
mans face.
Thrown against a capstan." he
said. briefly, looking down at the boy.
These immigrants are all too crazy
to be Of any help-come on in here. "
But really" DorcaS planted
her feet firmly upon the wet deck.
Hadn't you better call one of the
doctors? I'm not a nurse She
looked, with distaste, but no particu
lar horror, upon the blood which
gushed through the boys matted hair.
They're busy prescribing for the
seasick dowagers." the young man
retorted. TN doctor, anyway"
She was moving. beside him, toward
a doorway, and as they reached it in
dignation famed within Dorcas.
What was she doing. here in the
steerage, with a wild-eyed young man
who said he was a doctor and a dirty
little boy with a cut head? She didn't
like dirty people.
The frightened immigrants made
way promptly at the curt italian of
the young Doctors command: while
Dorcas still rebelIed and stared about
her, with angry eyes, she found her
self sitting with a small boys dirty,
blood-stained head resting upon her
lap. She felt curiously detached, in
her anger, when the doctor reap
peared with his kit; her firm hands
on the brown curls did not tremble
when the boy opened his eyes and
began to scream, when a chorus of
followed his. She found it rather ex-
traordinary that the terse voice which
silenced the women could become as
soothing, as tender, as 1t did In ad-
dressing the youngster. He had sewn
| together the separated flesh as
though 1t had been so much rubber
in a torn raincoat, and now his dark
blue eyes were gentle, friendly, as his
altered voice poured forth flow of
lifting Italian which she did not un-
derstand.
Dorcas rose and made a grimace
of disgust as she wiped her skirt
with her handkerchief; silently the
doctor gave her towel.