Evening star., 1925-02-22

whistle yells out furiously. Then dc
married Hazel and married Jean rur
for the kitchen; then does unwedded
but hopeful Gladys fly to looking
glass and powder puff. For the
overseers are coming back.
Half an hour later on, down at the
office block, a quieter crowd from
desk and counter and private glassed
compartment will trickle home to
the big "all-round veranda" bunga-
lows.
In the two-veranda ed cottages
youth and the glory of youth; leather
tanned boyish faces pressed to the
white-rose paleness of tropic girl
hood; cheap furniture and colored
tablecloths. calico dresses, nickel and
tin. In the residences" at the other
end, middle are returning to its. deli
cate meal; fine china and pure silver;
women in laces and muslins; not SO
much noise. so much loud gayety; not
Gone thinks, though. of course, one
cannot know so much kissing.
Some of the married riders of the
canefields quarrel with their wives;
1t has even been said that one or two
beat them. Love and life are strong
in these young men, who are not, per-
haps, all rightly mated, but who all
know their own minds, and impetuous-
ly express what they feel. One thinks
that-like another stiff f-chinned fellow
who followed an out-of doors job, in
the dawn of our times-they would be
ready. promptly, to ''spue out" any
one who blew neither hot nor cold.
At any rate. Jim Garland said some
thing of that kind to his wife about
one Charlie Cameron, gone South on
leave, as they sat down together to
company bullock and baked banana.
Have you and Con been arguing
over him again?' he went on. Your
eyes are pinky. Why doesn't she
come to lunch?"
There was an interval.
shes going to go down to Sidney
and see what's become Of him." haz-
arded Jim.
She would-when he never wrote
or answered her kilograms, even,"
Knocked Alice. You know a lot about
Consuelo. Didn't it ever strike you
she was the proudest-"
Now. then, I've guessed" pro-
claimed the overseer. she's gone and
got engaged to some one else"
Very clever. Who?"
"Oh, l don't know! They were all
after her, more Or
"Consuelo," said Alice. rising, "has-
got-engaged to-the G. M"
than ordinary attention, so far as 1
could see-except at the dance"
And except at the tennis fete. and
every Sunday after churcn-who ever
saw the G. NJ. go to church before? And
well, If you didn't see it, others did.
Only one didn't think, somehow, she'd
take him"
NO" agreed the overseer She
seemed to be crying her eyes out over
Charlie; and j don't wonder; there's a
dashed sight of difference between "a
i'll looks and Well. you know,
the c. NJ. is not quite plaster saint"
She means to marry him. And.
Jim, they're going to be married the
day after tomorrow"
We'll, that sounds sensible; avoid
a lot of bother"
"Oh. l don't know! It's too-too
soon"
How? Hasn't she all the fam
danglements she got for Charlie?"
Yes. I don't mean that Only,
somehow 1 wish they'd waited. Jim,
what do you really, really think has
become of Charlie?"
When mans engaged to d girl
and doesn't answer letters or tele-
grams-even if they have had silly
quarrel like those two-he's either
dead or tied up to some one else, you
take my word
Il wish--I don't know what 1 WISH y
mourned Alice.
We'll, / know what I wish-that
an ill-wind may blow somebody good.
What about q rise for you and me,
Ell? A G.. NJ. is a good sort of step
brotherin-law to have. / could do
with the managership of one of the
other-side estates"
They're asking no one to the we'd
ding" said Alice, "and Con. means to
wear travelling dress-but, of
course, every one will go and look on.
Isn't it spiteful having it at IL on a
week day?"
Hardly playing the game. I reck-
on l can get it in time, by cutting
it a bit fine with the coolies
DO" begged Alice.
4 X y
TIM GARLAND did "cut it fine" and
so did other overseers. But, new
ertheless, when Garland's gray,
sweating and foaming, galloped into
Tarabora town at 25 minutes past IL,
the wedding procession was just en-
tering the mission chapel.
What's the hurry for?" asked Gar
land. swinging off his horse.
"Tongareva coming in," said an
other rider.
Out at sea there was a small black
body. 1t grew bigger. 1t turned end
on for the harbor and shaped into a
V with a funnel in the midst.
She's not due for two days"
mo. New captain, new broom, /
suppose. No doubt the G. NJ. spotted
her and hurried things up so that