Evening star., 1925-07-12

motor launch among the boats that
were bobbing about the steps, and
said:
rs this Mr.. Thorpe So
'Yes'm,' said the sailor in charge Of
the launch
She signaled to lad who fingered
in the rear with her valiSe. The Valise
was dropped into the forward part of
the launch, Mrs. Thorpe placed her
self and dog in the stern sheets, the
engine suddenly began to throb. nd
the launch threaded out into the mid
die of the creek. leaving wake of
boiling foam. There had been no de-
lay, no misunderstanding. no bung-
ling. no slip. The telegraphic arrange
ments for taking Mrs. Thorpe on
board the yacht had worked to perfec-
tion. Efficiency reigned.
Aged 27, slim, not tall. Alice was a
ca pable woman. Her eyes had the
ca apable look which many men dislike,
for while they appreciate the con-
Neniences of efficiency in a girl, they
seem to prefer the efficiency to be
modestly masked by an appearance of
helpleSSness.
Alice neither disguised nor f1aunted
the fact that she was capable. Her
eyes had also the look of one accus-
toned to give orders that We're obeyed
The dog was supposed 10 be the only
Pomera nian on earth not given TO
habitual yapping. Alice had purged
II of the hereditary Pomera MIA n curse
hy replying instantly to every yap
with sound smack on the head
This Pomeranian's mistress. if not
beautiful, was attractive. especially in
figure and in clothes. She was fine
dancer, with q body that always sur.
prised her partners by it's eXtraordi.
nary Nieldingness, responsiveness and
f1eSibility. man having da need with
her for the first time would remember
her physical elasticity for days. 10 say
nothing of her sudden eager smiles
hat puckered all the skin around her
eyes.
Which is the yacht" asked Alice
of he sailor.
He was tidily dressed but had an
untidY mop of red hair esca ping from
his white cap, and a shapeless, ugly
lace. and his manner was somewhat
Gruff. She knew that he must he
Peter. the steward and handy man
She did not care for him. and had
already decided that he did not care
for her.
creek in the river" Sa id Peter. point
ing. That's her. that ketch with the
blue ensign at the mizzen"
Alice did not know what mizZen
was nor that the blue ensign was
nag. Peters incomprehensibIe indica-
ton, however. merely increased her
sense of mystery and expectancy. The
moment was thrilling for her.
SHE. had met her husband when
both of them were in uniform in
France. She had married him in Lon
don impulsively. because they were
mad for each other A week later he
had been swept off TO Mesopotania
Ihen, having got out of uniform, she
had become organizing secretary to a
political. body. and had had TO go to
America on its business. During her
absence James Thorpe had received
unexpected leave. But her conscience
would not allow her to depart from the
nlted States until her work was
done. and she exulted in her work.
Some caprice of the political body
ended 1t in an hour by cable She
had obtained a berth on q Liverpool.
bound liner the very next dav
She might have cabled the news to
her husband, but she found some
"here in her mind piquant pleasure
in the notion of surprising him. She
surprised him by telegram from Liv
erpool. She knew that he was out of
the army and in business. The uncon-
Nent1onal wording of his reply to her
telegram enchanted her. He was
yachting alone OF course. he had
been for meeting her in London. but
she would have none of it.
You shall receive me on your
yacht she had telegra phed AS she
was an expert organizer and he was
an expert organizer, the ARRANGEMENTS
following this decision of hers were
easy enough.
She was now afraid. and her fear
was romantic and terrible. She had
not seen her husband for nearly two
Years. Would he prove on further
acquaintance to be somebody quite
other than the image esta blished in
her heart?
That's her" said Peter TO the com.
posed young lady opposite him, point
ing again.
She almost exclaimed: Its very
small yacht, isn't it?" But restrained
herself. She caught sight of name
on hfebuoy hung in the yachts rig.
Elng. The name was Alice
But / thought the yacht was called
Hermes,'' she said.
TuV nor had her name changed las
month Gloomily answered Peter. as
1t were with resentment.
And now he's called il Alice" said
Alice to herself. And the situation
appeared TO be rather disconcerting.
ffef husband loomed perpendicu-
larly over her.
'Hullo." he cried. saluting.
She answered in weak voice.
W ell?" Her face was burning
She seized the white ropes and
trlpped UP the stairway, and tall Jim
clutched a her hand.
Come below and see the saloon
he murmured.
He pushed her to 4 MAHOGANY stair.
case under the main hoom. and no
sooner were they ont of sight of the
deck than he kissed her with rather
more than his old accustomed violence.
And the situation was acuteIv djscon-
Cert1ng again, but differently
There was A pattering of feet on the
staircase and the dog bounded into the
saloon.
oh, Fiji: I'd forgotten YOU: Jim.
this is Fifi"
Jim praised the dog highly and
stroked her.
HUSBAND and wife sat side bv side
in the saloon, and talked rather
selt-consciously about nothin~ which
was rather strange. seeing that each
of them had ten thousand exciting
matters TO 1mpart 10 the other. Still.
II was all right. Alice. knew it was all
right. and she knew thai Jim knew
II was all right. They were stra nsers
In one way and the most intimates in
another. 1t might he said that the
saloon held four people. not TWO.
Oh. What's that funny thing"
Alice demanded. pointing TO very
complicated kind Of dial with a finger
on 1t that was screwed face down.
ward to the saloon ceiling.
That? Oh, That's a compass so
thAl | can see the course of The shin