Evening star., 1925-02-01

" HE trader rose slowly from
his hammock chair, yawned a
little and stretched himself.
L He was very tall. The stretch
finished in a reach-up to the
topmost shelf of the store.
Help yourself" he said, placing a
box of drugs on the counter. The
doctor selected packet here and a
bottle there, smoking the while. 1t
seemed that there was no hurry.
There never was In Manaia.
"Patient?! queried the trader.
'No. Own work.
"Ichthyology your special job, isn't
IT."
THAT and patching up any one who
wants il. Hardly any one ever does.
Manaia's a healthy place"
The doctor looked at Lockhart
Brothers latest manager. There had
been many of Lockharts traders in
the pearling Island of Manaia in the
II years of GlaScotts stay, but no
one of them had used such word as
''ichthyology.' They spoke of the
scientific work bug hunting in
the sea"
rine biologist. on the whole" prof
fered the doctor.
"Perfectly," assented the trader.
Glascott glanced at him again. The
idiom suggested a knowledge OF
French. LoCkhart's traders do not
speak French as a rule. Nor do they,
on islands like Manaia, present them
selves at the receipt of custom
clothed. soCked and shaved. But the
doctor was not exactly at a loss. He
had spent many years among the
islands
Another of them" was his un-
spoken comment. Hope it isn't
drink"
He watched the long, we'll kept
hands. They did not shake The
mans skin was clear, eyes bright,
amber gray in color, well set above
good features
Good looking" was Glascotts YER
dict, IL don't think he drinks. 1t
will be something worse, then"
For he knew his islands, and he
knew that men who talk about
''ichthyology' use French idioms
and show neat half-circle at the
root of the nails. stay on civiliza
tion's outposts not because they will
but because they must.
How do you think you're going TO
like Manaia?" he asked.
Lockhart's trader looked out from
the cool dusk of the store to the
blatantly blue sea. There was moth
ing in sight from the store that was
not shrieking blue, shrieking green
or furious white. The colOrs of
Manaia screamed. So did its sounds
No small whisper of leaves, no lazy
drone Of surf on far-away coral ca
ressed the ear. Such sounds there
may have been, even as there may
have been twitterings of small birds
and humming Of flies on the beach
but they were one and all drowned in
the unending, rhythmiCal crash of
trade-wind driven waves on loose
coral gravel and the long cry of the
southeast among the palms Every
one on Manaia talked with the voice
slightly raised. as men do who work
in boiler factories or weaving sheds.
Il think" said Lockhart's trader
that the business has been neglected
I believe l can pull it up"
Glascott accepted the courteous re-
buff
How do you like it," said the
trader suddenly.
We'll enough-peThapS too we'll"
answered the doctor, filing his pipe
slowly. Why should any one hurry
in Manaia, where every day had As
hours at least and years were three
years long?
How do you mean?"
DO you see that" asked the doc
lOI, pOllLIllS 10 the BldTluS Sdnu III
front of the traders doorway. It was
afternoon and a few thin, restless
shadows danced on the beach, like
giant ostrich plumes shaken by q
colossal hand.
THE shadow OF the palm? What's
in that?'
IF you don't know" said Glascott,
you are luckier than most of us who
live up under the line"
The shadow of the palm?" re-
peated Lockhart's trader. Il don't
quite get
Say it over to yourself a few
times and you will. Goodbye"
"Goodbye," came the answer.
X x
T OCKHARTS trader sat finishing
- his pipe. He understood what
Glascott had meant. But that point
was too sharp TO be pressed home
without need. Even to himself he did
not like acknowledging that the
81 i IL,