Evening star., 1925-05-10

| the sails and used the cabin panels.
and I had some wonderful things, If
/ do say 1t myself. Then, about three
| years ago Renee was killed" His face
| twiched. "She was struck by light
ming in one Of those hideous storms
NWELL, 1t was unbearable without
w Renee, so we decided to try to
get away Andre was getting old,
and any day some accident might
have happened to me and left Lucia
there alone 1t took the three of us
two years to build our boat. and she
was nearly finished when there came
an earthquake which killed Andre
and destroyed all of my paintings but
two which I had stuck up in our cav
ern. So Lucia and l put to sea, and
here we are.
Good heavens" exclaimed.
Where did you get?"
I'VE were picked up by steamer
OH the entrance to the straits of Ma
gellan and taken to San Francisco.
landed there after 20 years of exile
with about $500 and a grown-up daugh-
ter whose knowledge of this world is
purely theoretical. But let me tell
you she is very far from being the
SodiiS savage you IIiiSut tIllIlk. Tier
mother was convent-educated. and
gave her lessons in everything which
she thought she ought to know. while
she has learned good deal that she
may some day have to know from
me-
II don't think you need worry about
Lucia" said !. What is more i'm
portant is how you are going to pro.
vide for her with what is left of your
$500. Have you no other resources?"
He shook his head.
''None whatever-barring of course,
my painting. Renee hadsno dot, and
learn that Uncle Saltonstall took it for
granted that l must be drowned, left
his fortune with no provision for my
turning up. So I'm going to see if
can't get a job with these movie peo-
pie for the time being"
NONSENSE l said. You come to
my house and stay as long as you
like. I've done pretty well since we
last met, and just now I'm at work on
a big order to paint the mural decora-
tions in the palace of a millionaire"
F'iske protested little, but finally
gave in; 50, as soon as Lucia came
back took them to my place. Lucia
seemed entirely at her ease. / asked
her presently what she found most
curious about her new surroundings.
Men, she answered. '.They are
not at all what 1 thought they would
be like. All that 1 have talked to
were very nice, but, of course, some
are nicer than others Father must
be quite wrong about them. Money is
very interesting, too. 1t seems to me
that if one wants to be happy here,
the first thing to do is to- make friends
with some man who has plenty of
money"
"Why not a woman?" asked. -
''I think woman would probably
want 1t for herself" said she. "The
men seem to be much more obliging.
l hope that you have plenty of money,
Mr.. Brown" D..
Fortunately, l have as much as we
are apt to need" 1 answered. What
would you like to have first?"
She reflected for moment while
watched in amused curiosity. If had
been 20 years younger, Lucia's profile
would have aroused a much warmer
emotion. F."
II think I should like to have a
goat" said she. II had to leave my
goat, and I have missed 1t a great
deal. Later on, / should like to have
a husband who was good looking, and
has plenty of money"
Those are both very reasonable
things to want, and I don't think there
should be any great difficulty about
getting them" I answered. II shall
buy you a kid this very afternoon.
But you had better look around a little
before you choose husband, as you
might pick the wrong one, and they
are sometimes difficult to get rid Of. y
n \
THE people whose palatial house
= had just begun to decorate had
suffered a grievous blow. Their only
child, manly chap Of 26, had been sent
back from service in France stone
blind.
The Smiths (as shall call them
were naturally in deep distress, not
only for the aff1iction itself, but for
fear of it's effect upon the general
health and mental tone of their son.
Wade bore up under his calamity with
an outward air of gruff. philosophic
resignation, which, however, deceived
nobody. Now that he was stricken, it
seemed to irritate him when anybody
but the immediate family tried to en-
Il