Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-18

gether they picnicked on the mainland
probing among the rock pools Of the
tide-bared reef for quaint shells and
vivid ocean foliage. When the sun
fell low in the sky they hathed In the
soft, warm water, splashing and
laughing like three mischievous chill
dren. Richenda noticed that Mrs.
Davenant's complexion did not survive
such dimensions very well, but within
is minutes of reattiring herself behind
her separate bush the pink flush in
the pearl-white setting was back
again, radiant and alluring as ever.
But Richenda's own lips and cheeks
needed no attention, Shescam from
the water more vivid and glowing than
she had entered it. her dark. short
curls more rebellious thar before. she
was glad that she had but little use
for pots and tins of cream and powder,
lust a dab on sIlnburned chin or on
a nose which might show 4 slight
! tendency to peel, and that was all.
They danced at several Of the little
clubs in Mombasa, too Richenda
liked Brett Pathways quiet, slow steps,
!, Aiked to feel his arm holding her
tightly but firmly as he guided her
among the gyrating crowd; but, best
of all, she liked those times when they
sat together in a secluded corner ana
experiences of his wandefings in wild
lands.
She was always little sorry when
ll,ucille Davenant embarked herself
and her partner upon their solitude.
But Lucille rarely left the two long
alone.
At first Richenda had wondered
what bond there might, be between
Brett Pathways and this woman. 1t
,,d1 81 CT TN
no prospect of marriage between them.
Yet they had come out on the same
shoat. They were staying at the same
hotel, were always together, and were
obviously good friends. To each other
they were frankly Lucille and Brett.
OF course, she knew that nowadays
the use of Christian names means
nothing. Why, already Lucille had
dubbed Richenda herself 3)ickie and
Pathways had dropped the Peterson
and called her Miss Richenda. Yes,
Christian names meant nothing, and
yet-and yet-well she had caught
more than one strange look journey
ing between those two pairs OF eyes.
She had seen Mrs. Davenant's fingers
linger a fraction of q, moment too long
on his arm. She was sure she had
almost.
Once she ventured to put tenta-
Rive question to Lucille; What made
you come to East Africa?"
Mrs. Davenant raised an amused
eyebrow. II suppose it must seem a
bit weird to you," she said. i might
have explained befores You see, Brett
got a bit tired of running about in the
/, lonely. funny places Of the world. lie
decided to take a holiday for while
3 settle down a bit, YOU know and, OF
course, everybody talks such great
deal about East Africa nowadays, the
big game, the picturesque natives. the
climate. Brett thought he'd Tome
out and see IL there Is any money to
be made plucking coffee or roasting
cotton or whatever people do Eere.
Then three more Of us who hadn't
ANYTHING particular on just then said
3 we would join him for a month or two.
It's better than Deauville and less
dangerous than Monte Carlo. So
she laughed Iightly-''we just hitched
on to his wagon and came along, too,
We had a gay time IN Cairo--4Shep-
heard's. pyramids. camels, desert
moonlight, and all that, YOU know. ''
'tSheiks?' smiled Richenda.
.'Ugh.' Lucille's powdered nose
< wrinkled disgustedly. The modern
female writer's have put the fear of
the Lord into every sheik in EGYPT.
Those women stalk the poor creatures
absolutely stalk them-gO around
w1.n horn spectacles and paper-cov.
cred notebooks getting atmosphere
3 No respectable Arab chief dare show
i his nose outside his tent door nova.
days or he Is popped into q seven
and.sixpenny Purple Flames before
he can say John Robinson We man-
aged to catch sight Of one Of them,
though I'll vow he hadn't washed
his face FOR seven years. and his wife
well, she was called Pearl of the
AIoonbeani--the pearl was 10 inches
around the waist possessed Ave chins
and chartered like 81 hen with the fear
or death on its heels. A
We enjoyed Cairo she went on,
.'until the idiotic Denton man decided
TO slip down q pyramid and break his
4 leg in two places. and. of course, that
smashed up the quartet. Maisie Den.
ton stayed behind TO do the devoted
wife act. and they are goirg back to
England when he can travei again. S.
ut must have been rather upset.
HnR. ventured Riehenda.
VsSit was. A dafned nuisance, ii
fact. TlsFe M +. my nat II Lorldo.l