Evening star., 1926-12-17

~
a. csc twin. Trask feI back upon
The simplest device he could think Of
that OF getting himself put to be,i for
an afternoon nap.
Ia 1.a.eu swift slumber and
AWAITED developments.
yrwice Keeler softly approached the
Berth a a bent over him. The second
visit al, 1red to satisfy him, for with
a nod o. his head he tiptoed into the
adjoining stateroom. Trask could hear
him moving about cautiously for sew
9faI minutes. Then, through nearly
saoseu T.. es he gnnpseu hee.er as tnat
Gentleman peeped through the door
Way for another look at his patient.
keeler was arrayed again.
Only by great effort OF VIII dld
Trask suppress n howl of laughter.
Tae metamorphosis of his nurse
INFANT but one thing-another joust
with Fortune for the favor of the lady
or The second cabin. Once again
Kaeler had become the dancing dandy,
irresistible in his own eyes, utterly
ridiculous in those of Trask.
sPadding as softly as great cat,
EceIer crossed his patient s stateroom
and stood before the mirror, where
no gave himself a final preening.
trben, with a barely audible sigh OF
admiration for his image, he went to
the door, opened it. stepped out on
the deck and was gone.
Trask waited for full minute be-
fore he made a move. Then he flung
the covers from him and jumped out
ofxbed.
sGoing swiftly to one of Trumbull's
trunks, he threw back the lid and be-
gan overhauling the contents. Pres
entity he came to an object that seemed
ID satisfy him--a suit of white fan
,reis of a texture so light and fine that
lie knew instantly it formed no tncon-
siderable item in the tailor's bill that
TfumbulTs father had paid. The Gulf
Stream was far on her way south
ward and the raiment was distinctly
proper.
Trask lost no time in putting 1t on.
It fitted him as well as any of the rest
Of Trumbull's clothes, which meant
that II was passable. He found can.
vas shoes, and then, after some rum
i1aaging, a Panama hat. Next he
stepped into Keeler's room. and pres
entity discovered what he expected. an
emergency medical kit. Tearing open
a roll Of gauze bandage, he went back
tow his mirror and proceeded to
ssuathe his head and face in one of
fhe most remarkable surgical dress
ihgs ever applied by an inexperienced
hand. He left his eyes visible and the
tin Of his nose, but little else.
eff anybody recognizes me now,
he'll have to employ an X-ray ma
chine" he assured himself.
Satisfied with his work, Trask topped
off>the bandaged head with the Pan
aria. pulled the brim down. admin
istered a parting kick to his wheel
chair and walked briskly out on deck.
He bore the scrutiny of surprised
eyes stoically, for he conjectured that
hewas safe from recognition. lie was
positive of this a moment later, when
he's passed Lucille Kent and her
mother, who were sitting In deck
chairs.
The goddess inspected him intently,
but without betraying the least sug-
gkStion that she had ever seen him
before.
eEnce more he saw that quick and
familiar look of pity in her fine eyes
ItAnnoyed him. He had come to re
card her pity as something reserved
fsTrshinself. Now it was beginning to
s1a5sn upon him that it might be so
broad and impersonal as to extend to
any young man fortunate enough to
possess the marks Of combat, injury
oranvalidism.
sEle passed on and made straight for
the stairway which had been the scene
OF mad ascent the night before.
Without hesitation he walked down
leading to the second cabin quarters.
There was q new guardian at the
gate, although that was not necessary
10 Trask's plan, for he was completely
confident that the man who had pur-
sued him would never recognize his
quarry now.
FL belong in the second cabin" said
Trask, his voice muff1ed under the
bandage. 1--WE been up to the doc
4o,s5S office Hurt my head.
without word of inquiry, the
dactxhand swung the gate open and
1nntioned for him to pass.
saiurt his head"' muttered the
gnardian as he watched Trask's re-
trTating figure. He must have pretty
nbar had 1t took off,
Trask. not a trace Of uncertainty in
his. stride, stepped through doorway
thai led in from the deck and found
himself in a corridor flanked on either
side by stateroom doors. He made
swift reconnaissance and knew that
hessswas unobserved. Then, whipping
of Ghis hat, he tore the bandage from
hfs.head and stuffed 1t into his pocket.
after that he continued his walk
Until he reached the second cabin sa-
jdhD. It was almost deserted. for the
passengers were making the most of
%ffsle day outside.
MHere he paused for minute to con-
slider. keeler was somewhere about,
of9 course. Probably with Sidney
Sands, If he had been able to find her.
Tfask had not the least intention OF
Meeting him. If such a catastrophe
could be avoided.
not until now did he fully grasp
the difficulty of averting an encoun-
ter, however, for Keeler and he were
both seeking a similar goal, and
though their paths We're distinct there
was every likelihood they would con-
verge at a common point sooner or
later.
Well, he was taking chances, and
this was only an added one. Never
theless, it spurred him to caution,
even If it in no way altered his reso-
iution.
He went on deck again and began
a. slow round OF it. watchful for the
familiar figure Of his nurse. He
sighted it presently, leaning against
the rail and watching a group Of
dancers.
yTrask screened himself from OBJ
servation as we'll as he could and
watched the dancers himself His
eyes were searching for small fig.
urd, but they did not find it. She was
nowhere among the whirling couples,
a. fact which accounted for the de-
jected pose of Keeler-a pose that