Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-25

| NM was clutching deep into the
sea, drawing It bodily into
green hills, furrowing it
| again into dark valleys, shunting ii at
! terrific speed into white avalanches,
now lifting II In solid masses of flying
| water and foam, now belching it with
laundering impact Upon the decks Of
1 the Swaying ship.
All this had come in the space Of a
few hours.
| Yet the walters were at their posts,
| representing the discipline, even the
nonchalance OF the ship--and Trask
was one of them. At first he tried to
stiffen his figure against the violence
underfoot. Soon he discovered this
was useless. Then he tried to melt
himself into the fury-to become a
part of it, to yield himself to the mood
| Of the hurricane. It was better thus,
yet he was still shockingly helpless.
| Just how he managed to reach his
post at the table he did not clearly
|! understand. save that he had walked
staggered, leaped and slid thither
without crawling on all tours.
| GLASS Is under twenty-ei he
heard voice whisper.
| It signified nothing particular to
Trask. What the barometer might
say mattered little to him; 1t was
what the sea and the wind and the
| ship did that signified.
! Three hardy passengers staggered
into the saloon, cropping for support
as they made their perilous way to
their places. One of them was wo'
man. She was halfway to her seat
! when she glanced out at the face of
the morning. Tightening her lips,
she turned and reeled back toward
the door Of escape. Trask saw her no
more.
| After that came other stragglers
| two at his own table. They We're
more frightened than hungry: the
sight Of the table racks visibly affect.
ed them. Thank Heaven. they were
on the other side of his table! They
were the special charges at another
brass.buttoned hero.
| And then almost before he knew ii
| she was In her seat. He steadied him
self, waited for the fnomentary safety
of an even keel. then flung himself
| forward and gripped the back of her
chair. clinging desperately. his legs
spread wide apart in the aisle.
| Sidney studied her menu with ap
l
| forks and knives and spoons were
chasing each other In a mad dance
among the racks seemed not to dis
tract her attention In the least.
"You may bring me grapefruit
| Henry" she said without looking up.
Trask gulped and took a fresh grir
on her chair. Was It possible she had
forgotten!
mot Henry he half shouted
/, leaning over her shoulder.
She turned and glanced at him
| It was a swift glance, but IL compre-
| hended his blue uniform. his brass
/ buttons and the napkins that lay
| across his arm.
why. of course" she said. with a
slight nod Its William--not Henry.
Grapefruit, William
Trask stood swaying, dazed. In the
midst of a hurricane the thing was
grotesque.
'Well?" she demanded abruptly. as
| he made no move. Am to. be
served. William"
William!
The Gulf Stream reeled ominously-
over. over-over. Trask chung to the
chair. A long. steep Hill stretched
before him. The girl calmly braced
herself against the edge of the table.
There was q culver OF steel plates and
frames, a groaning OF cabinet work,
racking throb of the engines. The
ship righted.
"I am waiting for my breakfast"
said Sidney sharply.
"Ah--certainly"
Trask turned, released his hold on
fpV
made his way between the tables in
a series of perilous zigZags.
She wanted grapefruit 1t was alb.
surd-impossible-it was dream. OF
course. But she wanted grapefruit.
The Gulf Stream was fighting for life
in tropic cyclone, with the odds,
likely enough. against her. But Sid
ney Sands wanted grapefruit!
Well. she should have 1t! Trask
set his resolution grimly to the task.
She should have grapefruit. IL the
ship. turned over.
ne sprawled against a table, chung
to it for several seconds, then dived
headlong for an iron pillar. which
marked another step on the journey.
He glanced back. She was still sit
ting there. her swivel chair tipped at
a threatening angle. her feet swinging
clear of the floor But he noted that
she sat tight and secure.
OF all the human folk in the cabin,
she seemed the surest and steadiest.
He was close to the swinging doors
now, only a clear space intervening.
He waited for another lurch Of the
ship and took 1t on the run. The
matter of a hurricane had slipped
from his mind. He visualized nothing
but half grapefruit, packed solidly
about with ice.
why, Of course she must have it!
Twice during the return Journey he
faltered. Once he was on the point of
delivering the grapefruit to stout
gentlernan-upside down on the top
of his bald head. He retrieved it by
marvellous .legerdemain. Again he al
most gave It to a lady--in her lap.
But he clutched 1t grimly, juggled
It for an instant and restored 1t 20 It's
plate. At last he was within a yard
of her.
The Gulf Stream dived hideously.
So did Trask. He hit the carpeted
floor. slid, rolled over and staggered to
his feet.
william Hamilton Trask had played
foot ball on the Harvard scrub. He
still had the grapefruit.
THANK YOU, William" she said
placidly, as she picked up a spoon.
She ate very daintily. II the Gulf
Stream never rose from a fearful
lunge into a hollow between two great