Evening star., 1926-12-12
BY K. j. RATH.
fcesyri0At. 1875. b. g. Hoeord wsts.l


and into the sea.
Trask exclaimed angrily. Keeler
paid no heed to him. but busted him.
self with small duties about the
stateroom. occasionally shaking his
head in mystified way.
1t was some time later that he de-
cided to trundle his patient out upon
the deck. Trask believed that the
maddening delay was a punishment.
but he made no comment.
On the port deck, amidships,
keeler found a nook that was shell
tered from the wind. yet flooded with
forenoon sun. Having placed the
chair as he wished it. he took from
his pocket a small chain and paddock
and dropped to his knees. where he
busted himself anchoring a spoke in
one of the wheels to the axle. Trask
grinned.
II got it from the purser. sir" ex-
planned Keeler, as he snapped the
paddock shut. 81
mo runaways today, then
mo, sir"
Having thus forestalled a repeti-
ton of the delightful adventure,
Keeler attended to the rugs and the
shawl until Trask felt like royal
mummy.
Now, sir" said Keeler, "if you'll
excuse me for half an hour, I've
some things to attend to in the state
room. Therell be lady here to read
to you directly
Trask beamed.
"You saw her? She told you?" he
demanded eagerly.
"Yes. sir" and Keeler's smile was
a singularly knowing one. With
Anal survey of his patient. he disap-
peared.
Trask waited blissfully. The god
dess was coming, just as she nao
promised. Things were not so bad
as thev might be, after all. He closed
his ewes luxuriously, settled back ana
drew deep breaths out of the soft
ocean air. He even forgot the loss
of his cigarette case.
The scraping of a deck chalr
aroused him and he sat up quickly.
He found himself looking into the
small. bright eyes of the dragon, who
had seated herself very close.
Good morning, young man. she
said, sharply.
"Why-er-oh, yes; good morn
ing"
1--WE come to read to you. and
from a, pocket of her coat she dreW d
somber- looking book.
Trask could not suppress gasp
He remembered Keeler's smile.
Keeler knew! He could cheerfuily
have choked his nurse. as well as
Miss Mehetabel Grimm.
"You expected me?" she demanded,
opening the book. m
"Nor exactly. But I'm sure. IL
very kind of YOU he lied.
you expected my niece!
II didn't expect; no. I Just merely
hoped" o.,.r~
said Miss Grimm severely. she
mentioned that she planned TO reao
IN Won. told her / would take her
place."
"Very kind of you. I'm sure.
Trasi's snirits fell like a barometer
suddenly plunged into a zone OIL 10"
pressure. d
Miss Grimm opened her book ana
thumhed the pages deliberately.
Are YOU interested In state soclai'
?" she asked abruptly.
rrask ouaked. 1t was worse tnan
he had dreaded. He tried to rally
fighting spirit. .,s,,,
mot in the Mast," he said colby.
at am. This is a book on STATE
socialism. Do you ever improve your
mind?"
"you should. Do / understand
that your name is Trumpuii.
'It is -, r.,
bull?" - rr,,,,.
bull was a SON Of that very person;
Hes my father" said Trask. Do
you know him" ,s,ss
"I know of him-only, ana MISS
Grimm placed formidable emphasis y.
the last word. II do not care 70 i. VIZ.
him. If I ever do, ! snah Ten m
why" +.o. ,rra al,
.ho,ld take umbrage in behalf OF an
adonted father, particularly wnen Una.
,erson Yiid not even know he had peen
) adonted. But he was curious. -,
would YOU mind telling me why!
he inquired. ..,o,. IN
, naua zine opposing state socialism,
! silly. puerile and utterly preposter.
ous article. Has the man any Drains
at all?"
'Who? Father?
Eyes: your father.
why; he has moderate lot. I'm
sorry you and he don't agree.
"You may be sorry for him, II you
like: I am quite well satisfied" de-
clared Miss Grimm, still seeking
suitable page In her book.
what do you think of my niece?'
she snapped, suddenly.
"Er-Mjss Kent?"
"Of course"
"Why, think she is charming. de-
:lared Trask, with genuine feeling.
"Humph! She's crazy" =.
"why. Miss Grimm! I'm sure"
"And I'm sure" interrupted Aunt
when say crazy.
mean crazy. My niece Is crazy"
Trask was bewildered and resent
full. He was willing to overlook al
most anything that might be said OIL
Spencer Trumbull's father; that was
no concern of his, save for purposes
Of pretense. But the case or Lucille
Kent was tremendously dinerent. i
"My niece is crazy on the subject OF
heing a war nurse" continued Aunt
Nehetabel. closing her book at a care
fully marked page. did you know
that?"
"She did express some interest in
the matter" admitted Trask. Il think
It does her great credit"
"Bosh. A fad. Her father very
properly put his foot down. I agreed
with him. She can't scrub floor;
she can't boil pail of water. And
she wants to be a war nurse! Do
you know what she really thinks she
wants to do? She wants to sit along
side of a general in full uniform, who
has been shot with a cannon, and read
poetry to him, while she wears a
white veil around her head. Do you
call that nursing?"
"WeIl, I don't believe the general
would make a roar against It," OBJ
served Trask earnestly.
"Nonsensei Has she said she was
going to nurse you?"