Evening star., 1926-12-16

stream in wheel chair and Is no soone
pushed on deck by Keeler. his nurse, thai
nc teholds girl at the rall-the goddess.
he dubs her.
Continued from Yesterdays Star.)
TRASK slept late. When he
awoke he turned his head
lazily and found Keeler sitting
L at little distance and watch
ing him.
Morning, Keeler," he said.
Good morning, sir"
There was that in Keeler's voice
which conveyed less of greeting than
reproach.
''You look unhappy, Keller
II am, sir I've been having a bad
fifteen minutes, Mr.. Trumbull."
"Where?"
I'm the captains office"
What did he want?"
We'll, sir, it seems he sort of
blames me for what happened last
night; at least, the part about your
being missing. He talked to me, sir
in a way tnat--well, in another place,
Mr.. Trumbull, / wouldn't need to
stand for it."
Keeler involuntarily clenched his
ample fists and set his jaw.
~
for part of 1t, you know" observed
Trask, sitting up in the bunk.
Kee!er shook his head wearily.
Are you going to tell me all that
again, sir? It's no use. Mr.. Trum-
bull. Where were you last night?"
I'm my chair. of course"
i wouldn't like to have an argu-
ment, sir, but"
Keeler shrugged his great shoul-
Gers and shook his head again.
T We'll" said Trask with a laugh
I'm sorry If I made you the goat,
=. Keeler. Perhaps you were right
after all. Perhaps ! walked bit in
my sleep"
Keeler, gloomily.
Trask looked at him in surprise.
why. only last night you were in
sisting that it was undoubtedly the
very thing did!"
ut was Miss Kent's idea, sir.
You'll remember that she spoke OF 1t
first, Mr.. Trumbull."
what of it? You backed her up .
Keeler sighed heavily.
II was only trying to hep you out
of q hole, sir. I didn't believe 1t"
Trasks Jaw dropped. If ever he
had been tempted to look upon
Keeler as a person without guile. he
no longer entertained such wasted
notion.
so you were trying to help me
out?"
"Yes, sir. And then you piled II
onto me-" said Keeler, accusingly.
"And you don't believe can walk
in my sleep?"
eff you'll excuse me for saying 1t
I don't"
"surely, then, you don't accuse me
Of walking when I'm awake?"
I'm making no charges, Mr.
Trumbull. Only-well, you see, it's
difficult to follow out the doctors
orders, sir. unless you tell me all the
symptoms"
'sWen, IL that and the dressing
down you got from the captain are
all that worry you. Keeler I'd advise
you to cheer up. ! think I'm pretty
fair patient. If I do say it."
TITS not that altogether. sir;
there's something else"
go ahead with It,. il it'll ease
your mind"
ITS about Miss Sands"
Keeler looked sheepish and averted
his eyes.
'The second-cabin lady you spoke
Of" nodded Trask with awkward in.
terest. "Have you seen her AGAIN.
For a little while this morning
sir, while you were sleeping"
Trask was about to venture Ques
tion concerning the evident ease witt
which Keeler fitted from cabin t.
cabin, but checked it,.
"I hope she's well" he observed.
Every well. sir. But 1t seems
there's another gentleman and-ant
oh nf n 6G2
this morning, Mr.. Trumbull."
What OF that? l dare say sh,
knows a great many gentlemen"
That's very well for you to say
sir. But--well, you see, I'm quite
interested"
Trask burst into laugh.
'fYou mean you're jealous!" he ex
claimed.
Keeler flushed and nodded hi
head reluctantly.
What sort of a person is thi
riva! OF yours, Keeler?"
tive never met him. sir"
do you know who he is?"
"She spoke of a Mr.. Trask."
The patient in. the berth sat UP ;
little straighter. but betrayed n
other sign of the fact that he wa
eagerly attentive.
"And you know how 1t is whel
they speak OF persons in a certain
way. SIR" added Keeler, miserably.
What way?"
II couldn't describe 1t very wei
Mr.. Trumbull. 1t wasn't the way 8
much, either, / guess. 1t was jus
that she spoke of him at all"
Trask roared, but his merrimen
brought to the face of Keeler nothin
but a look of melancholy rebuke.
tremendously bad case. I'd no ide
you were so sentimental. You
imagination is working overtime
it's not likely she thinks anything
about this person at all"
"You never can tell," murmure
Keeler. lugubriously.
We'll. what are you going to d
about it?'
II don't exactly know, Mr.. Trum
bull. But put out sort Of feeler.
How"
II told her some things abou
him, SIR
Trask grasped.
You told her some things about
man you don't even known" he ex
claimed
Things that / said I'd heard. ST
/ had to do something. Mr.. Trum
bull
What kind of things?" denlande
Trask peremptorily
'Well. / said I'd heard he was n
account: that his father disowne
him for the way he carried on !
New York: that the papers ha
printed a lot about him.
"And what else?"
''Oh. just things along that lin
sir. was very cautious about !
Mr. Trumbull Nothing direct, yo
know; just things I'd heard and rea
about"
''Keeler. you're the most scrupu
ious liar / ever met" said Trask. feI
vently.