Evening star., 1926-12-12

ma am, answered Aoeler
concealing a cough behind
i one of those immense
hands that now had a new
interest for the invalid.
And now, sir" turning to Trask
ct think you'd better go in
"Oh, nonsense" exclaimed the pa
tient.
I'm afraid, sir"
1t was Miss Kent who interrupted
I am quite sure you are right, Mr..
Keeler. Mr. Trumbull must be given
q great deal of rest and good care.
He has been through a terrible ex-
perience, and when a man has been
wounded twice by bullets
1t was Keeler's turn to stare. His
wide gray eyes shifted their glance
swiftly from the goddess to the in
valid, then back again.
You said bullets ma'am?"
Certainly; bullets" remarked the
lev voice of Trask. THE bullets in
Sny legs. Keeler. You haven't lost
your memory. have you?"
"I-why-certainly not, sir. ] just
didn't know that the lady understood,
sir"
Keeler involuntarily looked down
at the blanketed and bullet -riddled
legs.
so | will say good afternoon, Mr..
Trumbull," she said, holding out her
hand. "You must try to be a trac-
table patient. And tomorrow [ will
read to you She was gone before
Trask could humble a good-by. her
tall, straight figure swaying grace
fully to the roll of the ship. The in
valid scowled up at his nurse and
tfound that person regarding him
with bewilderment.
Bullets" he repeated, duly.
"Oh, shut up. Keeler."
"Whv YES. sir. But-bullets!
He stepped behind the wheel chair
and pusned it in the direction of
Trask's stateroom.
"The doctor never said anything
about bullets to me-" he muttered.
You can forget the bullets,
Keller
Certainly. sir"
Except when Miss Kent is
around
Trask could not see the smile that
SLOWLY illuminated the features of his
guardian. He merely heard:
Il understand, sir"
Trask, having breakfasted in MS
stateroom, irritably awaited the re-
turn of Keeler. who had gone on an
aerr9n nj TO tIe pun - oAiAS~s
breakfast was excellent, but the en-
vironment irked him. He felt that
his place was i'm the dining saloon
where. by judicious diplomacy, he
might have edged his way into seat
between the dragon and the goddess.
He even suggested this to keeief.
hut that competent person raised
such insurmountable objections. prln-
oinalIv those of transit to and fro,
that Trask abandoned the IDEA IN
despair. ,,f.
For the first time in his adult life
he had been put to bed ana hI.eu
out of it. There had been no tur-s
ther conversation on the sup1ect OF
bullets, fact which raised keeier
mea srrably in his opinion. Trask
had reached the conclusion that his
nurse. whatever his past, present or
future. was a person of singular tact
and adaptability.
Is He had grasped the bullet situa-
tion in a twinkling; he could be re-
Iied upon. But Keeler was still
Arm, follower of the instructions OF
mr. Van Norden, and evidently sun
q believer in the inability of Trask $
iegs tn perform their customary OF
Ace. Although 1t surprised him, ne
had accepted the wheel chalr as IN
ture. Trask was sitting In II now
his ewes gloomi1y surveying the para
nhernalia of his stateroOm, with oc-
casionai glances through the WINDOW
to the deck, where forenoon peoe
trians were on brisk parade. IL
locked like a very fine day; Trask
had not been out in II yet.
He felt craving within him tnat
he was unable to diagnose until MS
@AI q
Nm a corner of his quarters.
bright object glistened there. he
Lnew n in an instant; 1t was MS
cigarette case. He wanted to smoke.
THE. chair was several feet distant
from fhe shelf, and. even though ne
wheeled 1t across the room, he could
NOT reach the silver box from MS
seat. Keeler being absent, Trask
took the simple and direct method.
He stepped out of his juggernaut and
walked.
Lord. But it feels good to
stretch" he said, as he reached TOT
the box.
The matches were on small table
IN another corner. He strolled over
Iuxuriously and lighted cigarette.
"i'n put the box back" he ob-
served, reaching to the shelf. May
as well let Keeler do some guessing,
If he should happen to catch me.
But I'll chuck it if l see him coming,
Rack in his chair. he inhaled
deepIy and blew filmy clouds OF
smoke into the air. The second day
of invalidism was opening auspi-
ciously. The cigarette was consumed
and tossed away. Trask was pre-
neditatinc another, when keeler
onened the door of the stateroOm and
stepped in.
He halted a pace inside the door
way and shifted. His eyes sought
those of Trask, who waited for the
onening of the battle. But Keeler
aid NOT open it yet. He glanced at
the floor, inspecting 1t carefully.
Then he stepped over to the table
In the corner. picked up burnt
match from the tray. and examined
1t. From there he crossed the room
and reached for. the cigarette case,
the contents of which he counted.
Replacing it on the upper shelf, he
turned to Trask with a sorrowful and
perplexed look.
"Nfr. Trumbull. sir"
, "what is 1t, Keeler?"
you've been smoking, sir"
I'm not on the witness stand.
Keeler."
Il don't understand how you got at
the box, sir"
Perhaps it fell off the shelf when
the ship rolled"
"It is not rolling this morning,
SIR
That's true; hadn't noticed that
before.
"And, even If it had. sir, how would
It get back?'
ut is rather curious" admitted
Trssk.
KS~ier's scrutiny of his legs was
dfsconcerting. The gray eyes ap-
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