Evening star., 1927-10-23

IS the channel, and the owner
usually addressed a s
i Jackie) and Mr.. and Mrs.
Proctor were on the deck.
srThe Aphra" was a ketch of 125 tons
and, whenever she put into minol
mort, she was referred to as 'the fine
ketch." because no yacht of any size
is allowed to put into a minor por'
without a complimentary adjective.
At a distance of or miles low
undulating hills, with an occasional
cove. cliff, village, church steeple,
white tape of road, were all that
could be deserted of that enigmatic,
weird. self-sufficient isle, England
The scene was one of peace and
felicity, and nobody could have
cuessed that a tremendous upset
moral, not physical--was about to
happen.
The mainsail suddenly tapped with
a report like thunder.
This wind is getting tired of life,'
said the owner, who often spoke In
metaphors and images, and he went
and sat on the poop on the opposite
side of the wheel from the captain.
He was a stoutish man of so or more;
so was the captain; the chief differ
ence between them seemed to be
that the captain had brass buttons.
In a few minutes the owner re-
turned. :.
Look here" said he. "I don't
know so much about this sailing-all'
night business tonight. Glass Is ris-
ing. There'll soon be a dead calm.
OF course, we shall carry the tide for
another two hours, but, after that,
with the tide against us, we shall do
no good with the engine alone, espe.
cially round the Nose. Moreover, the
engineers can't be expected to work
all the clock round. So Wen just
drop an anchor in Polpooe. and leave
early in the morning. say 1880"
"Polpooe."' cried Mrs. Proctor.
"Are we near Polpooe? Why didn't
you tell us? That's where Elizabeth
lives"
The atmosphere of the deck was
changed in an instant: waves of ex-
citement radiated from Mrs. Proctor
and disturbed the serenity of her
husband and the owner. She was a
little woman, slim, lively, dynamic.
Her complexion might be in ruins. but
not her eyes and her emotions.
Though the twenty-fifth anniversary
Of her wedding was nigh. though she
had two daughters and two sons, all
of whom were adult or adolescent,
tempt to give her lessons in every
thing, from lipsticks to politics, she
still violently counted with men. and
could be as wilful, capricious, naughty
and charming as girl.
Mr.. Proctor agreed that Polpooe
was where Elizabeth lived. Mr.. Proc.
tor, who knew all about women
through the study of his wife-his
wife being all women rolled into one
was cheerfully, if sardonically, re.
signed to the facts of nature.
II must call on her tonight" an
nounced Mrs. Proctor.
"But, Tikky, why?" Mr.. Proctor
protested. (Her name was Marcella,
and nobody. not even Mr.: Proctor,
knew why he called her "Tikky." BY
the way. her children called her Tx
ky, too.)
"You can't go calling on people like
that"
Elizabeth isn't people"
'But it's only by chance we're go
ing into Polpooe. Supposing the
wind had held"
whats the good Of supposing?"
Mrs. Proctor demanded. Men are
so queer. We are going into Polpooe,
and / couldn't possibly go there with
out calling to see Elizabeth. She'd
never forgive me-"
"She wouldn't know anything about
It,"
But I should know, silly!"
Good heavens" calculated Mr..
Proctor, and, turning to the owner:
Look here, Jackie. IL were you, /
should refuse to have a boat
lowered"
Jackie wouldn't be SO disgusting,
would you. Jackie?" Mrs Proctor
smiled at him, the smile of the un-
scrupulous enchantress. "Elizabeth's
one of my best friends. She was
bridesmaid at my wedding. l haven't
seen her for % years, but we write
to each other every year and tell
each other everything. Now don't be
horrid, Jackie. And you'll have to
come with me, Arthur"
Arthur Proctor groaned. Mrs. Proc
tor talked about Elizabeth until the
yacht dropped an anchor in Polpooe.
"On, what a lovely place!" cried
Mrs. Proctor. And it was a pleasing
small port, with hills on either side,
and the houses of a tiny town climb
ing up them.
"Oh. and there's Elizabeth's
house." cried Mrs. Proctor. pointing
to a green-clad residence with gar
den that ended in a long. curved ir-
TeSu1dF 0ISul Oh SloIe Steps tSduiHS
down to the sea.
How do you know" asked Mr..
Proctor.
From the photographs, stupid!
Jackie. don't bother to have the
launch lowered. We1l go in the
dinghy"
COON after the sails had been slowed
~ Mr.. and Mrs. Procotr were rowed
ashore, and presently were breasting
the slope toward Elizabeth's house.
Mrs. Proctor continued to laud Eliza
beth and to express her certainty that
Elizabeth would be just the same as
she had ever been. Nevertheless, as
she and Arthur entered the porch Of
Elizabeth's abode Mrs. Proctor was
seized with a terrible apprehension.
TITS ticklish affair."" thought she,
"seeing some one you haven't seen
for FIVE and twenty years. I shan't
know what to say to her. Supposing
shes-Arthur. you're so good at small
talk. Now mind you keep the conver-
sation going"
Ages seemed to pass. Mrs. Proctor
looked round at the coarsely carved
wood Of the porch, at the cheap imita.
ton stained glass in the door. She
felt the nocturnal deadness of the lit.
tie town. She was ashamed that her
husband should see the environment
In which lived the adorable Elizabeth
whom she was always vaunting to