Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-12

au0lenCe or one, repeated the news
about his marriage. Above, the cone
of Compass was silent. She seemed
strangely--to be waiting, too.
X x
IRELAND came out. Il reckon" he
Il said, Mrs. Plummer has maybe ]
few days more to live. Moving her
would kill her straight away"
There was a terrible silence. The
captain was the first to break it. "Set
tie it between YOU" he said. i've got
my ship to see to, and them six Sulli
van Island boys. I'll stand by, this
night, and sail tomorrow morning. Il
there is morning for any Of us. ]
can't say fairer."
II owe duty to my future wife, y
was Blackett's contribution. Il could
MT, in reason, be expected" He
kept smiling nervously as he spoke
Needless to say, I'd rather stay than
go, but"
Ireland had taken no part in the
talk. He was standing with his hands
in his pockets--a sandy. ordinary man,
apparently unmoved by the tremen
dous issues of the situation--not even
perceiving them, it seemed. I'm stay.
ing" he remarked casually, and dust
ed q wad of drifting ashes from his
| trousers.
"I'll leave you boat" said the cap
tain. Il can't leave you a crew; they'd
only do what Plummer's boys did"
If it was question of saving life,
no one would be reader, but in this
Casa few days only-why, it stands
to reason" repeated Blackett. Three
whites and six natives, who might live
40 or SO years each, against woman
who hasn't week to live, anyhow.
But, of course" he went on hastily,
| its very praiseworthy Of you-Ire-
land-not having any ties. its"
I'm married two years." said Ire
land. IF l went home to my wife and
told her, she'd spit in my face" With
out noticing Blackett further. he went
into the house. The captain caught
him back as he crossed the threshold.
''Sun.up tomorrow" he said. Cant
give you more. Come, If you're COM
ing, by then"
Don't reckon on it," answered Ire
land. Look after your ship"
Blast the ship! If it WASN'T"
II know. There's no use waiting,
Cap. So long"
They did not look at one another as
they parted. Cantrell was blowing his
nose furiously as he went down the
path. Blackett followed him, hum
ming to show his complete detachment
from the whole foolish affair. Within
the house Ireland smiled, a trifle
grimly. and shook his fingers. Can
trell had gripped his hand so hard
that the blood was almost driven out
"YOU don't mean to say you're stop
ping?" demanded Suzanne, lift
ing her dark, coiffed head
from the pillow.
why not?" answered Ireland, the
sandy, the unromantic, the skinny
the not at all like any sort of hero
He took a chair and pulled out his
pipe. Mind smoking?" he asked
you've no call to stop!'
Ireland wasn't arguing the point.
He pressed the tobacco down into his
pipe and asked her. Been here long,"
Year and a half" she said dream
lily. "A bit after the field broke out,
we came here. / and Plummer. My
third, you know"
do well out of it?"
eyes. We had a pretty fair clean
up. 1t got away to the bank all right
Lucky-would have been melted
here" She laughed somewhat
drugged laugh.
Ireland watched her. She seemed
sleepy. He got up and walked quietly
here and there, arranging a bed in an
adjoining room, making himself at
home. He was deft in his ways,
clearly handy man about a house.
You're married" she said sud.
denly.
Ireland found some difficulty in an
swering her. Claire. his wife Claire.
who certainly would not have spat
upon him, as he too graphically had
declared, no matter whom he had de-
serted or why. Claire, who would
watch the steamers coming through
Sydney Heads in vain!
You're a great little guesser," was
his delayed reply.
Her next words showed her to be
something more.
II can tell YOU" she said. tits
bad thing for pretty girl to be left
widow young. / was" she added pres
emily.
The history of Black keyed Susan
was Australian property.
You'd better not stay" was her
next word.
ooh, yes; I think I will, Mrs Plum
mer"
"You can't stop her playing up"
mo; that's true"
"Well, God bless my soul and body,
man, what do you think you're going
to do?"
Going to stick to you, Mrs. Plum.
mer," said Ireland with long draw
at the finally lighted pipe.
Being Australians both, they ut
tered no more of all that was ip their
minds. But both understood.
The old black woman, Mahina,
dropped her fan, laid her head down,
and in spite of the sinister vibrations
that kept her thin body shaking on
the floor, slept, with sigh of almost
pitiful relief.
sWeIl." said Suzanne later. 'I can't
ston YOU. so I'll take it. And it's no
way to die, without soul near you
only a niger. But you ought to go
back to her"
On that she relaxed, and, like Ma
hina, sank to sleep.
X X 4 y
IRELAND had no thought of Sleep
l. ing, even if the Notwithstanding shots
from the cone would have allowed 1t.
The air was heavy with sulphur, the
trembling of earth below seemed on
the increase. Once a horrlple pelio"
came from above. SO loud as to strike
Suzanne from her heavy, drugged
slumber. She lifted her head. The
night was come. Ireland had lit
lamp. but it's faint shine was scarcely
noticeable in the red glare that stole
through the opened shutters.
"Black-eyed Susan, they always
called me-" she said.
| He saw that she was wandering
little. and humored her. YES, ne
said encouragingly.
But my name was Suzanne, always.
1t was my mothers name. She was
Eropch -