Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-29


ships clock in the cabin behind
T her. Linda Swayed, pendulouS as
the hosting crane above the
ships hold, between hope and
fear.
Revond her Shone the lights OF the
Jersey shore. beaconS Of horeS-liHc
the one back in Mlddletown-comfort-
able. conventional, secure. Down tn~
hav where the liner would presently
thrust her prov lay the sea. free ana
,lncharted for Linda as ii had been Tor
Columbus.
The thrill Of its adventure. becSonlng
through four years Of overSuperVlSeo
teaching and four hstleSS vacations. mao
brought her journeylng. For II she hao
Aune over her gay young shoulder the
nl,onics and phylacteries Of the Middle
Town public schools a day before their
Official closing. With note TO the
a-lncipal Of the fourth ward institution.
declaring herself too i'll 10 report for
the last days duty and hasiy fare
well Ia her stunned family. she hao
sped 20 New York. with a narrow mar
IN tor the Nerooaia'S midnight SainllS
re- the 20 hours Of her train trip.
ASoueht az the moment when the snip
you'd slide out from the pier had
.anca6 before her Now with her pass
ports in her purse and her bags IN hef
StaCeroom. she tried 10 look adventure
St-a:gh; in the face. and found II Neiico
ard torbiddlng.
y can't go" she kept SAVING 70 her-
sNlf as the crane swung back TO the
land rs So far. sn6 l don't know
xnv one over there Not soul what
II I Sot sick What II died?
Y am going she veereo. when the
crane h,gcaee- laden. came back 10 the
ship I've saved up everything 10:
This. money. and clothes. and hopes.
: can't turn back now. ltd be TOO
silly There's London. and PARIS. ano
some. ana people. neI people. For ~
weeks ! won't see any oil those oi0
hairplaS
Shs tilted her close-titting hat as
memories OF earnest Miss Vinor. OF the
Junior High. Of tinid Miss Leonard. o!
High Sixth. and of dominant MASS
Menkcn. who bent the Jwigs of Middle
town toward music. ran oeneatn tht
surface CT her pretty head.
Won't thew have q At when they
find out I've done it," she chuc&led
Ten weeks Of Elrope-alone!"
That's inst il. came the retardlng
thought All alone in strange places
with no one around to care, II anything
happens"
She glanced st her watch. saw thai
she had three minutes left for final de-
c!sion. and fought sudden rllSh Of
homeSick tears.
I think I'll 60 home" she had al
most decided when cry rang out or
the pier below her.
Linda leaned over the rail TO see q
girl. wildly lovely. reaching up hel
arms in passionate pleading.
Take me with you" she sobbed Il
some one Linda could not see. Don
60 away from me-"
In the clamor of a midnight sailing
the girl on the pier stood out agains'
the BACKGROUND of the crowd with tnt
dramatic intensity of an actress holding
stage center. Wildly her dark eye:
sought pity from some one toward whom
they were lifted: but no answer came
although Linda. transfxed by the drams
II place and plea, stood breathless a
The rail. her eyes scanning the fringe
O. folk on deck
There was e middle-sged. specialized
mar close TO her. as interested as sht
vas in the scene, but as evidently moth
Ing more than spectator. A tweed
coated Scot took no notice OF the ex
element Beyond the gang-plank
little group Of women watched anf
two Or.entals. who had come ABOARD
with Linda. watched the girl impas
s!veIy
The gang plank lifted: the girl Oh
the pier gave one last. heart-oreakinI
CRY. then fell back into the arms OF !
~oman beside her as the liner slid Oh
into the river.
This" said Linda. is life
The specialized man turned TO her
az
orar9larly I saw IL start on line
UP from N'Orleans She was coming Il
her sister In N'York, and he lived OF
her trail from the moment she boardet
the boat Nov he's quit her. Cad!
ne ADDED. with a certain cold ant
judicial fury.
You can't trust these loose-foote'
boys" he warned her from the height
Q. age
She turned away from him 10 realiza
ZION that the die Of her destiny ha'
beer cas: The lights OF the Jerse
shore scattered into DINNER clusters
To port the CLEAN OF New YORK fame
n golden drop curtain. but back o
the mighty wind waited the sea OF he
dreams sailing.
I'm On nv way" she exulted.
Twice she had courSed the deck whei
the wind. taking toll of her Joy IN y
caught up her hat and sent II whirlinf
She sought 10 grasp Il. but the win
spec II down the deck. tossing IT. iftin
i almost 70 the rail. beating II dow
again as Linda rushed 20 retrieve j
she overlook II, only 10 lose b. in an
ether swg.l. and was giving IL up II
JOS, when il suddenly seemed 70 paus'
as II waiting for her. She swOope
DOWN toward IL just as man plunge
ct from deck chair and caught IN
hat In MS hand
In the light from a doorway she "a
y!m-big rec6ishly blond. resSsuringi
rugged and best Of ali, blithely youni