Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-15

OF the ship had become q great tremor
They walked rapidly. and at the end of
a darkened passage they came TO a
heavy iron door that slid back easily
and permitted blast of heat to rush
out. Inside they saw half-naked, SCOT
grimed, sweat-streaked men bending be-
fore the red gaps of the furnace doors
One of them was gigantic negro; an
other. sl.ghter than the rest, handled
his shovel with the poise of prize
fighter.
A gong sounded above them and the
men threw down their snovels. They
gathered about the more slender OF
their number They put heavy, grimy
hands on his bare shoulder. They shook
his blackered hand.
Bac., down the darkcned aisle! He
was not very steady going UP the stairs,
AMI she held tightly to his hand, black
as it was. A faded blue cotton jacket
was about his otherwise bare torso
His trousers. or what remained of them
had once belonged to very fine dinner
suit. His shoes. now scraped and dull
had not a trace of their original patent
leather gleam But 1t was such mad
such a pointless thing to do" She was
not such calm-eyed lady now. sput-
tering repriinands every step. What
possible excuse. what possible reason
why did you do it?"
He laughed. numbling something
about several of their fellows being sick
And then, besides, wanted to show
couple of people, maybe only myself,
maybe somebody else . . that / could
do It. Shoveled more coal than Jack
Johnson. Did you know it? He's that
big black.
They gained the upper levels, C Deck,
B Deck. Number 231. Now I'm going
You're going to be bathed and put to
bed I'll see the doctor about you at
once"
A GAUDY clown in red and white
spangles passed them In the cor
ridor. stopped and stared, and then
hurried on. Julian Thomasson stared
after him. He Strengthened up. "Oh.
this is the gala" He pulled gently
away from the calm-eyed lady's grasp
Il think I'll 60 have look. How's
this for gala costume? Filthy? Any
way. 1t suits me. What do I care what
they think? don't want anything
they've got
She hurried down the outside deck
to try to head him off from the crowd
ed smoking room, talking rapidly to q
girl in an irnprovised Grecian mantle
who sped beside her. very beautiful
girl.
you ridiculous children" She
thought OF other epithets: You In.
sane. absurd. Quixotic infants shall
write to your father about this, Anne
Whitfield. He had no business to let
you come of alone"
The orchestra fumbled measure and
almost stopped. The dancers divided to
let a young man pass. He halted his
progress before last years debutante
who shrank away. What" he said
You don't want to dance with me?'
best man on this ship my dear girl. ]
shoveled the most coal. You ought to
He moved on. with slow steps, drag
ging his feet. In the corner he found
Henry VIII and dark-eyed ballerina
There's Anne" he said, and leaned
over the table. I've been looking for
you. Anne. This Is the night when you
were TO give me an answer. Anne May
guess 1t? Nobody wants to dance with
the best man on the ship. -
In the doorway he met her. He
couldn't get through. for she refused to
stand aside. Perhaps" she said, you
are too sure that nobody wants to dance
with the best man on the ship
Julian made feeble gesture at dust
ing on his blue cotton jacket, He saw
her move toward him, and then he
found himself dancing. The laughter
and chatter of the crowd resumed
They might have known 1t was all Just
part OF the gala, Quite an original
idea, In fact.