Evening star., 1932-05-13
CHAPTER xxx.
A LINK OF THE PAST.

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NV 1t isn't like you!"
Violet fire flaming in
Joyces eyes. There was
a little shake of anger in her voice, as
she went on deck after dinner.
why. it was nothing SO dreadful,
was it?" asked Kitty, meekly. I really
wanted to see the jade
The other two don't matter, sup
pose"
"Oh. yes. wanted to take that CAL
houn woman down bit. Did you see
her face when the lad escaped her net
and walked right into mine?"
The thought of Kitty, so open and
matter-of-fact, spreading a subtle net
caused Joyce's mouth to tWitch in spite
of herself
Kitty saw this, and knew the day was
won. Il can't stand that brazen female!
She makes me think of Nadine :. all
sex and no appeal"
Whats the third reaSon?"
There is no need of you being so
high-hat with the nice young fellow!"
Kitty spoke stoutly, though she stole a
rather timid look at the girls face as
she did so. "It isn't like you, Joyce, to
be prejudiced against a person on hear
say! It's that goSsipy doctor got you
set against Jim Keith in the first
place"
"It wasn't that" Joyce began, then
stopped. What was the reason for her
feeling so antagonistic toward the Nep-
tunes first officer? 1t was something
fiery and instantaneous which flashed
between them in the first glance. Some
thing looking out of their eyes at each
other. Something instructive and dis
turbing 49,.
"Oh-let's say no more about it." she
said lamely. I'm go as soon as Roger
wants to retire"
Roger Cameron never came to the
dinner table-preferring to eat by him
self in his cabin, where the slight aWk-
wardness left by his illness would not
be noticed.
He listened to the ships concert to-
night, lying back in his own comforta-
BILE invalid chair, weary old eyes rest
ing on the phosphorus set, his hand
placed gently on the hand of his young
wife where it lay on the arm of the
chair
Beauty and peace, ard a ship gently
dipping beneath a night sky. He
felt his heart going up on the strains
of the music in an incense of thanks
giving. Thank God, he had found
these things before it was too late
Thank God for this brief reprieve. &.
Before the concert had ended he had
tired and gone below to his cGbin on
the salon deck. He tired easily, these
days, sleeping more hours than he was
awake
With Roger made comfortable for the
night, Kitty and Joyce went to the first
officers quarters. Nothing to tell Kitty
how Joyce'S heart was pounding. :.
Nothing to tell Of that curious reluc-
tance in her mind to see more of this
man.
She could deny to Kitty, but not to
herself the strange power Jim Keith
had over her. Half liking, half dread.
Sneering at herself she had, neverthe-
less, changed to dress which she felt
was more becoming. 1t was filmy
black chiffon affair, which flung her
skin into ivory relief and turned her
hair to shining bronze
A lovely patrician to her slim finger
tips, thought Jim Keith as he rose to
greet them, but his cool politeness gave
no hint of this.
Indeed, it was Kitty who received the
warm smile of his dark eyes. 1t was
for Kitty that he brought out the Chi
nese vases, the Burma jade, the Orien-
tai bronZes which had formed his pas
time on these sea trips.
Giddy with delight. Kitty wandered
about the room, eXclaiming, marvel
ling. thoroughly enjoying herself. her
square, capable hands. lovingly finger
ing the delicate objects of art as the
man spoke of them.
Left to herself, Joyce gave up all pre-
tence of joining them. She sank into a
chair beside his desk and lit a cigar
cite. letting her eyes rove about the
room.
The usual ship's-officer's quarters on
the Oriental run. Wicker furniture
cushioned in floWered cretonne for the
tropics. The creams and blues seemed
oddly feminine, when contrasted with
Jim Keith'S trim, hard figure.
More in keeping with the thought of
him was the ships clock. with chimes.
The shelves Of books standing on either
side Of the desk.
Joyce rose I'd read the titles. Tech
nical works, biography, poetry, old and
modern. Scientific tones standing be-
side bright jacketed modern fiction. A
cosmopolitan taste, this man had. A
many-faceted mind.
She stole a glance at him. He was
standing at the other side of the room.
in his hand a vase Of pigeon-blood
cloiSonne. Jim Keith was at his best,
his dark face alight with interest. The
brooding light in his eyes was gone.
something winning ana poylSn III Ile
smile turned on Kitty. They were in
such friendly accord, those two. . d.
Joyce knew that the lonely little chill
of her own heart was ridiculous, yet she
was conscious Of it all the same.
What could have been the trouble
long ago when he was forced to leave
the British Navy? A woman . the
doctor had said. Such a hot fury rose
in Joyce's heart that she trembled. She
told herself that it was contempt for
a man who would let an off-color affair
with woman wreck his future.
He must have loved her-nr Thought