The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-10-21
It's Lonely in
Borneo
BY ALICE DUANE
g by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
(WNU Service)

OF love. but not so surely as do
thoughts of good job. At least so
1t was with Brander Yates. He had
been out of work for six months. He
had spent what savings he had not
previously lost and was down to his
last ten dollars when out of the blue,
as 1t were, appeared perfectly good
job. Not only job but a years con-
tract. Perhaps the contract wasn't so
much of a miracle as it sounded, be-
cause the job was off in Borneo. Now
for six weeks he would work In the
home office, then set sail to the field
of his new work. On Friday, Just
week hence. he would receive pay
envelope. He ought to be able to man.
age until then on what he had left.
Having no money to spend on the
alter tickets, flowers and taxis he had
of necessity assumed the semblance
of woman hater. He had got along
without the froth of feminine society
that long and he meant to continue
to do so.
He might have continued to do so
had not the personnel man of the new
concern asked him whether he was
married. In case he was the COM
pany would pay transportation for the
wife as well as for himself. Brander
kept thinking of that After all Bor-
neo was a terrible distance away and
fellow might get little lonely.
AT six o'clock Saturday afternoon
the Saturday before the Monday his
job began-Brander Yates pressed the
button on the front apartment of
nice but unpretentious apartment
house where in former days he had
been wont to spend an occasional Sat-
urday afternoon or week day evening.
Under one arm he carried a long and
bulky paper roll from the ends of
which protruded the heads of some
rather faded gladioli. The door of
the apartment was opened for him.
but instead of Daphne in the dark
frame of the doorway stood a girl
whom he did not at first recognize.
He looked again and thought rap
idly.
"Oh, it's you Joan," he said. Take
these weeds before l drop them-and
the magazines if they are any good
to you" Then he looked at the lit
tie brown-eyed girl whose name he
had nearly forgotten. Gee, but it's
good to see you"
"It's surely good to see you, Mr..
Yates" she said. "And isn't it great
how you found mt where I was? I've
only been here week and I've often
thought of you since you left Brad
ley's."
Brander told Joan that a small
young bird had told him how to find
her and she helped out the bird by
explaining that Daphne had gone
away and that as the lease did not
run out until October she had let
Joan have the apartment at a reduc-
ton. Joan had no lease, so it was a
simple transaction. "And then after
the first of October | don't know
where | shall co." Joan explained to
Brander, and Brander beamed at Joan,
rejecting that the first of October
was when he would be sailing for
Borneo. Rare coincidence! He didn't
even finch when Joan. mentioned that
Daphne was to be married.
Joan gave Brander cool drinks and
then insistently set little table to
share a bit of supper with him.
Brander went into the kitchenette
later to scan the only clock. 1t was
necessary for him to catch the nine
O'Clock train for the beach-nine
o'clock being the last train that way.
He couldn't spend the night in town
because he had already spent nearly
his last dollar for flowers and maya
zines.
At twenty minutes to nine he start
ed to leave and then Joan explained
that she was very sorry but the clock
was twenty minutes slow.
So Joan and Brander went out on
Joan's small balcony and Tom told
her his plans-told her also that he
would now have to sleep in the park.
He had planned to commute from his
sisters cottage at the beach the next
week and right now he hadn't enough
for a hotel.
Pretty nice girl, Joan turned out to
be-and all those months he had
known her at Bradley's he had never
realized it. Joan put five dollar bill
into one of 3rc nder's hands and the
handle of a small but empty over
night bag into the other md told him
to 60 to a nearby hotel
Brander appeared promptly at nine
the next morning at Joan's.
After breakfast they washed the
dishes, took a leisurely walk. sat on
a park bench, ate luncheon at Joan's
together, and alked and talked, I'M
til somehow Brander asked Joan
whether she could endure the idea of
going to Borneo, and Joan-another
rare coincident-said that all her life
she had just yearned and longed and
pinned to go to Borneo. Brander was
marveling at the lovely lights that
glistened in Joar'e eyes and at the
musical quality of her voice. 1t would
be easy to ask her now, Jut after all
he thought he ought to make explana-
tons, about the flowers.
Il knew they were for Daphne"
Joan told him.
Joan lowered her lovely brown eyes.
81 turned the clock slow when you
weren't looking last night wanted
you to come back"
"And you don't mind about the flow
ers?" Brander asked.
"No." said Joan. times are hard
and a girl can't expect too much and
besides. Brander. I've always want
ed to go to Borneo."