Evening star., 1933-04-17

u
i the young lady said, had the
impression that the two were
not quite agreed as to-how shall !
put it-what the tactics would Be.
Shortwell seems to me-hm, l don't
want to say anything In his favor
but he seems to be q pretty straight
forward sort Of fellow with good, strong
nerves. If 1 understood the lady cor
rectly, Shortwell even wants her to talk
with you and come to some sort OF ar
rangement as to a divorce and such like
that's why she sent for me. because
she is afraid to leave her cabin, even
with Shortwell He would take her di-
rectly to you, she said, and she doesn't
want that because she Is AFRAID OF you
that's quite understandable. bad con-
science. bad nerves-she would rather
have the whole matter settled by way
of lawyers"
The sagacious face Of old Frederick
the Great" had the pathetic expression
of a wise man who does not understand
how to deal with foolish children.
Thomas now had conclusive evidence
that it was Sybil and SYPHILIS own free
will which had closed her cabin door
to him. Probably Shortwell had told
him the truth, and the cowardly flight
had been exclusively due to Sybils de-
sire. He no longer felt any hatred for
his rival. There is always some one OF
other-whether his name Is ShortWell
or something else-who will turn up
when there is Sybil to lure him on.
"She has the key to her room" said
Thomas. She has her key ana the
doors of the Columbia are pretty sound.
"Verv true. But it Is a bore to spend
five DAYS in ones cabin" said the cap
tain. ALSO, If you open the window,
YOU hear music from the ball room
we'll. YOU know the lady. I was SO ter
ribly keen about this trip she said. l
have dreamed for 10 years about traV-
cling on a wonderful liner like this.
Well, you know the LADY
Thomas pondered whether he had
ever really known Sybil. He knew that
she was pleasure loving-but that she
should take their private affair to the
captain Just to avoid having to stay In
her cabin-this seemed to him unoe-
lievable.
And because she has q bad con-
science, that is why she is AFRAID %, OF
YOU" the captain continued. he
might create a scene in front Of all
the passengers she added. Perhaps
he might even do me bodily harm.
Well. I'm only telling you what she said;
of course, am convinced that
He cleared his unscrewed pipestem
with a vigorous puff and concluded
abruptly, I'm thankful I always re-
mained a bachelor!"
After a pause, he added. Il am con-
vinced that you won't create scene,
and certainly nothing worse"
Perhaps you put too much faith In
me. 1 really don't know" said Thomas:
The captain for the first time dared
to cast a quick, piercing, though obllque
glance at his guest.
ANYHOW, I want you to give me your
formal promise, in your own best inter
ests, that you-hm-that you Will not
annoy your-your wife, should you meet
her on the Columbia. I am-damn II
all-compelled to demand this promise
of you!"
Thomas laughed ironically And OF
what use would such q promise be from
a man in my position? WHAT possible
value, captain. could Il have?"
"I should imagine it would have
certain value" said Frederick the
Great" earnestly. "And, besides, can't
really see what would be the good OF
YOUR talking over this unhappy story
with your wife. She will tell you lot
of very unpleasant things. and you Will
tell her unpleasant things. and that
certainly won't improve matters. Un-
der the circumstances, the most sensible
thing would be to turn the matter over
to couple Of responsible lawyers ana
let them settle what there Is to settle
that's to say, the practical side OF it.
AS for the rest-no one can patch up
things, once they have got into such
thorough mess"
Thomas did not answer. He even
admitted that the captain was quite
right-so far as general principles went.
He, himself, would have advised any
husband whose wife had run away to
let her run away and leave 1t at that.
But his Was q special case, to which
such simple wisdom did not apply. His
special problem was simply that he
could not 60 on living without having
had q talk with Sybil. And more par
ticularly not now, after she had be-
trayed him a second time, and even
more shamefully than before.
He did not give the captain formal
promise, and old Frederick the Great"
did not return to the subject. The lat
ter was quite content not to have got
the promise, which he knew would have
been worthless in any case, but he could,
now, with every pretense of profound
regret, tell the lady in No. IS that she
had better keep to her cabin. If she
was heartless enough to want to parade
in front Of her deserted husbands eyes
clinsing 10 the am q hr lover,
6daes kalhout tsansat3n iR bsgan 70
tai about The Mefgenthsfms. Soon
Thomas shook the captiu's hand and
went ont on the bridge, whe5s the wind
blew even harder than on the fore
deck. But he did not notice it, He felt
a pressure in his throat as though he
had swallowed huge, hard lump, which
he could neither get down nor bring up.
Have you fallen in love with her?"
asked Mill in the tea room of the