Evening star., 1934-02-12

all going over tomorrow, as arranged.
When she arrives, we can start doing
something"
'What?"
well, whatever we can think Of"
Have you thought Of anything
yet?"
NO"
Have you told all this to
Eggleston?"
"Of course
what does he think of it7"
There was shade Of hesitation in
James voice.
We'll, he seems interested. But the
trouble with Blair Ia that, having this
great brain Of his, he's rather a little
too much the artistic, dreamy type,
and what one really needs In a Situa-
ton like this Is a man Of action and
resource. I mean. when 1 asked Blair
If he had any proposition to put for
ward that might lead to bringing
home the bacon, he Just tugged at his
mustache and looked goofy and said
he hadn't. However, he's going TO
start thinking, so something may
break any moment. And 1 hope To
goodness It does, because apart from
being sorry for poor father and want
ing to get him out of a spot. how
splendid it would be If Blair and /
did this wonderful thing for him and
father said, Bless you, my childrenr
Goshdarnit, should be the happiest
girl in the world. Well, good-by, Mr..
Franklyn, must rush. I'm supposed
TO be dressing for dinner. Only l
thought you would like to know all
about what's happened. Good-by"
There was click. Jane had hung UP.
For several minutes after he had
! finished listening to this story, so
| vibrant with a young girls hopes and
fears, Packy remained standing at the
| telephone, staring before him. His
| appearance was that OF q man In a
| trance. Pins could have been stuck
into him and he would scarcely have
observed them.
Then, abruptly, sort OF whinnying
| groan escaped him. II he had chafed
before at the prospect of being cooped
up in London, he chafed more than
ever now. He felt as he had some
times felt at prize fights when a wall
Of uprising citizenry suddenly intruded
itself between him and the ring at
some Sensationally vital moment.
He burned with bafled evaporation.
Here he wss, tied to this one-horse
town, this London, miles away from
all this tense human drama, and it
made him feel like a Gagged skylark
The demon of discomfort which had
been troubling him became Of a sud-
den more vigorous and active than
ever. He was a young man who hated
to be out Of things, and James COM
munication had shown him that the
living, pulsating center Of things was
the Chateau Blissac, st. ROGUE.
Brittany.
But Beatrice had told him to STAY
in London. And Beatrices word was
Law.
And yet
Suddenly he emerged from his
trance. His bearing was the set,
resolute bearing of one who has made
| a great decision.
Beatrice, when she had told him to
remain in London and go to concerts,
could not, he felt, have forseen that
| a situation like this would arise
Briefly what it amounted to was that
he had been offered the chance of
helping to bring happiness to two
young hearts. Would she have him
refuse it?
Absurd
Besides, hadn't she given him strict
instructions to stick around Blair
Eggleston like a poultice? Undoubted-
ly. And the only way to hitch up
with Blair Eggleston was to go to st.
ROGUE.
The whole tone Of James remarks
had shown him how sorely his pres
ence would be needed there. Even
Jane, who loved him, had not failed
to realize what a total bust her
betrothed was going TO be in the
crisis which had arisen. All that was
chivalrous in Packy revolted at the
thought of the poor child having to
lean on so weak a reed
Blair Eggleston. in his bread-and-
butter job with the broadcasting COM
pany. might be highly skilled at
initiating horses hoofs and the like.
but Of what avail would this accom-
plishment be in a situation like the
present one. 1t was ridiculous to sup
pose that the determination of woman
like Mrs. Gedge could ever be broken
down by such means. II Blair Eggles-
ton were to stand in front of Mrs.
Gedge by the hour, doing imitation
glaSs-craShes or rubbing two coconuts
together to create the illusion Of dis
tant thunder, she would simply laugh
at him.
No! What was required. as Jane
had pointed out, was a man of action
and resource.
He took up the magazine and read
once more the advertisement Of the
auxiliary yawl Flying Cloud He noted
the address of the agents responsible
for her chartering. He went to the
writing table and began to compose
q careful letter to Beatrice, informing
her that, feeling a little run down
and IN need OF 3 change, he had de-
cided after all to take a short vaca- -
ton. He proposed. accordingly, to
start at once for the quaint Breton
town of st. ROGUE, because there he 4.
would have chance of learning a
little French, and you never knew
when French might come in use
ful. Every man, wrote Packy. ought
to know at least one language besides
his own.
He opened the letter again to add
a postscript to the effect that there
was probably a picture gallery in st
ROGUE. Then, sealing and stamping
the envelope, he wrote to the agents 8
for the auxiliary yawl Flying Cloud,
announcing his intention of calling
upon them first thing In the morning :.
(To be continued.) :