Evening star., 1935-01-24

the youths arose, standing at stiff at
tention while Holly spoke: but not one
of them answered her radiant smile.
With somber hostility they looked
over her golden head as she turned
to one and then another of them Be-
meath them the girls at the table
shrugged or looked away. Only one
Of them, tall girl with bold eyes and
cruel mouth, spoke to Holly. "Out
for bear again, darling? Perhaps the
hunting is better here than it was at
Bowie"
Another girl Uttered. The men of
the Navy. strangely, solemnly grave
for their youthfulness. remained stonily
silent. Not flicker of friendly re-
Sponse cleaned from their eyes as
Holly'S gaze ran over their faces.
Whats the matter?" she asked
them, puzzled, troubled
No one answered
"Is it joke?" she questioned. Well,
I think it's not bit funny. George
Gilpin, what are you trying to do to
me? Lieut.. Kenly, what have I ever
done to you? Tom Prendergast,
where are your manners? Don't tell
me that this is the latest fashion out
OF Annapolis! I won't believe the
academy taught you anything like
this
"Oho, but it did, darling" the tall
girl assured her. Don't you see that
they're giving you the good old Navy
reprimand?"
"Me?" Her head went high and
her eyes flashed lightnings of pride
and anger. These youngsters were
being absurd, Kim thought, but his
own anger leaped out at them for the
hurt they were giving Holly How
dare they?" Her gaze put them, not
herself, on trial. For the moment
Kim saw her not as a girl of 20,
reaching out for life with yearning,
tremulous hope, but as woman of
high assurance. An aristocrat sure of
her blood, of her place, of herself,
defying now the opinion of these boys,
units though they were of a service
which had been part of her life.
"Why?" she demanded of them.
No one Of them spoke.
They're telling you, Holly, they
don't approve of the way you treated
John David Coates" the tall girl
triumphed. Taking him off with
you, and then running him right up
to the court by taking him to the
Naval Hospital"
THAT was my fault" Kim pro-
tested, but no one needed him. The
girls stared at Holly, the men at some
invisible target above her shining
head.
But +" Her eyes still sought
understanding, but her lips closed
tightly as she stared into the stern
faces Of the men in uniform. You
can all go jump off a battleship,"
she defied them. Il did what I
thought was the right thing for John
David, and you can't any of you push
me off the dock for it. If you don't
like what do, and what I am, you
can call out the Marines" Her glance
shot fire at them.
You think you're the Navy don't
you? Do you suppose that good eye
sight and foot ball shoulders, a drag
with your Congressman and four years
at the Academy can make you into
real Navy people? Who are you to
stand there and accuse me of being
disloyal to the Navy? The Navy?
Why, my family were Navy men when
your people were ridin' mules in
Missouri and diggin' coal in Pennsyl-
vania! Maybe you can talk code to
the girls in Crabtown, but I'm Holly
Barlow, and BarloWS and Chenoweths
and Craynes fought back of Barry
and Decatur and Perry and Dewey"
Swiftly she whirled her back upon the
standing row of uniforms and turned
to Kim. Come on, darlin'," she bade
him. Anchors aweigh! Well leave
'em scrubbin the decks"
Head lifted, eyes defiant, she blazed
her way through the tango dancers,
heading straight for the Gaynor table.
To Kim, trailing her, she was a new
Holly RarlnW not the girl of Mistfll