The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1935-02-14

stared moodily south at the harbor.
Eight or ten ships lay there Il
anchor, their lights cleaning On
invitation. The warm waters Of
the Coral Sea swung them gently
to and fro: he could zee the lights
moving slowly % the vessels swung
on their cables.
on to his left, he knew, Just . few
hundred miles beyond the low hills
Of VIII Lew. lay Tonga.
"Not for mel" he told himself
angrily. IF I'm anxious for fem.
mime companionship. there's plenty
to be had right here in Suva."
He spat into the waters Of the
Il guess any one Of the girls
dancing back there" he muttered,
glaucing ct the lighted windows Of
the saloon, ''could tell q hard-luck
story just 20 well - vanya, and
about - much chance Of ito being
He turned on his heel and 70
entered the saloon. The girls were
still dancing in . curious South Sea
version Of IN American chorus.
three Of the girls white, and two. "a
Mark. nswly experienced sys'
He looked at them critically. Not
one aroused the slightest interest
in his mind; they appeared 70 him
frowzy, unkempt, and unbeeutiful.
Most Of them were too fat for his
civilized perceptions. and oil of
them were awkward. Yet they OBJ
viously met the approval Of his
companions: no sooner Was their
dance concluded than . burst q en-.
thusiastic applause. and . chorus
Of shouted invitations greeted
them. They moved among the
tables, choosing their hosts amid
taunts and jeers for the rejected
ITO suit al tastes" thought
Mark, Except mine"
He thought Of Vanya again.
"Say, this 70 bad" he reflected.
Tive had Q couple Of months Of
freedom from this doggone obses-
sion. and here It pops up at me
once more. Well, Ave hundred
miles IL Q safe distance, and I'm
promising myself right now that
Ave hundred miles is - close 70
Tonga o I'll ever geti"
Nevertheless, he was not IN the
least surprised when. one week
later. he stepped out Of . native
canoe in Taulanga harbor, and sur.
veyed the chief city Of the Tonga
lslands-still IN quest Of the van.
ished vanys.
$50 these are the Friendly
islands said Mark to his uncom-
pretending native paddlers % he
stepped from the outrigged canoe
to the beach. Tongal
After al his self given promises,
here he was. and. 81 the Lord, he
was feeling happy about TEL But
he felt in duty bound 70 give him
self . mental lashing for his weak.
ness.
"A flne mess I turned out!" be
told himself - he paid Oh his native
boatmen. His eyes turned 10 the
mail packet IN the harbor, On which
he had arrived from Suva.
III l had any sense at ALL he
continued, I'D turn around right
now. and 20 along with the ship "a
Samoa. But, Of course, ] haven't
that much intelligence; otherwise,
I'd never have come here n the
first place"
He watched the canoe slidine
smoothly toward the waiting ship,
carrying the towns mail 70 81 scat.
tered around the world.
"0f course, don't really know
that venys's actually here, he con.
soled himself. "Just because che
left Honolulu IN . ship owned b (
man whose home ID in Tonga Il :
pretty slim reason for thinking
she's here
A native boy scampered across
the sandy beach 70 carry Nerk'a
bags, and Mark followed him TO-
ward the two story white frame
building whose sign proclaimed e 70
b the Friendly House.
"There's smother way Of looking
at this mess" thought Mark, now
bent on excusin9 his actions 70 him.
self. "After oil. the girl hasn't
spoken more than two a0nknneaa -