Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1936-08-14
CHAPTER ii

strained about their faces now. Moth
ing, perhaps, save Bennington's eyes.
They looked wary and hard and cal
culating, for all the easy smile that
was on his lips.
"Hell, Ben," Hawley said. It was
hard to talk naturally, hare to ignore
the cold waves that kept racing up
and down his spine, hard to erase
from his mind those words of Ken
nedy's: Damn it, man! Murder!"
Judith and Bennington sat down
and Hawley ordered drinks.
81 thought you and your party had
gone to the Palais Royale," he re-
marked.
eve did," Bennington said. "But
that dive was a little too much for
me. l cleared out and came back
here"
Hawley resented his manner. The
Palais Royale might be cheap and
tawdy, but it wasn't dive.
They did not talk very much and
the few subjects they mentioned were
as commonplace and unexciting as
the weather. They had their drinks,
the three of them, and then Benning-
ton excused himself and departed.
Judith said, "I'm tired, Phil. Would
you mind taking me home?"
Gust as you like, Judith"
They got taxi and started out to
the air station at Coco Solo. Hawley
did not talk. His mind was whirling
with questions. He felt keyed up,
nervous with anticipation. He could
hardly wait to get back to Colon and
the Hotel Nacional. He had forgotten
Judith Whalen, forgotten that for
some weeks he had considered himself
more or less in love with her.
AS they were passing the sentry
box at France Field, Judith remarked:
you're very quiet, Phil"
He put his arm around her, because
it seemed the thing to do, and she
came close to him. He tried to make
conversation.
"Well, after your first two months
in Panama, what do you think OF it!
Like it,"
81 like being with my father-at-
ter nine years away at school,"
GLOW old were you when you lost
YOUR mother?" Hawley asked ABSTRACT
eddy.
~ was seven"
"Been in school ever since?"
eyes. Dad, you know, has been on
foreign duty for the last nine years.
He couldn't make home for me on
the China Station or Guantanamo or
ulaces like that. He just had to keep
me in school. was eleven when ne
was ordered to the Asiatics. dlont
see him again until two months ago.
"A daughter of the Navy"
ayes. A daughter of the Navy"
Their car drew up before the COM
mandant's quarters. AS Hawley neip
ed Judith out and paid the driver, ne
wondered just what it was that kept
Captain Whalen in the Navy. he hao
advanced slowly and there was hVVle
chance of his making the rank Oh ao-
miral before he reached the retirement
age.
On the other hand, he was SAID TO
be very wealthy. Some asserted ne
had made his money in oil. otner
rumors had it that his father had lett
him a small fortune which, by one
lucky and judicious investment atter
another, had been increased until
Captain Whalen was rumored to be
one of the wealthiest men in the Navy.
Hawley thought, eff had half
million dollars, and daughter ike
Judith. and was handed one foreign
dutv after another, I'd certainly let
the navy struggle along without me"
There was a light on the screened
porch that spanned the front OF the
captains quarters. They went IN ana
found Captain Whalen sprawled in a
wicker chair, an open book in his lap.
He woke up with start.
"Oh, hello, hello!" He blinked,
Strengthened up, recovered a measure
of his dignity. Must have dozed
off Home early, aren't you?"
He was a ponderous man, very
stout, with long gray mustache and
bushy gray hair.
cts nearly twelve, dad" Judith
said.
"Is it? Well, we'll! Have a good
time at the dancer"
"Fine."
"That's good. Well, I'll be toddling
off to bed. Good night"
Hantain Whalan went into the