The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-04-22
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-, ,,.n,ohmI,rc Copyright, 1898, NEA Service, Inc
CAST OF CHARACTERS ,
RY MARION WHITE

Dick HAMILTON. hero; he
bumped into the heroine.
ISOBEL PORTER, traveller; she
sought a mate.
7 Yesterday: Stranded in the Hal
tian woods, Joyce is startled 10
find the child to whom she had
given the bracelet. A native I"
with her.
CHAPTER XIV
The man came toward Joyce
and as he stood in front OF heir'
clad only in a disrcputable pair
Of cotton trousers, his SineWy
chest bare and bleaming black, ne
bowed, and in the simle gesture
there was all the grace of an ola
French cOurtier.
/ IL would assist nam 'selle,' ne
said in precise French. His voice
was quiet, well modulated. lie
might have been college profess
Sor lecturing to his class.
Mr.. Gregory stared at nm III
amazcmcnt, at the strange neon
gruity of him; the tragic, over
wheimins poverty for which ne
knew no shame; the proud, quiet
dignity which set him somewhat
apart from them all.
"Merci," Joyce replied, hesltat-
ingly, as she struggled with a
long-forgotten vocabulary: line
automobile is broken :" Why,
she wondered desperately, do stu
dents of a language spend long
months learning nonsense about
the cat has the ball, it is Charles
cat, do you like the cat? 1t took
her several precious minutes TO
explain that the ship would sail at
7 o'clock and they wanted to get
to Port-auPrince.
Evidently the man understood
her hating phrases. He turned to
his daughter and gave her quick
Instructions; instantly she dlsap-
peared once more.
"A message" he explained to
joyce, will be sent to the ship.
She recalled what DR.. Gray had
told them about the drums, that
the natives could send a message
more quicgly than it could be
telephoncd. Little had she reallz-
ed that they might have an oppof-
tunity to test the fact.
Long momens passed, and they
stood in the roadway, a grotesque
assembly; the three chateterln1g
native boys, concerned with MOTH
ing but the plight of their cherish
ed automobile; the nervous, sus-
picious Mr.. Gregory, Willing MS
distress, the nightly black man.
strong with the heritage of Henri
Christophe, the emperor
Still the drums echoed through
the hills, and deep in the woods
the fires burned, but strangely,
Joyce's fears had slipped away.
Now the drums were no more
weird than her own radio; the
fires were the lights of home,
where families gathered now for
the evening meal. These things
were but the natural principles OF
life; it was the foreign element
which had failed them, the
American motor car for which.
these boys had forsaken their
primitive hearths.
Presently, about the sound of
the drums, they heard the long
blast of the ships whistle, and
knew that this was the signal for
the last launch to leave the shore.
Mr.. Gregory became almost hys-
terical as it seemed that they
would be left behind.
"What do we stand here for:
he cried. eff the ship sails with
out us, we might at least get back
to the city. We can't stay all
night in this jungle"
Joyce explained for him; per-
haps it would be better If they
walked to the city.
The man bowed again. 1T is
far to Port-au-Prince, mann selle,
he said quietly. "lf the message
is not received, you and monsieur
are welcome in my simple home
She looked at him, wondering
if she understood correctly. He
repeated the words, more slowly,
and she knew no doubt. He was
as sincere in offering his hospi-
tality as any of her New England
neighbors; if anything, he did it
with greater dignity.
But before she could frame her
reply, a welcome sound echoed
through the hills, the sound of an
approaching automobile. In the
long half hour they had been
standing on the road, no other
car had passed them. They wait
cd eagerly for its headlights to APP
pear; when he saw them the man
waved his lantern as a signal. The
car was coming out from the city,
and Joyce watched incredulously.
Had the message actually been
sent? mi
A moment later she knew. The
car drew up beside them ana
stopped, and the first voice shG
heard was Mrs. Porter's, fret1ui
and berating. ,,
what are you doing out here;
You've held up the ships sailing!
But it was Dick who Jumped
out of the car and came toWaru
them, and his eyes were so orlgnt
with genuine relief and pleasure
that for a brief instant Joyce for
cot all that had taken place these
past few days. u how
Good Lord, Joyce! We've been
worried to death. / hunted all
over Port-au-Prince for you"
She smiled happily. The car
broke down and left US stranded"