The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-04-09
2a1te4 4ui4e
WRIGHT, 1898, NEA Ssries, Inc.

head OF inc gang pldIlh IcduilS
down to the tender when Joyce
went upstairs. Already a good
number of passengers were as
scmbled, all eager to go ashore
on this first boat. He called to
her, and drew her out of range of
the crowd.
"You're going ashore with me,
aren't you, Joyce?''' he asked
hopefully.
I'D love to, Dick, but" -.
"But what"
Mrs. Porter asked me to be her
assistant on the shore excursion,
and I promised that | would"
He frowned. You don't have
to do anything like that, Joyce
but | want to. I'm terribly
grateful for the opportunity. And
we'll all be together, Dick"
"WhO is all"
THE PortcrS, you and |. Wen
take the last carriage.
81 prefer carriages for two. |
don't sec why you won't go with
me, Joyce. asked you' yester-
day"
She hesitated. II know you did,
Dick, But please excuse me. I'd
much rather have it this way
He shrugged. well. then that's
all there is to it, | suppose"
,
Tbcy started over together on
the tender, and Dick said no more
about it. Presently the Pofters
Joined them, and lsobei immedl-
atcly slipped her arm through his
and carried him off to the other
side of the little boat, to have
him point out certain landmarks.
Mrs. Porter hustled about, arrang-
ING last minute details, and Joyce
stood at the rail alone, delighting
/ in the beauties of this lovely lit
tic island.
Drawing alongside the wharf,
Mrs. Porter gave last minute IN,
structions. Joyce took her stand
eagerly, but soon she. was beset
with difficulties which Mrs. Por-
ter had not explained. Some pas
sengcrs wanted to change their
plans at this last minute. Mr..
! Smith and | met some friends
coming over on the tender; can't
we have a carriage for four IN
stead of two" Or "my daughter
has taken sick this morning: may
cxcbanpe her ticket, pleaSe?'
These, and innumcrable others. In
few minutes, Joyce felt as II she
were the center of busy day IN
the stock exchange.
During one of the most harrass-
ing arguments, a colored boy
came up to her with a message:
Miss Phtuh says she got to 20
ahaid she'll meet you after
while"
8 Forty minutes later, Joyce saw
her last charge safely installed in
the last carriage. And not until
then, when she was standing alone
at the carriage stand, did she real
ize that the Porters, and the last
carriage, had gone off without
her.
Morning, Miss Miner"
One Of the ships officers, a
young man from the purser's Of
flee, stood beside her, and she
eralized that the second tender
was docking.
ibid you miss your party?" he
asked.
$50 it seems"
That's tough" He remember
| cd suddenly that Miss Miner was
/ the young lady who had lost her
| pocketbook. So he suggested
1 pleasantly: "Stick around a min
ute, until | get my people started.
| have an extra ticket, for an as
sistant." He winked.
81 heard that story BEFORE
she said obviously. "Mrs. Porter
suggested it"
$50 that's it" He was plainly
surprised. Funny she didn't get
the extra ticket from me. &.
| Well, wait for me, will you? Pm
all alone too"
! So she waited. Because he was
a pleasant young man and he
seemed sincere about the extra
ticket. and because his passengers
were fewer and less bothersome
! than her own and on their way in
five minutes. But most of all, she
waited because she wanted to see
f, Bermuda.
They had a carriage all to them
selves, with an amiable driver.
| And Mr.. Roberts, as he intro
duced himself, proved a delightful
companion because he knew Ber-
muda as well as she knew Fall
| River. In three hours she felt like
native.
| "Do you know" Mr.. Roberts
ventured at last. 81 think Mrs.
Porter put something over on
you"
"But why? Why in the world
would she do a thing like that?"
/ He smiled wisely. Cant you
;, imagine?"
! Certainly not"
"Well, perhaps Pm speaking