The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-27

eagerly for it's headlights 10 ap- pear: when he saw them the man waved his lantern as signal. The car was coming out from the city and Joyce watched incredulously Had the message actually been sent?
 A moment later she knew. The car drew up beside them and stopped, and the first voice she heard was Mrs. Porter'S, fretful and berating.
 What are you doing out here: i You've held up the ships sailing! But it was Dick who jumped out of the car and came toward them, and his eyes were so bright with genuine relief and pleasure that i for a brief instant Joyce forgot all that had taken place these past few days.
 Good Lord Joyce! We've been worried to death. I hunted all over Port-au-Prince for you"
 She smiled happily. The car broke down and left us stranded" " Then, still doubting her eyes: But how did you happen to come out this way?"
 "Why, I just got back to the wharf when some young boy came running down to say that a mam'selle and a monsieur from the big ship were stuck out here. :"
 Her eyes were wide. T can hardly believe it!" she declared, her mind still unwilling to grasp the simple fact of such communl- cation. "This-this gentleman sent the message for us-not more than 10 minutes ago."
 Dick looked up at the stalWart Haitian, towering over him, ana as Joyce explained he listened in astonishment. Then, impusllVely and heartily, he shook the mans hand. I'm grateful to you, sir. h. deed I am." He spoke in English, but the man understood.
 And in Joyce's heart a new nope stirred, because there was that note in Dicks voice which made her know that she was still lm- portant to him.
 The evening dinner on board ship was not a pleasant affair. For one thing, it was the first time they had all been together since the lm- promptu announcement Of Isobels engagement, and as Joyce met Dicks eyes across the table, she had the gratifying impression that the romance was already beginning to cool.
 MT. Gregory still chafed under the strain of the afternoon; he seemed determined to magnify the incident, until he became poor tortured victim about whom the voodoo- worshipers were alreaoy lighting the fires of destiny.
 "Haitis a filthy, horrible place, Isobel consoled him, "and l don t see why civilized people want to visit it '
 She too was irritable this even ing. Her lips were pushed out in their old pout, and her Voice was edged with sarcasm.
 MT. Gregory nodded vigorously Indeed that's the truth. I'll never return to it."
 Dr. Gray regarded him with a curious half smile. Well, l sup pose I'm to blame for sending you out into the country. l thought you might enjoy it."
 But we did, Doctor" Joyce assured him enthusiastically. Il wouldn't have missed the trip out into the country for anything. Besides, cars break down at home, too.'
 Dick agreed with her heartily. of course they do. I'm sorry we weren't along. I'd have enjoyed seeing that country in daylight"
 Isobel raised her eyebrows. wasn't it enough" she asked. that we took you to visit our friend the Colonel?" She looked up into his eyes for tender con- tirmation. But what she saw i'll them displeased her; certainly they were not aglow with any light of love.
 She laid possessive hand on his arm. Dick darling!"
 His face frightened with a stlff, withdrawn expression; under the sleeves of his white dinner jacket his muscles tensed.
 Then Dr. Gray, whether it was innocently or with deliberate mal- ioa or merely to change the sub feet, delivered bombshell.
 You seem to run into hard luck. Gregory, he observed. You go ashore, and you walk into trouble. You stay aboard to play poker while the rest of us cavort in Havana, and you lose your shirt.
 Dick looked up quickly.
 Tt wasn't as bad as all that, |" Gregory amended. T only lost