The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-16

T "Glad to hear It." He laid a professional hand on her forehead. "You don't look any the worse for your outing. All you needed was a good nights sleep"
 Flows Dick?"
 Dr. Gray chuckled. Hes been up since daybreak, but gave him strict orders not to waken you. Now he's gone over to Hamilton oil some secret mission ."
 ITO Hamilton?" Joyce shud- dered. T wouldn't cross that water again . ."
 "Oh, come now!" The doctor regarded her more critically. Per- haps it had been bad fright, more than she let on. He mustn't let it leave scar. Don't tell me you'd let a little midnight soak ing frighten you"
 She met the challenge in his eyes. I'd rather stay on the boat . ."
 He stroked his chin thoughtful ly. Well, that's too bad, now, All the ladies have gone ashore, and I'm trying to find someone to do a little shopping for me. I promised my wife some doeskin gloves from Trimingham's. But I daren't leave the ship; I have one of the crew down with acute ap- pendicitis.
 Joyce hesitated. The morning sun streamed through the port, and she knew that the water would be clear and blue again, topped with little white caps edged in pink
 I'll go for you" she said finally. T guess it would be silly not to go."
 The doctor beamed. That's the girl! Think you can make the 1O:30 tender?"
 "Ill get right up."
 An hour later, going ashore, she looked for the tiny reef beyond the buoy. There it was, showing just above the water line, and the waves were again beginning to break over it. But what a differ ence 12 short hours make! Now, in the reassuring light of day, there were no terrifying aspects. The spot was not more than mile from shore, in any direction, and she knew under normal cir cumstances she could easily swim a mile
 There were other boats about this morning, wide, flat-bottom rowboats, with lazy darkies fish ing over the sides, and there were small launches, too. But she mo- ticed that the motorboats skirted the reef at wide arc, and she knew why Obadiah had hesitated to cross the spot in the pitch darkness.
 Now she was glad that Dr. Gray had encouraged her to take the trip again. Daylight related every fear to simple understanding; this morning she could remember every detail of last nights experi- ence without it's accompanying horror.
 She wished Dick were with her, that they might blot out the mem ory together, and she wondered what secret mission it was that took him ashore so early Trimmingham's Department Store was crowded to capacity with pas sengers from the Empress, shopping for English doeskins and Scottish tweeds and WedgeWood potteries. But the greatest number was at the glove counter, where doeskins that sold for $4 in New York might be picked up for $2. It was touch of Manhattan, this bargain counter, out of place in the serene life of Bermuda, where horses and car riages took liesurely six or seven hours to traverse the islands entire 25 miles. This afternoon. after the Empress sailed, the glove clerks would probably shake their weary heads and doze in peaceful tram guilty until another boat from the States brought struggle and strife
 Leaving the store, Joyce walked up the hill toward the center of town, idling away the hour until the last tender left for the ship She strolled through the gardens of the Bermuda Hotel again, enjoying their colorful and we'll planned beauty; she passed the governors mansion and she wis., ited the quaint little Portuguese church. And all the while she looked above the heads of passers- by for sight of Dicks turbulent brown curls. But she looked in vain.
 Nor did she see him in the crowd on the wharf waiting for the tender MT. Gregory was there, standing apart from the others, and he joined her.