Evening star., 1939-12-17
II Short Story Complete on This Page

thatched bungalows on their stilt-like sup
ports, housing the expedition. And every
where, she knew, on this island paradise, were
exotic growths, rare varieties born of altitude
and swamp, of clearing and jungle A bota-
mist 8 heaven, Papa Huss had called it, proud
of it as his own discovery. The natives were
few but friendly; the work was going we'll
But now the sea was no longer empty.
She ran down to where Papa Huss was lean
ing over rows of young, green shoots. From
under pith helmet he glanced up at her. His
skin was sallow from exposure to tropical suns;
he had been everywhere, driven by passion
for knowledge and experiment. Dr. Lepailleur
had declared: Papa Huss is our man. Nobody
but Papa Huss can help u.s."
The ship is coming in" she said.
"Oh?" He hardly understood; hardly cared.
She thought, breathlessly: perhaps he's
right What does the outside world matter to
us? What can it give u.s."
They had been very happy here - happier
than ever she had been in her life. She was
glad it was three-year term, with only one
year gone Haste is rarely scientific"
Lepailleur insisted. 1T is the root of many
failures. There are flowers and fruits that can
find congenial soil in the western world, but
haste in studying the conditions of growth
means defeat. We shall take our time"
Papa Huss was lost in his work again. She
moved more slowly on. Then she saw Paul
Roeding come running from one of the bun
galows. The ship!" he cried. Let's rum"
He took her hand, and like children they
ran towards the spindly wharf that struggled
out into the lagoon. She wondered, clinging
to his hand, why am afraid?" and thought
of the trepidation with which, little over a
year ago, she had signed the articles to join
this expedition. She thought of the Judith
Heneker who had looked back with home
sick glance at familiar skyline, who had even
shed silly tear as the lights of New York
grew dim, who had 50 been discovered by the
young man she knew only as Paul Roeding,
one of their company. He had come beside
her at the rail and spoken in soft, pleasing
voice, almost free of accent when sailed
from Hamburg, he said, Il felt like that, too.
But one makes discoveries - travelling" He
had smiled at her. Was she afraid now, that
the ship might take her from him?
They were soon all down on the spindly
wharf: the Lepailleurs, Ridgeway, Paul, her
self only Papa Huss missing. Men on the
decks of the steamer hailed them. Packages
of supplies and bundles of newspapers, now
many weeks old, were waiting to be put ashore.
Native bearers stood in readiness to help the
unloading. The steamer was dirty looking
tramp; she did not even carry wireless. Her
business was in waters far from the ordinary
sea lanes Her crew was unmoved by the
implications of an annual visit
Lepailleur was directing operations. His
spade beard jutted from face much photo
graphed in learned circles. Judy Heneker saw
Eve Lepailleur watching her husband with the
adoring admiration she had for all his move
ments Eve had high, bright cheekbones,
flaxen hair. She had come as pupil to
Lepailleur in Paris bringing nothing but her
brilliant intellect and the good wishes of
friends and relatives in Lvov. When she spoke
of her native land she became demonstrative,
when she looked at her teacher - now her
husband - emotion leaped to her eyes, but in
botanical research nobody was more clear
headed and scientific.
Ridgeway had joined them at Rangoon-a
tall, dark Englishman, rangy, silent until
incident of intelligent inquiry loosed in him
the art of the raconteur. He and Paul Roeding
eoroatn,ee Differed m nolitical matters hit