Evening star., 1940-06-12

and she let herself 60 for 1t was
easy now to give up fighting.
She was out Of the storm when
the blackness left her. She started
up, a cry on her lips, but John S
hand gently pushed her back.
Take 1t easy" he said.
II must have tainted" Her own
voice seemed unfamiliar.
mo WONDER" he said. "You took
a battering. But you're all right
now. We're grounded"
She saw that they were in a tiny
shack of place. The walls were
rough boards, the roof tin. She
lay on narrow bunk. She met
Johns eyes. and he said, Fisher
mans shack. But there's no one
about"
Outside the storm still ragged, the
rain drumming on the tin roof It
was gloomily dark until John lighted
an oil lamp. 1t was cozy then,
like any shelter from a storm.
Finds Coffee on Hand.
John moved about the room,
opened cupboard. He found cof-
fee and a pot and bucket OF water.
He lighted the oil-burning cook
stove and shortly the room was
warm and the appetizing fragrance
OF coffee filled it. On the bunk.
Joan sat up and sneezed. She was
cold clear through. Her teeth chat
tered.
John said, you'd better get out
OF those damp clothes. We can dry
them at the stove
Joan said. II suppose so,p with
out looking at him. She didn't move
He came to the bunk and took a
blanket, shook it out and pinned
1t up across the bunk as a screen.
Hand them out" he said, and
moved away.
Joan removed her blouse and jodh-
purs. They were a sodden heap
As she held them outside the blan-
ket. John came and took them,
and when she lay back she saw him
drape them over a chair back close
to the stove.
He brought her cup of coffee,
and she held blanket about her
and sat up. The coffee warmed her.
John watched her as she drank
with faint, uneasy frown.
Il suppose you don't think much
OF my flying ability"
you brought us through" Joan
said.
Il had weather warnings before
we took of. I thought I could beat
the storm. The weather looked good
at Miami
Joan said, where are we?"
"On one Of the Bahamas. It's a
pretty tiny island. I don't believe
there's another building besides this
on it."
We're lucky we found one" Joan
said. She felt warmed. secure.
There wasn't any danger an ymore.
And for little time she could be
alone with him
Clothes Are Dried.
John moved away to sit close to
the stove to dry his clothes. He
brought a pipe and a tobacco pouch
from his pocket, occupied himself
with filling and lighting up. He
sat smoking, seeming to listen to
the noise of the storm. Joan Law
back and watched him with half
closed eyes. He was very close, but
he seemed far, far off.
He finally brought her clothes,
which were dry but hopelessly
wrinkled. Joan got into them and
stepped out into the room.
The others will think we're
lost" she said.
Il suppose they will" John
agreed. But that will work cut
all right. They'll search for us and
take us OF this island"
Joan met his eyes. Laura will
be frantic"
Laura" he said, family frown-
ing, lis never frantic. 1 mean, 1t
would take something tremendous
to shake her composure"
You care a great deal for ore
another, don't you?"
I'VE were once engaged" John
said, and bit hard on the stem df
his pipe. We're good friends, still
Joan understood then that Scott
Lanning had come between John
North and Laura Ward. John had