The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-07-17
By George Gibbs

tween Michael and Slim based or
their common love of adventure
in strange lands. Michael Gay
had worked on dams and irriga-
ton projects in rough countries
and Slim had been everything
from telegraph lineman to boss
of a construction gang. He haC
fallen hard for Camilla and didn't
much care for Torelli who useo
the dark tones of his voice ano
the darker glances CT his eyes
when talking to the girl.
So when Camilla reported g
conversation that she had over
heard the night before, Slim was
ready to believe the worst of any
man he didn't like. Three men
had sat in deck chairs just out
side the French windows of Ca
milla's stateroom, she said, and
conversed in lowered tones. Ca
milla, her light out, happened to
be awake, and listened.
eff Barker could only be got
out of the way" she heard one
man say.
"Ah, yes. That is easy to say
But how-where?"
'Here on this ship" the other
voice replied. Gle comes aboard
at Marseilles. He must be put out
of the way before we reach Alex
andria."
Then, Camilla said, people
passed along the gangway, the
conversation ceased and the three
men, as if suddenly aware of the
open window, moved away and
were heard no more.
What did it mean? Camilla
didn't know, nor did Slim. Who
was Barker? British, of course.
DIRTY doings at the cross
roads," Slim said, wagging his
head.
It was therefore with some cur
iosity that they watched their
new travelling companion come
up the gangway from the sheds at
Marseilles followed by two por-
tiers with heavy English travelling
bags. Unaware of the attention
he had caused Mr.. Barker went
at once to Captain Simpsons
suite below the bridge where he
remained until the dinner gong,
appearing at last at the captains
table dressed for the evening.
Ronald Barker was perhaps an
inch under six feet, well proper
toned with a slenderness that
seemed to have come from con-
slant exercise and activity. This
impression was further enhanced
by the darkness CT his skin, a
ruddy brown of suntan too fire.
quently renewed to bleach easily.
They found out later that he had
been born in New York Of an
American mother and had gone
to Oxford on a Rhodes scholar
ship.
Ronald Barker gave the impress
sion of great capability and
strength in repose. If this was
the man Camilla's unknown ship
mates were conspiring against, he
seemed we'll able to look out for
himself
AS if aware of the question in
Camilla's mind, Captain Simpson
brought the traveller over to the
table Camilla shared with her
cousin, Josephine Holloway,
where Slim and Michael had
brought their coffee cups. Mr.
Barker had an appropriate phrase
and a ready smile and Michael
Gay understood in a moment that
he knew his way about the world,
especially about Syria and Pales-
tine, even better than Gay did.
He was interested in Gays pro-
jects but not enthusiastic in his
approval of them. ''T'his machine
of yours" he said, may be mar
velous but it seems to me the
time is not right for such an ex-
pertinent"
Asked what he meant, Mr.. Bar
ker said that the affairs of Syria
and Palestine were too unsettled
for new ventures in transporta-
ton.
do you think there will be
real trouble in Arabian" Camilla
asked him.
"No one but Allah knows and
Allah will not tell.''
Slim and Michael Gay sat in
the bar smoking. Slim was talk
ing. 81 wonder what has called
Ronald Barker back into the East
so suddenly. I read just before
sailing from New York that he
! had been for two weeks in Lon
don at the Foreign Office"
ooh, just this mess in Palestine
probably Gay put in.
"But the mess in Palestine has
J been a mess for a long while