Evening star., 1941-05-25

1dlGll, dllu calling llle ptOplt W SuIl-
set prayer The sailors knelt. faces
down toward Mecca and murmured
the prayer themselves.
Matt locker off toward the tall
white hotel. In there Leigh was
eating dinner, listening to the Or
chestra, maybe dancing with. the
count. Somehow she stuck in his
mind. Probably because he felt
sorry for her. And yet, she seemed
able to take care of herself. He
smiled. remembering her delightful
and straightforward way with him.
Apparently she had inherited her
mothers flirtatious tendencies.
She was so different from (.
we'll, from Carlita. He was startled
to realize he hadn't given Carlita
thought since he'd sailed from
Cartagena; hadn't worried at all
about figuring out the situation.
Well, he would see her in few days,
and that would be time enough ..
The return trip was entirely un-
eventful. They saw only one snip;
an italian merchantmen. And they
had a fair wind all the way so they
made good time.
San Porte was pleased with the
report and with the money Matt
suspected that his first trip had
been a test arranged with SWahli
to see that Matt brought back every
penny. For there had been no bill of
II
A Return Voyage.
The old man sat at his desk, nod
ding at Swahli's report. When it
was finished, he looked at Matt and
said, 'it satisfies me- Prepare for
another voyage in two days. Thurs
day morning"
"All right" Matt agreed. Until
then, I'm going down to town and
see about :"
Until then" the old man smiled
sunnily, my daughter will strive
to entertain you. The town is no
good . nothing to do there. She
will entertain you"
Matt went out then, feeling
stumped and wondering that he let
himself be treated like this. He un-
derstood that he was virtually a
prisoner, and a quick anger f1ared
up in him. But always he was tied
by the helplesSness of his position.
San Porte could pretty much do as
he wished. Also, Matt wanted to
get back to Tripoli Maybe-maybe
1,a Cy,, oIy
He wandered ainlessly around the
patio toward his own room not
hearing at first the drone of mo-
tors that grew steadily closer When
it did penetrate. he looked around
him curiously. The sound seemed
to come from the other side of the
high, white wall. 1t was like an air.
plane landing -. yes, he was sure
it was!
Where the wall ran into the
building at right angles there grew
small tree, rather like a palm. If
he climbed the trunk as far as he
could He went up slowly, catch
ing his wide trousers on the rough
trunk. Up high, near the top, he
could just wrap his arms over the
top of the wall and pull himself up.
1t was a landing field! Cleverly
hidden in back of the house in the
sloping valley of two desolate hills
was a camouf1aged hangar big
enough for three planes, and sew
eral runways. At the moment a
small monoplane was taxing up to
the hangar.
An Invitation to Dinner.
The plane came to stop, and the
small cabin door opened. Carlita,
dressed in dignif1ed navy blue,
with her hair in a respectable braid
under her sports hat, stepped down,
carrying a brief case. The pilot, a
swarthy Spaniard, came after her
and lifted out several wooden boxes.
Another man in overalls ran out to
help him. She walked quickly to a
door in the back of the house, and
after watching a moment Matt
climbed down and strolled to his
room.
That was why he hadn't seen her.
Shed probably come to him now.
And that solved the mystery of
what had brought him here. 1t was
her own plane, or, rather, her
fathers. And what did that secret
field mean? Uneasily, he paced back
and forth along the terrace, seeking
a logical answer.
She didn't come to see him, but
at sunset Mana came and told him