Evening star., 1941-07-15

Stephanie was beautiful. She "
q magazine cover come to life. Her
hair was blond, like gold in shadow,
and her eyes were aquamarine.
Jim Mason said, "Hiya, Phil!
Stevie, this is my friend, Capt.
Howard. Phil, old boy-Steph-
anie. -"
Pride bubbled in Jim Mason's
voice, and Phil Howard saw his
friends sheer happiness. Phil also
saw, in that moment, all that 1t.
Mason was. A man, gentleman,
and a good officer; but a lanky,
homely fellow.
He stepped forward and he smiled
at them both. You are a pleasant
surprise. Stephanie Congratula-
tions, Jim. Congratulations to you
both"
Jim Mason beamed. And Steph-
anie said, II have heard much about
you. Capt. Howard-from Jim. You
shall be my friend also, no?"
Phil shall be your friend, Stevie,"
said Jim Mason. But not too much
a friend. The captain is a devil
with the women"
"Ah, I think that must be true"
the girl said, studying Phil Howard
with critical, half-closed eyes.
"Some women like handsome men,"
Phil Is JOlted.
He grinned at her, trying not to
show how jolted he was. Her eyes
disturbed him; he liked this trick
of hers, this trick of looking at a
man through her lashes. Yelled like
that, her eyes became mysterious.
He looked away from her.
MY cars around back" he said.
take Stephanie back, Jim, and
introduce her to Helen Brennan.
i'll bring your bags"
"Okay. The bags are inside. I
phoned the post for a truck to pick
up Stevies trunk"
Phil went inside, and there was
a steamer trunk and two travelling
bags. One of the bags was Jim Ma
sons familiar gladstone, a cheap
and much battered affair. The other
bag and the trunk were new and
expensive looking, swank and for
eign in design, and there was la
bel on the trunk. Phil looked at
the label, and it was of a Lisbon
hotel.
He picked up the two bags and
walked from the station, then
halted on the platform. He had
forgotten the auburn-haired girl,
but she was still there. Still there
looking-abandoned.
Phil said, Are you going to Sea-
berth? You could phone from in
side, for some one to come meet
you"
"Seaberth? No, I'm going to Fort
Marfeld. The person who was to
meet me seems to-to have forgot
temp"
why not ride with us? There's
room, and you'd be very welcome" :"
The Majors Daughter.
He smiled at her in friendly
fashion because she looked so shy
and troubled. He tried to guess
whom she'd come to visit. Not an
officer; he knew Marfleld's officers
well enough to know of the women
In their lives. 1t must be, then, an
enlisted man.
"Well?" he prompted. And the
girl said. 'If it's not inconvenient,
Captain"
Capt. Howard" he said, and he
put Stephanie's bag under his arm
and stopped to take up this girls.
I'll have a truck pick up your
trunk All, it looks as though you'll
be with us quite while"
Il expect to be. I've come to
live with my father, you see"
Your father? didn't cat1l your
name"
II don't think I told you my name.
It's Joan Hammond"
Phil Howard stared at her.
Hammond" he said. You're not
-? Why, I didn't know the Old
Man had daughter. Maj. Ham
mond, I mean"
Joan Hammond gave him thin,
almost sad, smile. 1T almost seems
that he doesn't know, either" she
said. And somehow, that seemed
to explain the girl-and her fright
ened, lost look.
They walked around to the car,
and Jim Mason and Stephanie stood
there talking with Helen Brennan.
Phil said. Folks, this is Joan Ham
mond, Maj Hammond's daughter"
Jim Mason stared in surprise, and
Helen Brennar's dark eyes widened
with astonishment. Stephanie mere
~ smiled; she, of course, didn't
know about Marfield's commanding
officer. Phil told Joan Hammond
their names, then went to the back
OF the car and put the three bags
into the rear compartment. When
he came to get in behind the wheel,
Jim Mason had put Joan up front
and was getting into the rear with
Stephanie and Helen.
Stephanie Is Disappointed.
The three in the rear talked and
laughed, and Phil tried hard to get
a conversation going with Joan
Hammond. She seemed lonely, but
she didn't want to be friendly. She
replied in monosyllables. No, she
had never been to an Army post
before. Yes, she thought she would
like Fort Marfeld. No, she knew
no Army people She was like her
father, a person Of moods. Phil
stopped talking to her and listened
to Stephanie'S voice.
Hers was a family husky voice,