The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-05-15


$50 that's the way the wind S
"Well, 1 guess that's the worst Of |
thing arresting, even terrible, about
this big frame which had been built
to a vitality for which the fuel was
now gone.
And there was no doubt about the
fuel being gone. A faint surprise
showed in the eyes of DR.. Shimazu
as he perceived that Garrett Wa
terson was still definitely alive. Lit
tie but the body structure of the
frame itself now remained to show
what Garrett Waterson had been.
First inspection found no sign Of
life in the face, or in the big skel-
etonized form under the blankets.
After a minute, though, they saw
the CLEAN Of the living eyes. In
Garrett Waterson's eyes still lived
the embattled flame which had driv-
en- this man always to wild, extrava-
CANT, and mcompromising things.
Garrett Waterson spoke huskily to
Tonga Dick. you're q knockout,
you little squirt, you are" he said.
"'What's the idea?"
Perhaps no one else in the warm
seas had ever been able to doni-
nate Tonga Dick as Garrett Water
son could. Shimazu was amazed to
hear Dick speak hesitatingly.
"Well," Dick said, without much
effect, II thought I ought to come
back here"
Garrett Waterson's voice roared
hollowly. ''What the hell else should
we do but come back? Do you have
to duck out with our only fast ship?"
Didn't know you meant to come"
This time the effect was galvanic.
The old skeleton form that had
seemed dead whipped up on one ell
bow with q dreadful, inappropriate
energy. Garrett Waterson's voice
came like the ghostly shell of roar
that once would have blown a main
81 down.
''Who are you, you insufferable
pup, to say what we are going to
do?"
AS Garrett Waterson raised HIM
self, Shimazu made a quick, instinc-
tive movement, as if he wished to
stop an effort which obviously was
more than that ancient and wasted
frame could stand. But Dick halted
Shimazu with a gesture so casual
that it carried an implication of ut
ter fatality. He knew, if Shimazu
did not, that only one thing would
ever stop Garrett Waterson from any
unwisdorn whatever.
"Sorry, SIR"
Damn your sorriness," Garrett
Waterson said in diminished voice.
He eased himself back until he lay
as lifeless as before. "And damn
you," he added.
"Okay," Dick said. ''Damn me.
What them"
''where is this girl?" waterson
demanded.
"well." Dick began. "the fact
is"
''What's she like!" Garrett hur-
ried him.
''Well," Dick began again, "she
weighs about one hundred and twen-
ty pounds, with kind of blue eyes,
and"
Blonde and sallow." Garrett Wa
terson said bitterly. "By God, I
knew It'll Self-righteous, holier-than-
thou. Preaching half the time. Wears
starchy clothes. Oh, I knew it!'
The outburst wfnded the old man,
and the silence that followed gave
Dick time to consider. He supposed
that Garrett Waterson was assign
ing to Karen the attributes he had
chosen to recognize in the family
into which his son had married. Or,
perhaps, the old mans resentment
had been inspired by something
even more unhappy than that.
''No," Dick said. "She isn't like
that. There isn't anything like that
about her at ALL"
Garrett Waterson rolled question
ing eyes upon Dick and waited.
s'She has blue eyes, like ] said,
but she has black hair; and she's
the color Of gardenia, and she
doesn't ever tan at all. There's no
preaching about her-for all ] know
there isn't even any morality. And
she's more alive than anything you
ever set eyes ON yet"
There was q silence again. $50
that's the way the wind SETS" Gar
rett Waterson said at last. well. ]
guess that's the worst Of ALL"
Doesn't anything ever please
your"
From what you say" Garrett
Waterson said. "the girl takes after
me. What worse luck could you
have than that, I'd like to known"
There was something ridiculous in
the suggestion that Karen Waterson