The midland journal., 1942-02-27


body seemed to tremble.
Karen Waterson landed upon Ala
koa fascinated, deeply stirred, and
afraid.
'Your uncle" Charles Wong said,
sis very anxious to see you at
once"
Ever since Tonga Dick and Karen
had arrived, the tall Chinese, .secre-
tary to James Wayne, had been how
ering near Dick-if Charles Wong
could be said to hover. Charles
Wong, who had never seen China,
showed in his tall and bony frame
the stamp of the Manchu, but about
him was no mannerism belonging
to the Oriental.
Dick was troubled because his url-
Gle had not come out to meet him.
''He's in bed?"
'No; he's supposed to be, but
nobody can keep him there"
"Well-Tn 60 right in"
Yet Dick hesitated; he was won
dering whether he had better ask
the advice of Charles Wong. After
all, it was two years since Tonga
Dick had met his uncle face to face.
''This GIRL" Charles Wong said
hesitantly, "this girl" He stopped.
Dick Wayne was startled. 1t was
as if the Chinese had read his mind.
He remained silent, waiting.
81 was just thinking" Charles
Wong said after a moment, "that
perhaps it might be unwise, consid-
ering your uncle's condition, to in
troduce a stranger now. I mean,
if perhaps we just said nothing"
Charles" Dick said, "that girl is
Karen Waterson."
He went striding off through the
big koa-wood rooms, leaving the Sec
retary paralyzed under the weight
Of a hundred unanswered questions.
James Wayne, deeply swathed in
blankets, sat behind vast desk.
His handclasp was quick and strong,
as it always had been, though Dick
thought there was tremor in it
now.
For the first time, Dick Wayne
was looking at his uncle and seeing
an old man. Haggard, gray-skinned,
deep-carved with the lines which the
years had saved up for him, only to
mark him with them suddenly, over
night-the face of James Wayne was
almost unrecognizable to Dick.
81 got your radio, sir" Dick said.
"I came on under all power as soon
as the message was in"
ST should think" his uncle said
slowly, ''you would have come any
way, without so urgent an appeal" :"
Even, Dick noticed, James
Wayne's voice had changed; it
sounded weary and dry. His old
temperate manner of speech was
there, and the courtesy, almost like
kindness, which had marked his
speech all his life, even when deal
ing with his enemies, was there;
but rustiness was in it now.
James Wayne's eyes were fixed
hard on Tonga Dicks face, and
! those eyes, clear and direct as ever.
now seemed to burn. SIS there any
message?" he demanded sharply.
''No message, sir" he said.
Dispatches, then?"
''No, SIR"
James Wayne stared at him, his
eyes boring hard into Tonga Dick.
"You mean to say-you mean to say
mo message, no letter-no any
thing?"
Nothing, SIR"
"Yet-he got the despatch from
me? He got the word, at the same
time you did?"
''I'm certain of it.
| For a moment more they looked
at each other, the old mans eyes
alight with anger, and in his face
not disbelief, but an inability to ac-
cept the answer.
''This is incredible" said James
Wayne, his unwinking eyes fastened
hard upon Tonga Dicks face.
Dick said nothing, and the mo-
ments ticked by in such silence
that Dick thought he could count
the pulsing Of his own heart.
''If this is true" James Wayne
said sharply. ''then how does it hap
pen that you are here?"
"I'm here against my orders"
Silence again; but now after g
moment mbre Dick saw the light oi
anger and unbelief die out of his un-
cle's eyes, giving way to bleak
fatality.
Name of Godl" James Wayne
said, his voice low and thick. ''Name
of Godl"
He turned his head and looked out