HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1938-12-22, Page 15WINGHAM ADVANCE-TIMES PAG® Si
it be Stuart’she hud heard crying?
She knocked and all sound ceased at
once.
“Stuart!" she called. "Stuart, I’ve
been looking all over for you, Where
■are you?"
There was no answer from the cab
in and Star had a sudden fear that
the boy had been hurt. Without wait
ing she turned the handle and the
door opened. For a moment she did
not see the child at all. But as her
eyes became accustomed to the dim
light she made out his small figure
•curled up in the easy chair next to ]
the bed. Star went over and took him' to say at last,
in her arms. Stuart turned his face,
■away’ while she held him close with
out saying anything more. For a few
seconds he managed to control him
self, although Star could feel the
throbbing of his heart.
Then all at once the storm, came.
This was a heartbroken little boy
'whose whole world had been smash
ed before his very eyes. Star patted
•the hot little head and rocked him
.gently back and forth. iStuart’s sobs
gradually subsided. Star wiped his
face with her handkerchief and brush-
>ed the bright curls back from his
forehead. As she had suspected,
Stuart began to resent her intrusion
.as soon as he gained control of him
self,
"I was looking for you,” Star ex
plained, "because I thought we might
hunt for that pirate that’s down there
under the water. You know this is
where that wicked city sank right in-
:to the sea."
Stuart made no response, so after
.a pause Star tried again.
. "I was looking for Miss Cattrell,
too. I’m afraijd she’s going to be ra
ther loney today and I thought may-
.be she would want you to go around
.a little bit with her.” *
“She’s gonna take me to Castleton
•Gardens,” Stuart answered.
Star said enthusiastically, “Oh,
that’s so nice! But aren’t you going
•to go somewhere else too?”
‘“Where else?”
"To some of the shops?"
“Don’t like stores."
“But, Stuart, this is different. You
know what day today is.”
“It’s Tuesday.”
“No, I mean what holiday is it?”
“No holiday.”
“Oh, Stuart, it is! Don’t you re-
imember the story I told you last
might? It’s the day before Christmas
—Christmas Eve."
ridearound in a sleigh or have fur on
his clothes way down here. It’s aoo
hot, I asked Daddy if he took his
coat off, and then he told me it was
all make believe?*
In spite of himself Stuart’s
trembled a little as he recalled
ghastly moment.
But Star did not seem at all
dened. On the contrary, she laughed
chin
that
sad
she thought, from the pier. But once
aboard it was difficult to understand
what had made it seem so interest
ing. The paint was cracked and peel
ing. “Well-worn.” was the nicest ad
jective that could have been applied
to the uneven splintery deck and the
grey patched canvas attached to the
towering masts.
Her eyes came back to the crew.
piece of canvas had been stretched
across the bars. Coates appeared un
aware of her critical scrutiny.
"Come ip and sit down/’ he invited
hospitably. *Tll get a light” He
swore softly as his toe hit against
some bulky object on the floor. “I’d
like to show you on the map where
we’re going to look for our spec
imens. I forgot to have the skylightvu mt I unm. + jargon. w nave me skjvery happily and continued to give | There seemed to be so many menlff^ed?* he added apologetically,
M As the lamp flared Star thought
Star that it woud have been just as well
glanced away uneasily. She was re- ] to leave the cabin dimly lit. In the
J glare the place looked even more
“ gloomy, and indescribably shabby,
j She saw for the first time that there
were ragged curtains pushed back
from the portholes.
Her thoughts wandered as Coates
talked on about what he was going
to look for and where he would start
excavations. She was rather glad
f when he stopped. The„ story of an-
“ cient rites and torturous sacrifices
way to an almost uncontrollable | for so small a boat, and they were
mirth even after Stuart began to look watching her with interest,
at her in wonder. h ‘
"Your poor father,” she managed I minded that this
'I wondered what he Main.
had been so cross about these last
few days. So that’s it! Somebody
told him that Santa Claus was used
to cold countries and couldn’t come
way down south. I almost made the
same mistake,” she confided more
seriously, "And then I — I sudden
ly remembered that er — er — Santa
Claus had a brother who lives down
at the South Pole.”
’A brother?”
‘Yes, a twin brother. I had heard
was the .Pirate
Had the men been appropri-
!‘i ately dressed it would have been easy
| to imagine that the days of those sea
I vultures were still a reality and not I
| part of a dim past. |
j But the dirty slacks and white un-|
| dershirts that were the uniform of |
| the crew were not in any way ro-
| mantic. And somehow Star had nev-
| er thought of pirates as unshaven,
I Pirates had long hair — yes, and gold
5 earrings in their ears. She thought
she had even heard of a bearded pir
ate or two. But never these dirty,
bristling faces that: were common to
the men aboard the Merry Maid!
“Baldy!”
The man Coates addressed stepped
forward and made a gesture of sal-
I Ute. It was mocking, almost derisive,
•Star thought. H^appeared older than
I the others, but his hair, or lack of it,
I was concealed by a shabby cap worn f She withdrew her hand hastily from
| well over one eye. I its surface — it was greasy too!
“This is my chief mate,” Coates an- ‘‘This is still a good boat/’ Coates
it a long time ago but naturally I—
had forgotten about it,” she went on.
“You see, Santa Claus takes care of
all the children up north and Santa
Claus’ brother takes care of all the
children down south.”
Stuart’s interest was now whole
heartedly hers. “Does he wear a red
suit?" he asked.
“He wears a — a red bathing suit,”
Star explained hastily.
“He must look funny.”
“Not to the little southern child- S nounced and Star was surprised to I sajd loyally,
ren. 1 ‘‘ - .....
Claus looked funny, and this Santa | his voice.
Claus from the South Pole doesn’t} he commanded briskly,
wear any fur, either. His red cap is
Chapter XXIII
Stuart climbed off Star’s lap with-
■out a word and walked over to the
bureau. His lips were trembling
again and Star realized that in some
inexplicable way she had hit upon the
secret of his woe. Hesitantly, because
she did not want him to continue a
stubborn silence she said, “You know
the stores and all the people who go
to the stores have to help Santa Claus
.a little bit." ‘
Stuart turned to her with almost
adult resentment. “You tell stories
just for the fun of it,” he accused.
Star nodded gravely, “Yes, I do,
most of the time. But the Christmas
story is different, Stuart."
Hi® mouth set in a stubborn line
and Star realized that this was seri
ous.
“You see, Stuart, some of the stor
ies I tell you are about people who
never lived. But the people in those
stories are not important.”
Stuart’s expression was anything
ibut encouraging. Still Star persisted.
“The Christmas story is true. There
was a kind saint who brought gifts
to all the children he knew. He be
lieved' that was the best way to hon
or another Child who was born on
’ Christmas Day. That saint’s name
•was St. Nicholas. Sotne of us call
him Santa Claus.”
“That’s a lie,” Stuart said faltly.
“Santa Claus is just make believe.
Dad just said so."
Star drew a deep breath. She had
.finally discovered the reason for his
.unhappiness. How could Barton have
said .that to the boy? Of course he
.did not realize that Stuart .was such
a child. He kept trying to treat him
as if he were grown up. But Stuart
had had so little that was fanciful
.and imaginative in his life. It was
cruel to deprive him of the one thing
.he had believed in with all his heart.
Barton Could not do this. Some
how she must restore the childish
faith that made the holiday season
beautiful for grdwn-ups as well as for
children. »
“'When I was a little girl, Star
began,
■ment,
(Claus
Hortlt
funny
just about al this time, Santa, would
.climb in Ills sleigh and start off to
visit all the good little boys and
girls. I almost eaught « glimpse of
him once/* she added, apparently to
herself, “but the anow w,as «i» bright
it almost blinded me. 1 know what
he looked like, anyway-fal and jol
ly in a bright red milt trimmed with
white“That’s a wlWW” Stuntt saidI tri-
Claus wWnt
ignoring Stuart's last com-
"I used to hear that Santa
had a< great, factory at the
Pole, llmt nil /year long the
little elves helped him make
And then on Christmas Eve,
(!
led cm hot uninteresting excursions
into small shops the guide bad sug
gested. She had looked with grow
ing weariness at doeskin and Eng
lish wools and had sniffed obligingly
at bottles of perfume.
When all the purchases were made
at last, with Barton stupidly ignoring
her hints for a hand-made ring that
had taken her fancy, she had sighed
with relief. During the next hour she
expected that she could lead the talk.
to more personal matters. She had J each wave, which then slid over the
decided to refer again to her loneli-' deck in thinning green sheets. The
ness, to the difficulties of an attract-1 boat was listing heavily as the wind
But Kept was not listening. He
took the stairs in long jumps and the
next instant she heard shouted ord
ers and running feet on the upper
deck. The ship*® launch with Kent in
it was lowered into the water.
Star stepped onto the deck of the
schooner, gasping as the full force
of the wind struck her. The boat was
bounding through the water with
rabbit-like leaps. A spray of foam
showered upward as the prow struck
......... ......................
er she had been wrllmg to prasfc
suitcase! It was Gloria’s of <■
good joke.
Star was staring now, M Ise wst»
at the white lane on each side of the
boat. She did not know that Coates
had been at all impressed by her rev
elation. There was nothing beyond
this dismal moment when she stood
beside a man she hated. There was no
time even in the past, it seemed, that
she had been free of this stuffy
wheelhouse or the surge of the floor
beneath her feet.
Star glanced at Coates. He too
ive girl Jiving without protection in “drove it onward and whistled shrilly seemed to be watching, his eyes nar-
a great city. It was a subject she through the ropes. Star clung weakly | rowed. When she glanced back again
had dwelt on feelingly during their I
trip across the Isthmus tp anama and '
Barton had seemed interested and j
sympathetic, but he had not suggest
ed any remedy.
Indeed, she had found him eager to
talk about everyone but themselves, ]
It was all she could do to listen with
to the side of the cabin and was even
grateful for Coates* steadying arm-
"Come back in the wheelhouse,” he
shouted in her ear.
Star nodded, unable to speak, and
stumbled-with him toward the small
glass-enclosed cabin. Once inside its
shelter she managed to draw her
her heart gave an .exultant throb. It
was not a log, after<a|l. There was
only the faint suggestion of an out-
I line, but It was a small boat—a boat
‘that was shooting through the water
! toward them is if driven by super
human force.
Suddenly Baldy appeared at the
door. Whether Coates had some way
of 'summoning him or not, Star did
not know. He stood on the threshold
looking questioningly at his Captain.
When Coates spoke Star was sur
prised tq find that his tone had not
changed.
“Pull her about?’ Baldy looked for
an instant as if he were going to
question the order. “Miss Sandring
ham wishes to return to the cruise
ship for the Christmas party?’ Was
there a faint note of amusement in
Coates’ voice. “And I rather think,
she’ll make the rest of the trip in
the Cartagena’s launch.”
Stuart lay in his bunk and watched
the waves lap against the porthole.
[They would slap at the glass like a
: friendly hand and then disappear. It
was fun for a few minutes, but then
he tired of the game. He wasn’t a
bit sleepy. Grawn-ups had funny
ideas, especially Dad. He thought
Stuart ought to have a nap tins after
noon because he was going to stay
up a little later tonight
But tonight was different, and
and sleeping was out of the question.
It was Christmas Eve. Santa Claus
was on his way. A strange Santa
Claused dressed in a red bathing suit
and a red cap with a white cotton
ibalL
1 He sat up and listened. He had.
“You think he’ll interrupt what | never before actually disobeyed Dad,
jbut this wasn’t real disobedience. If
| Dad were here so he could ask him,
J he might concede that Stuart didn’t
| have to stay In bed. But since Dad
j wasn’t here, it had to be settled at
: once.
| He was sure the ship had never
j been so quiet before. Occasionally
' even at night, he heard footsteps a-
to come aboard alone? Kent had been pong the corridor outside, the slam
right. He had tried to warn her and. of a door or a voice c^siing to some-
she had not listened. Tears stung her | one. But today there was nothing,
eyes. j Only silence.
"You said you liked this part of; Stuart had no way of knowing that
the world," Coates was saying, “Weil, pn the dining salon all the passengers
here’s your chance to see it. And you, were laughing and talking as they
mentioned something about helping * decorated the huge tree that had just
me with the expedition." s been put into place, Mr. Jenkins felt
Star recalled that sunny day—her ’ that he had supervised its erection-
first day in Haiti. How far away It True, he had contributed manw sug-
seemed now! ’ gestions which the seamen had con-
“It isn’t such a bad life. And when • sistently ignored.
we get the museum established—the | “At home back in Ohio we always
money you inherited will be a great use a bucket of coal to prop the
Her loveliest ’ help for that—■" tree,” he pointed out. “Then the coal
“The money?" Suddenly Star saw can be covered with cotton and that
hope,, “You don’t mean to shiny stuff that looks like snow.”*
believed me? But it isn’t ” “We had a beautiful tree the year
Edna was born,” Mrs. Jenkin> con-
looked at her briefly with fided to Elise Cattrell. “Not as big
K ................................................ .... ....... ... ........
that had seemed so intriguing aboard I a show of interest when he spoke of i, breath. Baldy, without glancing at
| a safe modern ship, was too realistic | Elise Cattrell and the tragedy that«her, handed the wheel to Coates and
I when heard against this weird back->i had marred her life. As *if any girl 5 went out. Star loked at othe narrow
| ground. She managed to nod at ap-
I propriate intervals, but she was
thinking vaguely, I can’t stand here
forever smiling and nodding and say
ing nothing.
“It must have been a beautiful
J ship —once,” she managed finally.
| The movement of the boat, slight
|as it was, threw her against the table.
wanted to listen to that by the hour!
Chapter XXV
And then to find, when Gloria and
Underwod walked into the Myrtle
Bank Hotel, that Elise Cattrell ac
companied by the impossible Stuart
I shore line rising in little 'bumps that I
I might be mountains.
5 Her heart sank, but she forced her-
sself to speak as naturally as she
| could. “I didn’t realize that you had
_ +_____ ______Uo be an acrobat as well as a sailor
was already there! Barton had nation a boat like this. It’s terribly
seemed surprised, she thought now, | rough?
although she had been so enraged at
the moment she hadn’t really noticed.
Perhaps they had planned the meet-
_ ing. Anyway, she had found it im-
s : oo.ii “Here, you’d better sit5 possible to stop his tiresome mono-
They would think our Santa hear a faint undercurrent of pride in | down." He cleared the one chair by | logue about what they had done and
I htc TrnJ«-o, “Get ready to sail, Boldy/’phe simple expedient of pushing a-seen. He had scarcely looked at her-
. conglomeration of books and maps | again, nor did Elise appear to notice:
“We’re going to show Miss Sand-j onto the floor. He settled himself on j Gloria’s apparent lack of enthusiasm!
trimmed with a big ball of white cot- | ringham how a sailing ship operates. I a chest against the side of the boat | at the reunion. Only Stuart, by oc- j
as Star sat uneasily on the edge occasional quick scowls, had seemed '
the seat he had drawn up to the table. ' aware that she was with them. |;
“The Merry Maid needs only a lit-J
tie paint and the old girl would look y
like a debutante. Do you know this
boat was built fifty-three years ago?”
His eyes.kindled at the thought,
and for a moment even Star could
imagine it plean and new and with
shining sails as it slid down the ways.
“It was used for fishing off the%
Newfoundland Banks,” Coates ex
plained, and Star instantly identified
the slckish odor that pervaded the
place. “After that, she was .sold to
some rum runners. Then she had a
hard life. She was caught by the
Coast Guardand the owrjer shot —
right in this room. I’ll show you the
design made by the machine gun
when we get back on deck."
"A man was killed here?” Star
stammered.
Coates nodded, and the distaste •
Star had felt for the boat deepened«
so she could scarcely pretend an en
thusiasm in her host’s further remin
iscences.
“She was laid up for a time before
the Museum bought her. That bunch
of fossils wouldn’t spend a penny on
paint. I could take part of the ex
pedition money, but, after all—"
His hand was laid briefly on hers.
Star jumped to her feet and then
tried to cover her startled movement
with a laugh. “What —» what’s that
hole?" she asked with forced inter
est. She peered at the dark oval set
into the wall and half-closed with a
shutter-like panel. Coates picked up
the lamp and flashed it inside.
“That’s the bunk.” He raised the
light so that she could look at the
boards which closed it in above. “See,
ton.” | She has never been on one before.
“He doesn’t use a sleigh?” > I’m. sure she will enjoy the experi-
“Of course not! How could he use ence for a coupie of hours.”
a sleigh where there is no snow?” The man nodded in a surly Fashion
Star laughed, though she was won-1 and muttered some directions to the
dering how she could manage to
make the story come true. She look
ed down into Stuart’s face, his shin
ing eyes, and brushed a damp curl
from his forehead. It had to come
true. It just had to.
“Then what does he ride in?"
“Oh, he rides in a sailing ship. Not
a big ship like this one, but a silver
ship that glides over the water in the
night and stops at every porf just as
we do.”
“What for?"
“To leave the presents, of course.”
“And Dadd^ doesn't know?”
Stuart chuckled with Star at this
secret they shared between them.
“We'll have to tell him,” she said,
“because Santa Clau®, comes tonight.
I shouldn’t be surprised,” her voice
sank to a thrilling whisper, “if he had
already left some of the presents here
on this ship. I expect the sailors
have helped him hide them, and when
he comes tonight he’ll take them out
of their hiding places and give them
to the right people.”
Star glanced at her wrist watch;
she was already over half an hour
late for her appointment with Coates.
But that seemed unimportant com-
pared-with the gleam in Stuart’s eyes
and the childish pleasure he had
found in her story. When you’re old
er, Star thought, hastily combing his
curls into a semblance of order, you
realize that Santa Claus does exist—
in our hearts. But until you can real
ize that, it’s needless cruelty to take
away your belief in the kindly saint.
hSe helped Stuart wipe the tear
stains from his face and together
they went in search of Elise who was
waiting patiently in a deck chairmear
the ladder. Star could see Coates
pacing nervously up ahd down the
pier. His slight figure appeared rigid
with anger even at that distance.
Star gave up her plan to meet Elise
afterward. Coates might have arrang
ed something elce. When she and
Kent were in Cristobal Sunday after
noon she had learned how unwise it
was to plan ahead. How angry Kent
had been! He hadn’t tried to see her
alone again. Perhaps he was sulking.
She spoke but a moment to Elise,
nodded toward Coates and ran to the smile,
ladder. Evidently he had been watch- • self."
crew. Coates took Star’s arm pos
sessive! v..
Chapter XXIV
“Come, I want to show you my
cabin,” said Coates.
Star hung back. “It’s — it’s nice
of you to show me around. But —
please don’t bother to sail anywhere.
I — I can see everything right here."
The crew had already started to
unfasten the sails and weigh the an
chor. The speed and precision with
which they accomplished this was
surprising, but not reassruing. Either
they were excellent sailors or they
had known exactly what was going
to happen.
Coates laughed. Star felt uncom
fortable as his eyes glinted at her in
amusement. "Afraid I’ll kidnap you?"
he asked.
“No, only you’re going to so much
trouble."
“I would take a lot of trouble for
you," Coates said in a low voice. His
hand on her arm urged her forward.
“Come one, the cabin won’t bite you?'
Star tried to stop the unreasoning
impulse that swept through her as
they started down the dark narrow
companionway. The walls on both
sides felt — she hesitated at the word
even in ther thoughts, but it was apt
—they felt slimy. She tried to steady
her voice, to sound gay and amused.
“Do those men up there really help
you? They don’t look a bit as if they
are interested. in science."
Coates’ laugh was natural and ap
preciative. “I don’t need scientists,” |
he pointed out. “They may look like | there’s a compass set in the ceiling
cut-throats, my dear, but theyr’e
darned good sailors.” _
Star remembered a book she had
read, was it Treasure Island? where
the sailors looked like pirates and
cut-throats — and were! Here they
looked just as evil and were.merely
an archeologist's “darned good sail
ors." How silly she was! At least
Jack Coates was all right and she
was staying on the schooner only a
short time. With that thought in
mind she stepped into the small room
at the foot of the stairs.
“This is the mess hall for the of
ficers,” Coates explained with a
“That is, for th.e men and my-
*
ing; he was at the foot of the ladder j Star looked around at the greasy
as she stepped ashore. „ • walls and the .scarred table, at the
“I was afraid you weren’t coming!
What happened?"
"It was careless of me,” Star con
fessed, “but I was talking to Stuart
and forgot how late it was. Do for
give me.”
“Of course.” Coates smiled and
took her arm, leading.her toward the
army of sailing ships packed into the
harbor. His smile was warm and
“Rough?" Coates laughed, his eyesj
on the green sea before them. “This i!
is nothing. Wait until we get goings
around the point there.” ?
“We're going further? But we’ve |
come quite a distance. Hadn’t we J
better ,turn back? Coates’ eyelids j
flickered, otherwise he gave no sign s
that he had heard. “Please, you must jj,
turn back!"
“Everyone is expected to help pre
pare for the Christmas party.” She
was thinking of Stuart and the fan-
she cried anxiously
And that embarrassing moment in |
the hotel dining room! Gloria stamp- jj tastic Santa Claus she had described,
ed up the ladder as she recalled the ? She had to get back’
rankling scene. In an attempt to
draw Barton’s interest she had brok-|
en into his eager questions about!
Castleton Gardens.
“Yau know, Barton, tonight they
are going to have that silly Christ-1
mas party. Why don’t you sit at our I
table? Mr. Coates left the ship to-1
day and there'll be room for you.
Then when it gets too boring we can
slip away-----"
She stopped, aware that Elise was
looking at her as if she had said
something too shocking for comment.
St-uart glared balefully from his side!
of the table and Barton looked faint
ly uncomfortable. ' I
“Thats’ very kind of you,” he said
finally. “But I have already invited*
Miss Cattrell to dine at my table |
tonight. Stuart is going to take a
little nap and join us at the party
later-----” Barton cleared his throat—
“why don’t you come over to us?"
It was then that she had walked
out on them. And she had been per
fectly right. As she gained the top
of the ladder and paused for breath’
Gloria snorted. Join them! Play sec-,
ond fiddle to another woman! Be tol
erated just because she had discover-!
ed that he was finding Elise’s lonli-1
ness more intriguing than hers? No,}
thank you1. j
Gloria turned toward her cabin, al-1
most ready to cry. __ .. . . . ,
gown, the green mandarin tunic with j
its stiffined shoulders and skirt that 5 a ray of
made her look oriental and at the | say you
same time bewilderingly lovely,
would now be wasted. Unless—Glor-
I ia’s steps slowed and she hastily com-
! posed herself as she saw Kent ap-
! proachipg, his eyes worriedly scan-
! ning the shore. Just as she was leav-
i ing Elise and Barton she had half
suggested that Kent expected to be
with her that evening. It had been
hard to explain because she had al
ready told Barton of her broken en
gagement. Now is she could make her
assertion true—
“What's the matter?" she inquired
of Kent. “Worried about tonight's
party?"
"No." His tone was not encourag
ing, but Gloria was determined that
he should not escape her.
“Stop* at the cabin for me before
dinner, why don’t you?" she persist,
ed. "We're practically the sole sur
vivors, you know."
Kent’s eyes swung around to hers.
They dilated peculiarly as he stared,
“What do you mean by that?"
“Oh, didn’t you know? Mr. Coates
has left us.”
“That? Yes," Kent assented indif
ferently.
Gloria provoked, :
“Then you know that
too?"
Kent's hand grasped
roughly. "With him?”
"You’re hurting me.
ged ^er shoulder free,
said she’was just going to look at the
schooner, but one of her bags is gone,
and several of her dresses."
“If you’re lying-—” Kent’s face was
’contored. as if he had been physically
hurt, and he tooked at her so savage
ly Gloria found herself involuntarily
taking a step backward. “Why didn’t
you tell me this before?"
“After all, it isn’t any of my bus
iness, or yonrs. If Star has deckled
to with .Jack Coalesi&fj, •» .,** ,
“We’re not going back.” Coates
smiled as he said it and Star thought
he was joking until he announced
suddenly, “Tljat is your bag down
stairs. Gloria packed it for me.”
“But — you — you can’t do this!
They’ll want to know what happened.
They’ll look for me!”
"You think Doctor Barrett will
look for you?” Coates asked scorn
fully,
he believes to be an. elopement? No,
my dear. Anyway he won’t know un
til later."
Star stared miserably out over the
■water. It no longer seemed frighten
ing. It was almost friendly compar
ed to this strange man at her side.
What had led him to do such a thing?
And why had she been so foolish as
true.”
Coates -------- (------ ... ------ ---- ---- ---- ---
a cynical smile and then turned away,! as this, of course, but it was real
Star continued eagerly. "I said that pretty.”
only for Kent’s benefit. I—I haven't ! Elise smiled at her and continued
a cent. You must believe me!” ’ to thread wires through the bright-
But her captor C'Or/iinued to look ; colored ornaments. Her heart was too
out, a half smile still playing about . full for words. Once in a while Bar-
his lips. Star wedged herself close, ton Underwood would turn around
to the glass panel on the side so that ■ and glance at her and she would
he had to look at her. Her breath ! blush as his eyes said he was happy
came with difficulty as if she had! just to be near her. “Pc..ee on earth!"
been running, but she forced herself She thought she had ..ever before
to talk slowly, almost calmly. ! understood the true meaning of those
‘‘I’m just a librarian in a small j beautiful words.
town. I—I know all about children’s ; But Stuart, listening now at the
books, that’s why I knew so many J crack of the cabin door, heard no
stories to tell Stuart. I—I even tutor I sound. He looked up and down the
during the summer. That gave me em ’ narrow shining hall, enclosed on both
ough money to come on this cruise." side’s by tightly shut doors. There
Why won’t you believe me? If I had;was no one about. Stuart's eyes shone
anything—anything at all—-you could'at this adventure. Resolutely he tug-
have it if you would only turn back.” ; getj the door open and stepped out-
and a rack for charts there on the
side. Now do you believe I’m a real
Captain?”
Star backed away hastily. His face
had come uncomfortably close to
hers. She stumbled over something
on the floor and glanced down at it,
first indifferently, and then with
growing intentness. "That looks like
my small suitcase!"
, “I’ve got’a little one too. I,stumb
led over it coming in. Well, shall we
go on deck now? The sea’s getting
heavier. We must be sailing right
along now.”
“Yes, let’s go up.” Star hoped her
voice didn’t betray her anxiety. Coat
es might have a small case like hers,
they were common enough. But it
was iricerdible that his would have
a scar on the side just as hers had
—a peculiar lang scratch that she had
made when she was taking it out of
the storeroom at the library just a
few weeks ago.
There was not time to wonder how
the bag had found its present resting
place. All her thoughts must be
centred on how
—and herself—o.
* * * ... i
Gloria’s shore trip with Barton Un
derwood had been anything but a
success and when she returued to the
Cartagena Barton was not with her.
She paid off the driver and walked
quickly toward the ship. She was so
furious she wanted to stand like a
child and scream and stamp hpr feet.
It took all her will power to control
herself and. walk, her high heels tap
ping angrily# over to the ship's lad
der.
Of all the miserable afternoons!
She had endured Barton’s dull chat
ter about what he wanted to buy for
•the glass tysts broken and a fagged hh -sisters^ ah^.Ji^d even accompan-
walls and the ^scarred table, at the
broken and disreputable chairs that
were huddled together along the
walls. Even Coates, thin and excit
able, looked far from being at home
here. A line from an old song pop
ped unbidden into her mind: “Pity
the poor sailors . . ?’
She smiled and Coates looked of
fended.
“Of course I don’t know much 8>get the bag said
Star
sharply,
is gone
companionable, the boats they were about sailing. Stilb I’m the Captain
have it if you would only turn back.” . ged the door open and stepped out-
Coates was still smiling, as if she. side.
had not spoken. j Star had been convincing—while
"Well?* said Star hopelessly, "there jj sjie was there. Somehow, watching
is no way of convincing you, 1 sup- j her, it was easy to believe. She was
pose. It’s hard for a man to change so sure of what she told him. Stuart
his mind once it’s made up. When 13 was positive that she believed Santa
told Gloria she knew right away 11 £• |aus ]1;K| a brother. But perhaps
Star had been fooled.
But Star had added that Santa
3
i
said Star hopelessly, "there ^sjie was there. Somehow, watching
approaching looked light and advent
urous. It should be a gay, memorable
afternoon!
Star did not know what made her
turn and look back at the Cartagena
as if she were leaving the comfort
and security of home.♦ * *
"So this is your schooner!”
"This is the Merry Maid",Coates
responded, "Her well-worn deck is
honored by your charming presence,
my dear?’
Star shivered as he put out his
hand and helped her over the railing
The small schooner had looked trim#
here; T give the orders." His voice
was almost threatening. As Star
looked at him sharply he moved away
and opened a small door in the op
posite wall. "This is my cabin."
Star followed him gingerly and
stopped on the threshold. Even with
her eyes accustomed to the darkness
it was hard to see the dim interior.
Two round portholes showed tike
two green eyes in one wall, but they
were darkened by water and dimmed
further by a crust of dirt, A streak
of light showed across the ceiling.
There was evidently a skylight, but
her shoulder
She shriig-
"Yes. She
was telling the truth”.
"You told Gloria?”
• Something in his tone gave Star Claus must have already brought
courage, although he spoke quietly.
“Yes,” she said eagerly
some of the gifts to the ship. He
Days needed help, she mentioned, in dis
ago. You see, I didn’t really want to $ tributing them. If that wa:
fool anyone. I—I had a personal rea
son for wanting Kent Barrett to be
lieve I had money. You and Gloria
just happened to be there. And—and
I didn't know it would make so much
difference."
Chapter XXVI
Coates was grimly considering the
situation. Star might Ke to him about
her finances, but she would not lie
to Gloria. And that smart young wo
man had been altogether too ready
to help him With his plan. No wond- suddenly identified "tS?
so, then
presents would be somewhere
the ship right now! If Stuart
find some of them, then he
bring them to the salon to-
He could help Santa Claus
i those
«about
; could
■ could
a night
I even more than the sailors.
« His heart was beating loudly as
| Ins slippered feet swished along the
I floor. He tried the first door next
to his. It opened tcadily and he
I glanced inside, He didn’t know whose
cabin it was, but a d'CiUcrtCa fragrance