THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1934.
The ROMANTIC RUNAWAY
CHAPTER XXIV
Angela hobbled back to her shack and packed her belongings. There was scarcely more to do than. to slip a bottle of gin in the front of her dress. This done, she hobbled forth again. She would go to the swamp for a little while, she decided. She did not wish to encounter the inquistive strangere again. Picturesquely, she cursed them. If their coming should dis turb the monthly remittance from Cuba for caring for Pablito what would become of her?
She wept, whining vituperation
curses as she went.
and
At the edge of the swamp she pulled her sagging skirts high and waded cautiously, a wary eye out for alligators and water mocensing, Again a land, she followed what was called the "Slave's Way" ke- cause years before many slaves had followed this route, sécking free- dom.
When she stepped into the first clearing sho Jumped so that a twinge of rheumatism madu hor wince. Someone else had sought the shelter of the swamp-a mañ, ""Good day, mother," he said easily. He too, looked startled. He hoped she had not noticed this but she had seen it and smiled shyly.
plente
"It is a good day for a picule,” she said slowly.
"Will you share my cul?" hu. asked. She nodded as she sat down
on
KATHARINE VILAND-TAYLOR
long as he had his way and wholly cruel if antagonized. She feared the years when she must be alone with him, ⠀
"Are you comfortable, mother?" "Quite, dear heart--"
hummock not far from him. Cuban youth, to the small island | oyes which deny an enjoyment of He would be kind, sho realized, so Then she studied him. Soon--but the messenger could find no torture. when she felt it to be wise-atio trace of Noyes. Storms had loft "Go, stranger and with God!" would return to Key West and tell sand thick and gritty upon every-she repeated between hor groans. the authorities that a man wasthing within the shack, the Cuban So the Cuban boy had gone after hiding in the swamp in a spot to boy testified, and the place looked one last glance toward the dark- which she could direct them. Shp, as though it had been deported for ness of the shadows and after would do this, providing she could months.
crossing himself. bekefit by it. The probability of "Nadle all he repeated with Pablito, in the house of Cerro, her benciting she would make a lift of the shoulders and out-sank back in his chair, his brow But her mother spoke slowly sure of before she spoke.
flung hands. "Nadio!" ("Nobody furrowed. He had grown older in now with long gaps between, her there, nobody!")
her sunken some day, somehow he flush of fever on sure that Pablito, asked, this hard muscles would locate Noyes and that again checks and the brightness of it in strained and tense as he leaned they would dwell in that peace he her eyes. forward over the bare-topped table, now thought of as close to Utopia.
The boy hesitated 1
He arose to, pay the messenger Then he spoke. He had gone into and the boys reassuring himself of the swamp, he reassured his con- the fact that he had been in the
went on his way,
"You Bock the solitude?" sho asked blandly.
The man siirred, looking anxious. ly toward the shadow. "I am
hunting orchids," ho answered.
"Ah she thought, with an in- ward leer, "So you're hunting orchidsi Already you look as if the dogs hand chased you 100 miles."
He spoke a stiff variety of Span- lah and she concluded that he was a northernor who had long been in hiding.
"God grant that you find your orchids!" sho murmured, her blood-shot eyes fixed upon him.
She was certain now. The man was hiding from something or some one. And she would have her reward.
Above them the trees grew un- usually high for swamp ground, making on impenetrable green- black roof. Now and again a leat stirred gently but usually quiet prevailed.
"It is a warm day, stranger, and you have hurried," she said with a thick pretence of concern,
"Yes" he admitted.
Ile took from his pocket then a gray handkerchief that Pablito had once kept whlie for him.
With it he mopped ble brow.
Pablito sent a
t
messenger,
"And you went into the swamp 7% very short time. He was still words and always there was the
moment.
Norma Field diod in October. The day was Estelle's sixteenth birthday, a day when the moun tains were tinged,with pink and sparkling.
science. Not far, to be sure, yet awam appeared thon. Too bad, gold and purple and, the air was
he had gone into the swamp.
"Seguro que si, Senor!" He an-honey," she said, laying a hand on swered. ("Surely yes!")
Pablito's shoulder. He realized
She had never seemed better. Then
he wiped his brow although thut the only alncere kindness, he the day was not over-warm, being knew these days came from Lot. Estelle had laughed with her that freshened by a cool breeze that had tle. He thought, "Some time, in morning over some trivial happen- ing that had Amused them both. had its start in a late, northern some way, I must repay her. blizzard. That awamp, the Cuban
Estelle had And this need, sprung from his Then Mrs. Field had said she boy feared, he would never forget.sense of fairness, Krew into a wanted to rest and The place had been as black as heavy senso of duty but his grati-gone to the garden to look at the the inside of the devil's cauldron. tude was to lie dormant longer mountains, the changes of which
never failed to entrance her, Half way toward its darkest gloom that he could guess. ho bad come across D wicked old
She returned at luncheon time nurse. "Deur, orma Field and Estelle had to meet the day woman who had seemed a witch. She was lying on a path with one settled in Tucson, Ariz. Norma, don't come in now!" the nurse' Estelle grew leg twisted under her and she had knowing that she could not live ordered sharply. screamed as he had never heard long, clutched the hours with faint but the nurse did not stop to Estelle Jealously. Meanwhile she help her. She hurried back to her made a brave pretence of feeling patient. better.
a woman scream.
He had backed away from her, asking haltingly, "Old woman, can I help you? May I send friends to you from Key West?"
Seeing her, he had decided that, sin or not, he could not touch heri
And she had answered, shrieking,
"No, nol Not from Key West! I have a daughter who will come to me. Go!"
Ah, her troubles! Angela thought through the pain that con- fused her. Help from Key West would deliver her into the power of the strangers who had inquired about the boy left in her care,
Estelle sat by her mother's bed constantly, watching with tragic young eyes and, smiling stiffly.
"Darling, you should go out cise
Estelle
"Big" Field came soon. had not cried and did not cry un- til she saw her father. Then she clung to him, weeping hysterically.. be his now-all his.
you should get more exer-She felt his heart rise. She would
"But I'd rather be here."
"Naver mind, darling. You have "I'm afraid, it must be stupid for your daddy," he said soothingly, you want to be here, mother."
dear, pepped up with me."
(To Be Continued).
patting the girl's shoulder.. He Estelle thought a great deal dur-felt her clinging to him more
tightly. ing those days. She thought of the past and of what was ahead. 'She had begun to understand her father through his attitude about Pablito. The orchil hunter would help He had been ruthless in refusing her, she knew. He had the soft to listen to her defence of the boy.
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ALHAMBRA
THEATRE
THURSDAY
My husband says he's through with me=should I take it to heart?
A somewhat remarkable escape from serious injury, was experienced by a party of Chinese motor- Its on the Minghong Road on Easter Monday afternoon.: A now Auburn ény was being driven by ay Chinuro thauffeur round a bend about 15 kilometres from Shanghai when it get out of control, and: Akidded on the lacus ash surface, vraching into the parapat of a small bridge and falling into the croak There were seven Chlause phasnagara, all of whom escaped with nothing worry than a ducking
kad severe bruises, dea
At Val di Cedini in Italy where a
· now. gozaur kas been discovered.
·Plans are being formed for explolta.
tion to supply power to electris
Bolivian 'savalrymen. In the Crna Chavn, where fighting continuas das- pita Longus efforts utimodiation.
No,take
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-JOSEPH M, SCHIEHAČK
LEE TRACY Advice to the LOVELORN