THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEM
LOCKED OUT
bled down the cliff. Below the crowd. Moonlight on the Whisper of the waves, and chantment of a June night.
Ralph saw her first. so you've managed it af
"It's utterly lovely."
“I'll race you to the wat
They raced side by side with the sand flying beneath their feet; the air was warm and the water so warm that they hardly knew when they had entered it. Nothing mattered any more. They were cutting through it side by side, with the phosphorescence on their armas. Stars up above. The buoyance of the water.
Oh, Jannice, I have so wanted you to come down here:
"I've wanted to come so much."
up
They swam for some time and came at last back to the shore, with the air seeming cold after the water. They scrambled into the hut. There was hot cof- fee and poached eggs. One of the party had a Hawaiian guitar and was singing sweet Hawaiian songs to it. To Jannice it was a dream; something out of a play, some- thing sweet and remote and love- ly. It could perhaps never hap- pen again, but did that matter? ̈ ́ She had her moment now.
***
She
The others had dressed. had rubbed down, but her bathing frock was chilly. The bath towel- ling too was not so warm as she had thought it would be when she had bought it.
Above them hung the golden moon, and the stars looked large and unreal "A heavenly night,” said Ralph's sister.
Last of all Ralph took Jannice home. "Td better see you back into the dragon's castle."
"She isn't really a dragon, you know. M
"Well, first cousin.”
The whole little town was bath- ed in moonlight and very still. Not a breath touched the roses pour- ing out their scent to the stars. They entered in at the tiny gate, walking carefully along the grass. on tip-toe. They came to the bed. room window. It was shut.
For a moment Jannice did not believe it; she turned to Ralph. "Somebody, has shut it."
"She must have been here. T have a shot with a penknife.” He brought it out, and began scrap ing.
Jannice knew now that she was terribly worried. She knew now that nobody save Aunt Edith could possibly have come and shut the window she knew that she was inevitably locked out
"It isn't any good," he said at
"What do I do?"
Come back and sleep at our place, or throw up a handful gravel and disturb the old bird.”
"I can't come back to your
Page
ecious thanmond leaded panes On the
a head shot out... Ralph explained later,
only showed that she had been ly ing
How dares
Edith
asped Aunt
“Madam, your niece is locked
out.
"My niece had no business to be out."
"Will you kindly come down and open the door?" enquired Ralph.
"Aunt Edith
began Jannice, but Aunt Edith was not holding parley She had her
"I never gave Jannice sion to go out at this time nor to come home with a youn man. I dont understand what is more, I don't pretend to understand it. It's a disgrace."
"Will you come down and open the door?"
"On condition that my niece packs her things and leaves in the morning," announced Aunt Edith.
She had expected this would re- duce Jannice to pulp; she had ex- pected this would be the end of the whole affair. Give the girl a good fright, and this sort of thing would not be happening again. She'd take care of that.
But she hadn't reckoned Ralph Just as Jannice gave a little squeak of dismay, he caught at her hand and held it hard. "Your niece,” he said, “is leav ing you now. She has got a bet- ter job. I happen to be a fairly prominent writer, and I need a secretary. Good-night, and don't trouble to open the door.”
He went off pulling Jamnice along with him.
The dismayed Aunt Edith shrieked something from her window. Only the stars and the roses heard it. Jannice still be ing led along did not understand what was happening.
“But I can't leave her like that.” "Oh yes, you can. You have done, anyway."
"But I haven't any clothes.”"
"We'll send for those in the morning; meanwhile my sister can fix you up-
"But I can't sponge on strang-
ers."
"Now look here, don't be lit tle noodle Can you type
"After a fashion.
“Then you are going to be secretary There's a pile of ing so high waiting to be I had thought of sending up for a girl to do it for me Now Ize. found one closer at hand”.
Then suddenly he saw that she
was crying the popped dead. "Tammice my poor little dear, what is it all about?
A manly shoulder is very forting. She found herself col lapsing on to its
ore ado.
tute
"I'm so cold" the "Gosh, yes. I forgot that when the knight resc she had so little on. that I am You come along home and have a jolly good toddy, weren't invented in Androme time, but thank God, them no
"It
Such
all very frightening. big step
TOAS
Mr. David Lloyd George, holidaying on the Riviers, played his daughter Miss Megan Lloyd George, M. Pa round of golf on his 75th birthday. During the game Mr. Lloyd George remarked "Golf is good training for politicians because it is full of bunkers (Copyright).
"I can tell White
Horse
blindfold!
Judge by the aroma: White Horse has its
own. Judge by the softness: White Horse has grown old and gentle. Once you have known this whisky you can
say with assurance, White Horse, of course!
EQUAL TO A FINE LIQU
fool, don't down LeaY
And he flung dful. It was such
Avenue side by a
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