1939-07-21 — Page 27

THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, JULY 21, 1939 ́

"CAPTAINS TWO"

(Continued from Page 1)

so South Africa. He was a hard man to lie to, anyway-his shrewd, steady eyes looked right through you.

""That's what comes of all this freedom."

He talked to her more than any- one except Mrs. Shand. How she enjoyed those strolls with him in Kensington Gardens. It was there he told her he would marry like a shot, if he could find the right. woman, as he hoped to do before long. Meaning Mrs. Shand, na- turally. Yet she did not feel too sure they would be happy. For one thing. Mrs. Shand was an out-and-out materialist, though. always yery decent to everyone.

"All children are spoilt, nowa- days."

But the Captain, practical man- of-the-world though he was, had another side. There was that day he surprised her by admitting that he sometimes read poetry, and then astounded her by quoting those lively lines from Milton:

With thee conversing, I forget all time.

All seasons and their change, all please alike.

Sweet is the breath of morn...

She couldn't

remember much

of it, just a little at the end:

But neither breath of morn when she ascends."

With charm of earliest birds. Nor grateful evening mild. Or glitt'ring starlight, without thee is sweet.

B

Then he mocked at himself for

a sentimental fool and told her of scuffle with Chinese pirates. But he'd given himself away-he had a soul! She was glad of that, because to her a man without a soul, a manly soul, was only a kind of animal.

"Cable-stitch would be best."

And there was that compliment he paid her. She lived the moment. again. Deck chairs in the gar den. Shafts of evening light through the trees. She took off her hat, and he said.. "Your hair reminds me of a cloudy sunset in the Java Sea."

"Sure-see you later."

Miss Valling climbed the stairs wearily. Arrived în her room, she was suddenly tired—of everything.- Queer. She would lie down awhile..

Captain Blaze going-yes, that was it. She had not. dreamt it would affect her so much. Must pull herself together. But how dull it would be without him. He brought something vital, some- thing of the throbbing world of action, of the wide, wild freedom of the sea itself, into this back- water of frustration. Frustration! No-that was cowardly. She must not be a fool over this, must not be weak-she was a Valling! To- night at dinner she would be the gayest woman there, if it killed her to do it.

Ù

She had lain there half an hour or so, prey of a thousand fancies, in which the ghost-captain and the real were inextricably mixed, when someone knocked. "Come in," she called.

!

Captain Blaze! She rose from the divan, confused.

"I beg your pardon," he said.

"Its quite alright-did you mis- take the room?”

"No. I wanted to see you alone. I want to thank you, little lady, for all your kindness."

"Thank me?"

"Sure! Those walks, those talks we had together. Something new to me, you know-something fine-meant a lot, a big lot."

I'm so glad!".

"Oh....

"And that's not all."

"No?"

"You see I've come for your blessing."

"My

I don't quite follow.” "It's like this-I'm going to be married-special license!"

She fought to smile; fought for the right words, fought for her pride..... heard herself saying something about being happy knew that he took her hand and thanked her.... then heard him going on:

"I can't help being sorry there's. a Captain Phil. If there hadn't been," his eyes told her the rest, unmistakably. Then he rushed

.. "but as it is, into the tale of the bigamous my dear, I can only wish

you boatswain with wives in Hong- every joy, when the time comes." Kong, Melbourne and Singapore.

"Here's the skipper!" exclaim- ed Mrs. Shand.

Yes, that was his step, you couldn't mistake it. There he was now, towering in the doorway, his firm brown face relaxed in a smile.

and only the slightest, touch of grey in all that black hair!

"Evening, ladies. Everybody happy? How are the woollies going?

That's fine Splendid You know, I'm going

be real sorry to leave you.”. "Leave us?"

"Yes-a bad accident to one of our fellows. I've got to rush out East and take over his ship. Lord knows -two or three years, I reckon.

Thank you, thank you, but I'll miss you still more... Oh well, it's not good for young fellows of fifty to be idle. By

the way, I'm going to dine with. you to-night, if you'll have me. De That looks like your letter from Captain Phil, Miss Valling."

"It is."

"Looks a thick one, too-take your some time to read that."

euse

Just off to read it now.' forced a smile!"Will you ex

me 7

Miss Valling stood frozen. The man before her seemed to dis- appear, but she saw far-away, misty figures-a young soldier, a man on horseback, and another at the wheel of a ship-phantoms all. Then the photograph on the bureau loomed large. "Phil," she' thought, "how could you do this to me?

Why did he tell me?

It wasn't fair, even to the other woman.”

Captain Blaze touched her arm. She wished he would go; but his words came to her, distinct, de- liberate.

"There's just one other thing," `he said. “I want you to read this cable from a friend of mine în Capetown."

“No officer named Fothering», hame in Mounted Police."

When after long seconds, she stammered, "Why why did you do this?" he laughed and declared: that, once Mra. Shand had cast doubts on Captain Phil," the rest“

was easy.

And it didn't matter a bit being told that you weren't such a good liar as you thought, when you heard that and so much more, as the captive of Captain Blaze, '

Naval Officers arriving at the French Consul-General's residence on -Bastille Day.

URGENT

A distinguished bishop while.

When the inspector, however, passed through the coach again the ticket was still missing.

“O, well, bishop, it will be all

making a journey by rail, was un-right if you never find it," the able to find his ticket when the inspector asked for it.

"Never mind, bishop," said the official, who knew him well, “I'll, get it on my second round.”

inspector assured him.

"No, it wont," contradicted the bishop. "I've got to find that ticket. I want to know where I'm going."

“I can tell

WHITE

HORSE blindfold

Sole Agents for South China -1.

it's equal to a fine liqueur”