Show p 11 TillS HAS S th AsheS Ashe II a her lher from Hoston Is having an exciting time on shipboard Jack an Englishman whom aboard Immediate love and nd kIsses kIsses' her during the tho tire coin ot or their Ste Sho snubs birn after aeter that but he hearn arn her just juet the came against hel roommate Mona Ic a glorious and mysterious lady Mona has be ben n Very go good d to Ashtoreth presenting her any number ot beautiful gifts Smythe tells Ashtoreth that tho retable Ta re- table women on board Will have nothing to do with her U f ahe he continues tb be Intimate Mona Iona l she demands that she ahe Lu b notoriously unmoral Smythe Inclines his head hend gravely Is becoming accustomed to accepting gifts from women ot of doubt doubt- ful There Is la tor or little tadie Morton who vito extorted sioto from S MotHs lollis' eth's millionaire em- em Ashtoreth has hns taken talen quite few tew things thing from sadIe adle 5 SOW GO 00 OX ON WITH sTORY STORYS S CHAPTER I S ProbablY Smythe was tva saying do not ot quite quite understand Miss S eF Ashtoreth drew angrily from his fingers on her arm S Oh yes yes I 1 do site she flared understand un un understand perfectly r mean about Mad moIselle do de t ho he persi ted It isn't quite me to tell you perhaps but lut Xo Nb agreed eed Ash Ashtoreth testily f dont don't think it is Is Mona 1 has b been en perfectly to me She has aheart a aheart heart of gold And I dont don't know that Im particularly concerned nb about ut her nt morals rals They're not coy any omy of business I mean But you dont don't want the holier holier- sisterhood arrayed against you ou he Interrupted Women V men have to torun run together The pack makes It at t too tough for those who dont don't You cant can't afford for instance t to antagonize every respectable wo wona na ma on this order to take up for a girl like Mona do de It simply Isn't done that's all 11 But friend Mona trona has been my cried Ashtoreth And vat do I tare are about these other women women- wretched wretch d old cats Mona le leaves aves the boat at Goode- Goode loupe he reminded her and the I I wr wretched ed old cats are arc molting making toe the round trip You ou wont won't have ev even n nm m back on I go as you to Antigua It will be more a a week before belore I rejoin the ship You'll be alone S Ashtoreth tilted her het chin defiantly I I dont care I guess I 1 can stand j It r certainly not going back biCle on onMon Mona Mon A d ashore with S you And you mean to togo go her 5 If shell she'll go heart Ashtoreth began to might be Indisposed was yas fearfully hot and nd she had complained at luncheon of a headache headache head head- ache They had stopped to lean against the rail Flying fish raced along th the side o of the tle boat like hite flame In the sunshine When hen they lt Had d disappeared n a school of per por- came cune turning somersaults like awkward aquatIc clowns S Oil Oh Ashtoreth l leaned over the side Did you ever see any any- thing SO funny in your The jade jide ornament that she wore about her neck swung out into the tho thoa a 1 She beat her hands cx- cx on n the rail And the brac bracelets brace brace- lets ox her iier wr wrists clinked Smythe took the ornament between his his' ls fingers Monas Mona jade isn't it he ro- ro n l Ashtoreth flushed I Ib Yes she said defiantly And b have one one one-Of f he her her- hats on And this sw ater is hers And in case caso youve you've been thinking T I smell nice I 1 might add perfume is Monas And I II SI I use her poder and h her r bath baUl erys- erys and everything I believe Im I'm ven one of her S chiefs s Yes this little chiffon thing all linen Smell She he flicked it t under ibis is n nose se That That perfume me she said cost 54 an ounce Its It's Monas Mona's oJ of Course the S1 I r. r he said if Mona had hadn n ver you a thing If you'd be her If for instance the rhe was was' was just a every day little tramp without any jade or or French perfumes or imported chapeaux I w wonder it you'd be so beautifully loyal then Of course I would Ashtoreth defended hers herself lf indignantly indig- indig r 1 enjoy wearing her pretty things S of course That wrap I had bad on last that red o waS 1 was hers She gave the me sh J glen given m an any number number- of things I rather c then then-at t first raibe I haven't very much I pride r de But Im I'm telling j you u the truth anyhow v rm riot not And Im I'm being just justas as t when I 1 swear that Monas Mona's gUts gifts haven't a thing to do With the way way I feel about her Smythe smiled cynically S Well its it's hard tie he saidI sale said I suppose you rou think youre you're being honest anyhow But you Jou know I 1 Iwonder wonder wander sometimes If women are ever altogether with honest themselves them them- selves s or anybOdy else Upon my mJ word weed I dont don't think sar so sa r I think women women sell everything th y vc got Friendship Love Loy- Loy alty Everything Courtesans sell tb their ir bodies and drive a hard bargain bargain bar bar- gain with them They're honest at at- I least ast But all you respectable women wo- wo men with your Our UttIe lies Iles and eva eva- eva eva- gions And your Joui sickening des ies You know how Iona dona de Musset t go-t that jade Its It's a price you wo wouldn't pay Is that so Ashtoreth turned her to the shining sea and faced hm hin square squarely Y YOu ui know perfectly well that I didn't anything about Mona or her jade And you yoC didn't care lie he taunted Jt w wasn't policy t to ask questions W ll YOu didn't think I 1 was going go- go ing to ask her if shed she'd come by her things honestly Ashtoreth l laughed Maybe you gave gave them to her she hazarded Oh no he protested Ive neV gh n Mona n You Yau wouldn't Ashtoreth told And I dont don't care what o Ot think Maybe Its It's the truth M Maybe I do lIke her because she's been een sO generous I dont know lenow It makes why I 1 like Its It's enough Isn't it that thit I 1 do And you can talk your head off b ut her her every ver old cat on s f r jq I t a r 5 v 4 Ashtoreth turned on her heel Youre the rudest person I ever everna na hc taM board can cut me dead Id rather be with her than any of you The rhe Englishman bowed bowe Perhaps he suggested Insolently Insolent Insolent- ly it will be more profitable Ashtoreth turned on her heel Youre the rudest person I ever knew she told him And you he retorted youre yaure a agold agold gold digger S C S She left him standing there thelo and went vent to join 1 But their deck chairs were empty and Monas Mona's book with a box of chocolates chocolates lay on her steamer rug Ashtoreth threw hersel her her- sel down She Was furiously angry with with- was the most pre pre- post rous person she assUred I herself her her- self that she had ever known how how- could he think such utterly un- un sp things of her She fondled Monas Mona's jade tenderly It was was' cold as ice in her hands Sho knew that real real- jade cold an she thought fantastically that she had had and millions of dollars d would she live in the tropics where it was always warm And she would have jade to keep h hr r cool cool A couch cauch like Cleopatra's to sleep on And thing jade all about to ut her warm hand hands on Medal Medal- to wear on her breast And bracelets b to reach from her wrists to her shoulders Oh wouldn't It be wonderful to be rich And have just everything you wanted The thought of Sadie Trivial Inconsequential inconsequential in- in consequential little Sadie Sadie had everything she wanted wanted-or almost al- al almost most everything Sadie was aw- aw generous too She had had for instance given Ashtoreth a perfectly per per- marvelous negligee and II a night g gOwn wn those darling little mules Anti And then she had loaned her that stunning camels camel's halt hair coat and the suede hat to match A face grew suddenly hot She held Monas Mona's jade to her to cool them all the time she was thinkIng thinking think think- Ing Jack Smythe told the truth Im I'm like the woman he he- said I sell my friendship Sadie And M Mona na Ive I've taken everything they've given both both me-both of them Ive I've given nothing nothing-in return And in my heart I despise them both Wh Why Im I'm Im I'm as bad as he said may be salutary But Ashtoreth seldom found it if plea plea- sant Dismissing th hateful notion she pit Iced up Monas Mona's book There wa something something- on the fly fly- leaf leat In Monas Mona's s 's writing She wrote a broad untidy hand and Ash Ashtoreth to- to reth leth it Immediately A hit of dOgg doggerel rel A whimsical little thing It sounded exactly like Moni Tills was it Ja aik k to me tenderly tell me lies Iles I am n a 1 woman woman and time files 1 lani am II a v and oman and out ot of the door Beauty goes goes to come come- comeno no more Talk to me tenderly hand I 1 tint am a woman and understand I am a woman and must be told L Les es to warm yarm me when I I. I am old Ashtoreth smiled She wondered how old Mona was And if she shere re lly flIt felt that way Twenty eight perhaps Or 30 It must be awful to know that you OU were growing old Everybody waS waS' of course But 30 why that was sort of getting getting- middle r l Maizie izie always said jf if ifa a girl irl married by the time sIle was wal 30 she never neer would neWell ne be Well r probably Mona didn't want to get married anyhow Why should she She had everything in the world Anti And love besides If Jack and Smythe an all the wretched old knew cats what they were talking about I Ashtoreth turned th pages of Monas Mona's book She tried what sort f a poet he Wll supposed to be Was Vas H 8 Swin- Swin burr e and Keats that everybody about together Or was it Shelley and Keats day vowed Ashtoreth Im to read a lt let of poetry arni the biographies of ill all the great One really She had heard something about But she simply couldn't place him That was too bad Shed She'd have liked to say say something cas- cas about him to sort of impress Mona You wouldn't think now that Mona l was the sort of girl who'd read poetry Well Veil you couldn't ever tell J Ashtoreth turned the pages lIere was something Something probably that Mona liked She read It sl slowly From From top much love of living From Irom hope and feat set free We Ve thank with brief thanksgiving Whatever gods may be That no man lives forever That dead men rise up never That even een the weariest river rinds somewhere safe to sea Ashtoreth closed the book and shivered From too much love of living St. St Thomas the first of the Virgin Vir- Vir gin Islands lay ahead Its Its' feet in th sea And mists hanging over its mountains The passengers were flocking to the rail Where was Mona ona CHAPTER Mona when she came on decle had changed her white dress dress- f for r a complete outfit of green She had dressed as usual with complete disregard of tho conventions There were large single pearls In her ears and a a triple string of them about her throat She gracefully in In her deck chair and crossed her sUm slim ankles Mona seldom wore stockings lIer legs were brown and very slender She smiled luminously luminously- at and l leaning forward kissed her swiftly I have seen Smythe she sal said l. l and ho he told me what he had already tol told you lIe sar sa also Mona her brows per per- Oh yes lie say you are arc my little triumph But ma cherie cherle that Is not so 50 lie He tell me I flaunt you ou in the faces of the tat fat ladles ladies That I have embarrassed embarrassed embar- embar you because now they will not speak to you when I go to to Guadeloupe And you will be all alone Ashtoreth laid her hands on Monas Mona's I am sorry she said that he distressed you ou because honestly Mona I d dont nt give a a darn about these I like you heaps better bet bet- ter Im I'm sorry youre you're leaving at its it's been lovely lovely love love- ly you you for for a roommate Mona truly dear all these cats came crawling on theIr knees I wouldn't speak to them I shant shan't mind a abit abit bit being being alone aloneA A Suspicion ot of tears dimmed Monas Mona's eyes She jumped U to her feet Then She he- he cried we shall go There Is a Chinese shop here hete and alid Ishall buy my little friend a a. lanc 1 Mandarins Mandarin's coat l she Is a good girl and I Ilove love her And a little trinket trinket-of of jade for good luck Then knew you ma mat say I Mona do de Muss t t. t and she brought me good luck Sh watt was excited as a child Come qui quickly kly she begged and you shall we r a dress to give the fat ladies pains One I have not ever worn It was was made for you ma cleri a That evening Mona stayed ashore had dinner brought on deck decle And there Ja k Smythe joined her I hope youre you're not angry angly with me lie he began But I 1 am Ashtoreth told him bim He took the chair by her side and began leisurely to till fIll his pipe bad ho he remarked because Ive I've- only one more mor night rd you haven't kiss kissed d me y yet t I Kissed you she cried WhY I I 1 wouldn't kiss you ou It if yoU were ere the thelast thelast last m mc i 1 on earth He lit his pipe phe before replying Oh yes you would he assured her Mona l ont sont be back till late She h s lots of frIends In port She didn't ask Il you ou to stay aShore with her 1 notice She he did did too lied Ashtoreth Smythe looked at her sharply I dont don't believe it It he retorted But that's all right You cant can't blame bIonic the girl irl It makes malies it very much nicer for us JS besides Ill I'll have yoU aU all to myself now up on the top The moon is absolutely full tonight and the sky sley will he be simply brimming over with stars A perfect night for romance poured another cup o otea oJ tea tea and dropped a alice o of lime in It it She would be just as casual about It as he wasA wasA was A perfect night she agreed ag But not for you and cue me Dont Don't you I like you Well I noticed that I hadn't exactly slain you he admitted But you couldn't help loving me a little the tonight moon you and the stars The tropics begin to get in your blood This sultry oIl oIl- mate dont don't you know Is awfully conducive to love Ashtoreth dimpled Yes she said I suppose it must be I hope r I meet somebody nice before the trips trip's over Its It's just I too bed bad youre you're the the only man around He laughed good Yell have a dance after dinner din din- ncr ner he proposed And then when it gets a little dark well we'll leave their old orchestra flat Well We'll go up and talk to the stars 0 l Iona had not returned and Ashtoreth Ash Ash- Ashtoreth was bored At eight o'clock Jack knocked on her stateroom door And she greeted him in a swirl of chiffon pink as the heart of a rose Mona MonD had did not suit her and was a little tight besides It was perfect on Ash Ash- Ashtoreth Youre gorgeous Jack told herI herI her I told you you were vere beautiful Its Monas Mona's she Informed him pertly The dress I 1 mean Its It's so flattering anyone would pretty In It The beads are hers too too and the earrings I 1 wish I could wear her shoes but they're just a little too big for me Gold digger he retorted Youre incorrigible and you JOU ought to be ashamed of Jour yourself lf Ill go up on deck decle with you she countered because Its It's alto alto- gether too wonderful to miss But ButI I wont won't let yoU kiss me You wont won't he cried Have you ou seen the moon I saw it rise she said lute a little white ghost Jack came closer You haven't seen a thing lie he said And you simply dont don't know what youre you're talking about Its It's Incredible that a girl should ant sant santto antto to sit on under deck a million stars and not be kissed Its It's tjust tjusta a bawdy myth that's all it is Now see here Ashtoreth youre you're going to get kissed tonight You are I 1 mean if you conic come up on deck with me It If you dont don't like Ilke the notion you OU might just as well stay down here and go to bed What she gasped lie He came In the room then thee |