Show BY BEATRICE illustrations by iram by duehea bassle co 4 THE STORY on ft pleasure trip n eastern waters philip amory english world war veteran now a trader on the island of papua new guinea res overboard to gave the life of musical comedy actress known as gin sling amory becomes interested in pla laubler Laur ler member of a wealthy south wales family he tells her of his knowledge of a wonderful gold field on the island gin tells him pla Is engaged to sir richard pan thaw ills holiday ended amory arrives back at daru he meets an englishman salcer there on development business for a syndicate of which fanshaw Is bead fanshaw s name recalls to amory a lone ten incident in which he witnessed tho escape of fanshaw from a leper colony he tells his friend bassett about it and decides to inform laubler he goes to thursday island to send the message amory hears fan haw dictate a message which indicates that the secret of the gold field Is known amory mt with an accident that lays him up for three weeks CHAPTER V continued 11 1 I think youre very good indeed I 1 lied promptly was the emotion that in troth bad possession of me I 1 wondered how many people knew or would know and how soon they would be on the track of the unique amazing place known as tata tata I 1 swore to myself that doctors or no doctors I 1 was off tomor row something of this I 1 gin sling me with a satisfaction that I 1 found almost puzzling right get off and beat him to it the way my lad drink hearty you II 11 soon be dead I 1 was her entirely jonnean comment what way will you go she asked presently way oh by daro I 1 suppose she seemed to like that and I 1 real iced with some astonishment that the map of papua was no blank to her well she said 1 I must be going or the cats will begin to mew call and say good by to me before you go am out of a shop now so I 1 dare say III male back to little sydney again youve no idea what a lamb you look in those pink pajamas cuddly bayl see you again soon her yellow gleamed as she walked down the long veranda just not dancing out through the doorway into the smiting tun heit day I 1 left the hospital I 1 called n jinny as a matter of course and was rather surprised to find that she had sailed the previous night the hotel people dlan t seem to be sure what boat she had talan or where she had gone and the truth was that I 1 had too much to do to puzzle over the matter tor more than a little while nor did I 1 for even an instance sus hect what matters of grave import had lain concealed beneath the light of our talk I 1 bad to go to port moresby it turned out because there was no one at dam to take charge of my store the man on whom I 1 counted having suddenly left I 1 remember I 1 was wor aled at having to go but consoled my self by remembering that sir richard and his lot could not possibly get away before me since they had still to do their recruiting end mine was as good as done I 1 had only to whistle and get as many boys as I 1 wanted but they would have to employ a rek cr olter and probably overcome a good i many difficulties before they collected boys enough to carry for a large party of strange white men As to pla she was safe in the fast so feeling like myself again at last I 1 sailed once more in the merry sun and wind heading my cutter for port moresby never since then have I 1 believed in pre sentiments in warnings or shadows that tall before events there was no warning for me singing I 1 went to the dark day of my life ane day that has colored and will color every following hour until that time when hours and days shall mean nothing more to me CHAPTER VI I 1 made port moresby on the eve ne of the third day my boy was not with me I 1 had sent him back to daru direct and was alone it was when I 1 sighted paga with a nasty squall coming up I 1 thought with disgust of the trouble of seeing the doctor and the customs d getting all to be gone through before I 1 could have leave to land very likely they give that evening I 1 should ave to sleep on board the tiny cutter maln just when I 1 needed a good rest the sight of fisherman island loom S ap to starboard decided me I 1 would run in there spend the night t the empty quarantine station and let off early next day for the port nobody would knoT the island was uninhabited save ly the old crazy solomon band caretaker who had i there for over thirty years and tell tales eca it tie would perhaps I 1 was breaking quarantine laws 1 know and did not much care I 1 knew that the two houses were comfortable if one could get into them and I 1 reckoned I 1 could manage that I 1 found the two little houses stand ins ap stark and pile against the velvet sk I 1 scrambled into one and cautiously flashed my torch well I 1 was my comment somebody had certainly been preparing the place for a stay was a comfortable bed a couple of planter chairs a box that I 1 guessed I 1 knew that tall tight well set figure that bearded head contained linen and oddments of tart ous kinds I 1 peered into the cook house beoris cooking utensils they 11 be coming along tomorrow I 1 thought and reflected that I 1 was luckier than I 1 deserved it was very cool out there I 1 remember far cooler than it would hare been in little iron rooms beneath the stifling roofs of town I 1 had a bite of something from the locker of my boat flung my bedding on the un known persons bedstead and slept magnificently dawn came with a wild crying of and a sudden wind that burst in the door it waked me and I 1 slid to earth looking for my shoes for now it was full time 1 got away I 1 suppose 1 took a few seconds to slip on and tie my shoes I 1 never heard a sound but when I 1 looked up there was some one in the doorway my first thought for you could not see the mans face so blackly was he silhouetted against the pale rose and primrose of the baky was caught maybe its the doctor inspecting my second sent the blood from heart to fingertips like leaping same I 1 knew that tall tight well set figure that bearded head I 1 had been it four times once on the island of decay and death once on the great liner in the sea once at the hotel on thursday and now here fanshaw bad seen me he came across the floor in a couple of strides and asked me with profane additions what on earth I 1 might be doing there I 1 could hardly answer him at first never till that moment bad it occurred to me that however well he was known to me I 1 was so far quite unknown to him except by repute I 1 answered him briefly 1 I did not know anyone had the place I 1 got in late and camped the h 1 yon did answered fan shaw roughly dont you know you have to get leave to land there was a squall coming 1 squall be hanged better clear out of this and be thankful if I 1 dont report you I 1 might have gone knowing myself to be in the wrong and not wishing to enlighten fanshaw more than was necessary about myself I 1 might have gone and changed the course of four lives that day had not the merest trifle intervened nothing on earth but a cushion sir richard had been carrying it wrapped up in paper while he was talking to me he laid it down on a table and the paper being insufficiently fastened burst open I 1 saw the thing a pretty trifle 0 white satin and embroidered flowers crying wedding present in every stitch and thread I 1 saw somebody card fastened to it and I 1 knew nant it was for whom it had been intended and the world for one reeling instant vanished behind veils of red I 1 came out of that and ness culm and cold as once or twice in the war I 1 had found myself before the doing of some deed that brought a medal after it tou are sir richard danshaw Pan shaw 1 stated lie looked at me curiously 1 thought he was beginning to guess it may interest you to know I 1 went on that I 1 am philip amory now he turned scarlet the curious honey colored ees flashed crescent moons of white above and below like the eyes of a dangerous horse it seems be said restraining him self that I 1 owe you a great deal ol 01 kindly interest in what I 1 had supposed were my affairs I 1 let the gibe pass I 1 had one thing only in my mind and like a charging bull I 1 croie straight for I 1 where Is miss I 1 audler aur ler I 1 asked 1 expect him to answer but ha replied at once coolly about forty five miles out at sea on corinda she hae come back to marry you exactly you re fixing up this place for her he did not reply to that he looked at me watchfully as one boxer eyes another in the ring well I 1 want to tell you 1 said that you wont marry her as long as im above ground again he was silent again I 1 charged like a bull but this time it was as a bull charges frantically and uselessly upon the barrier about th ring you were the man who got away from iota island youre an escaped leper he just laughed a little seemed to be waiting for me to have done I 1 had not anticipated this ne just stood there not admitting not denying if I 1 was strong he with his weight of added years and honors his money and his celebrity to back him up was stronger I 1 could feel all that as he meint that I 1 should feel it almost visibly upholding and supporting him as we stood there in the windy quarantine house with the sea birds crying on the sands outside fanshaw and I 1 one and one with a shadowy third the eternal triangle yet again fanshaw was entirely self possessed lie waited till it seemed dear that I 1 bad done and then spoke your boat Is outside you can get away as quick as you like if I 1 do I 1 warned him sail straight to port and stop your d d marriage just as you choose he said he took the white cushion out of III paper smoothed it laid it carefully on the back of one of the planter chairs set down some small parcels be had in his pockets and walked out of the house he did not seem to be paying any attention at all to me one used to fight in the great war sometimes when one was almost three parts asleep f drunk with the want of rest long continued with the never relaxing strain so I 1 fought then drunk drugged by fanshawe Fan shaws enormous personality his superior mental forces yet determined as ever one had been in the trenches not to give in while life was life and I 1 was L we went down to the beach almost together there was my cutter rocking on the tide there long and black and slim was what I 1 knew to be the fastest thing ahmat for a thousand miles a speed launch capable of doing thirty miles an hour had lain for some good while in port nn sa leable because she simply ate fuel I 1 thought I 1 knew who bad bought her now who count a tin or two of benzine when he happened to be in a hurry TO BB CONTINUED |