z . 1 iyar a r for it Iemed sate Z1; _\ could lite it every en- emergency that must be relieved——or colic some 1." Fnsttsrsgr-"Wfir JANUARY 12. 1929 Children Ciy is s comfort when Baby {l fretful. N9 sooner taken than the ‘_ lttle one is at: ease. If restless, a ' few drops soon bring contentment. ‘ ‘l o lrarin done, for Castoria is a baby mesntffor babies. Perfectly give the youngest infant; ou have the doctors’ word for that! t is s. vegetable product and you day. But it's in astoria means -most.. Some night when constipation sins-or . other suffering. Never be without it; others keep an extra. bottle. unopened. to make sure there will slwggsbe Oastoria in the house. It is ective for older children, too; _ relfl. the book that comes with it. Bodies Recovered From Wreckdge — CASTQRIA (Special to the Guardian.) AHICHURCH. Engh, .e. freight train last night. Jan. Working all night by the light oi flares and acetylene lamps rescue workers today had recovered four bodies from the wreckage of a pas- senger train‘ which had crashed into Twen- wnm: aurnlrl-"Lms Chlllfler 1a _____ WINTER ROSES What a winter that was! Memos. 19$ w lay away in‘ lavender and 01d h“ 10hr. ions orier. Youth and love "h" hi! side by side, almost touch- i118 hands. White butterfies dancing in the sunshine needless of the 3p- Dfilhflhlflk storm! The campus was kept agog on that winter with excitement and speculation as to the love-affair between little Shirley Van Dom end Rodney Sheldon. Generally, gum]. ar affairs ran their course in s; few "lfmthfi- U. by any chance. the two persons involved were on speak- lnB terms in the spring, the affair was regarded as a semi-official en- , easements. At least. the campus usually knew where it stood. ' But this time the campus was as much in the dark as Rodney Shel- don himself. And that was saying a great. great, deal, as Rodney could have told you. For Shirley there was no winter oi’ snow and ice and biting winds of the lake. Roses bloomed for her, like that Rodney sent her. She was thrilled to her finger-tips by the very fact of being s. woman. She re- joiced in her power, cherished it. guarded it from surprise attack, Nothing is so delightful to a girl as the knowedge of her power over o. man. And Shirley. very wisely, re- frained from ghowing any one may she knew the extent of her power over Rodney. Not that he was one of your door- mat lovers! Far from it. He fought o good fight against Shirley. He did- r.‘t yield without a struggle. In fact, he swore again and again that he'd never yield: he assured himself that she was a heartless flirt; he told himself that he wasn't donating any scalp to be flauntod at her belt. But, in his heart, he knew that he was hers, irrevocably, come what might. They quarreled voilently from time to time. The campus never knew what day they would be speak- ing to each other and what day they ‘would pass each other in chill sil- ence. Parties would dissolve at the last moment because Rodney had flung out of town in a rage; or be- cause Shirley, gay and smiling. had gone motoring with Gordon Phe- lps, or dancing with some one else.- White Butterflies WWW a. WWW MILDRED BARBOUR the roses in herheart; like the roses‘ a. even more ill than when she lied that brief glimpse of him in New York. She wondered wby he bad come to see her. Did he need money and had he come to net, having been tumble to get in touch with Innis? "Dr. MLMalterIi" She held out her hand. "I am Shirley Van porn, You wish to see me? You know my father, I believe?" "I-just stopped by on my way home." he explained rather lamely. "I've been at a ssnstoriilm." "I'm scrry you ere ill." He brushed aside bet expression oi sympathy. "1 used to know your mother." Shirley led him to the divas before the firs.” . "Won't you be sestod? And won't you talk to me about my mother? You-see. I know so little of her. 1t hurl-s Dad to I968! of her." The old men smiled grimly. "It would. I reckon. But he didn't talk to her about her mother. Instoad, be began to ques- tion her about her life abroad-the university-what she was doing-her associates. He scarcely seemed to heed her replies. She thought him slightly med. When she. in turn, questioned him about “ “, he became stubbornly silent. _ "Won't you have some foal" she said at last, desperately trying to ease the embarrassing situation. He looked at her with such haggard, pain-ridden eyes that she was start- led. He got to his feet. and she heard him mutter: "Break bread with you- never!" He went away without tolling her why he had come. She had a linger- ing and disquieting impression of dark, haunted eyes fixed upon her. long after she had closed the door upon the wintry twilight into which he had vanished. She didn't mention the old man's visit when she wrote to Louis. She had a feeling that Louis had been much disturbed when the old fellow had come to their hotel in New York. Louis wrote her that she was to meet him in New York for the Christ- mas vacation He said he'd had luck with the ponies and promised her a lot of new frocks. He hinted at a pretty, jeweled surprise that would hang on her Christmas tree. Shirley smiled over the letter. She had never in her life hsd a Christmas tree. Christmas to her had always meant a day on which one awoke rather-late in the afternoon, after a brow '1'" ~ THE CHARLOTTETOWN Louie, in tue Old till-Y!- oourse of the afternoon: the usual W. slightly bibuious, crow 0n this Christmas "If!" was only the discreet bulb 01 91¢ pol-goody liotol. The sparse scattering ofgueefssleptfloeperoee st dawn to see what Santa Claus bad l in his stooklnt. atéhirley bed breakfast in her room snd sat by the window, stains out mm flu ‘ygy fly thlb h! lllddflfly over the cavern of the skeet. ‘There wssnogiftforher; nooneiowleh her "Merry obi-bruins." slum the waiter who brui-llht her trfl! 554119‘ on whom she bestowed a two-dollar tip. The silence of the smi- 11ml was oppressive. She wls 811d "h!" some lonely little ohlld escaped 1mm its room and trotted up sud 11°" ‘hi1 corridor under the induldwil! "um" iul eye of the floor clerk. The morning wore away. She read s little from a book purchased at the news-stand in the lobby. Bbe dldbl? worry about Innis’: uonflllllfilfmwi she knew his deiliihi-lul irresponsibil- ity of old. Nor did she feel hurt- at his neglect. All that was s 118"‘?! hei- life-snd sbe scwvi-td lll "-l=°°111' Plalninily. _ _ At noon. s. to: besrtus I 1101111" label was brought up to be! r0011!- She opened it to nod. ""9904 in 1"‘ ers oi soft tissue. a amt. exquisite mass of flowers ssslmt s bwkswund of soft n ieI-vea. She erxfzlesimed aloud with delight and searched for the card. It bore Rodney Sheldolfs nflmfl. She kissed each blossom and held the fragrant mass to her heart. Mo- mentarliy, she was no loulflr B10119- Christmss was 81°14“!- She was lunohing in bel- room when her phone rang. Louis was ca! her from Florida. His voice 08-1118 over the wire-say. humilww- "What happened, Dad?" she asked. after the first exchange u! Chrllim" eetings. __ "A laugh. then: "I sot drunk. m! love. 'I‘hst's the l ‘Bfifllil i-Illul- we started to celebrate three days ago by flying to Cubs. Tlmt/s sll I remember until this mornini; " Shirley hushed. heartily. "Sorry, ma. . .Did you have 11 800d tune?" "I tell you, I can't remember any- thing about it. But I must have hid luck. yvg got. an extra thousand in my pocket, Are you very lonely, lit- tle Shirley?" ' "No, Dad," ‘she lied loyhllil- "Then I don't believe it's worth while for me to come North. since the holiday is nearly over." “Oi course not, Dad." but her heart sank at the prospect of a solitary week in New York before she could rea- sonably return to college. She had too much pride to confess to Henrietta and the others that her father had failed her. She'd stick it out, some- how and pretend she'd had an uproar- Itoo, though not so - n1 .__q--_'__.__._ GUARDIAN slit in a white ‘velvet ease on be: dreuiug-tsbla. It was In exquisite star sapphire‘ in s slender platinum chain. When ahethankedl-iimforithsklpsedher 0n both cheeks._ European fashion. and told her grandiy that it was a mere trifle. “We've had a run of luck lately." At tea in the Cocoanut Grove, lie introduced her to a Mrs. Conroy, a well-preserved widow, who seemed to regard mule with distinct favor. Louis was fond of his light. harmless flirta- tions, but he was very wary. The cleverest husband-seeker had found him shy game. "We're on my friend's yacht," Louis infohned them, doing deft things with a silver flask under the corner of the tea-table. "It's sn- chored beyond the three-mile limit, thank goodness!" “Have you met Mr. Bertrand?" ask- ed Mrs. Conroy of Shirley. Louis answered for her: “Oscar's a 800d bit before her time." Then he explained to Shirley: “Bertrand is from Kentucky, I used to know him when I was s boy. _ Haven't laid eyes on him since. Heigh-ho, what sn old man it makes of mei" "What nonsense! " The widow re- prosched him with eloquent eyes.’ “Why. you're just in your prime. Now, Mr. Bertrand looks old." “On the contrary," laughed Louis, "he's as fresh as s daisy. But whof wouldn't be, living the useless, but ex-' traordlnarily pleasant life he leads?" 5 "He's very eccentric," Mrs, Conroy said to Shirley. "They call him ‘The Vagabond Commodore,’ because he spends all his time on board his yacht. He hasn't been known to set his foot on land in years, He enter- lma tainii lavishly. but his guests must sl- ways come to him on the yacht." "How curious!" Shirley was mildly interested. “Is it just s whim, or has he a real reason for living on the water?" 'Li(llill shook his head. _ "An old love-affair gone wrong -— thafs my opinion. I used to know, the girl. She-died. It's made a 1'6’, bit of a nut as a lad. The black sheep’ of the family." l “And here's another funny thing.’ contributed the widow eagerly. "They say he keeps steam up on the yacht. day and night. year in and year out. whether he intends to leave port or not. And, three ol four times during the dsy. as regula; as clock-work, he gees binoculars, as if he expected 53m:- happens." Shirley shivered involuntarily the warm sunshine. "Brrl He sounds Dad." "Oh, you'll like him." said L " easily. "He's an interesting chap." "And rich." added the widow sly}; When tea was finished, they stroll- rathcr unsru. ious time. cluse of him. But he always was a‘ - to the rail and scans the horizon with ' it‘ ed down to the beach. A page from . “ Sorry we didn't buy it long toast in the broiler this morning. And the automatic controls save me a lot of time. So much of the cooking is done on re- tained heat that I’m sure it's going to be economical to use.” Easy Terms You, too, can enjoy" the com- fort and ease of amount. Come in us tell you how little it will cost a. month to cook electrically for your size filllllly. thing or some one. But nothing eve": ' ' Maritime, Elect J "Our new electric range is just wonderful, and I'm sorry we ing and for a. surprisingly small I didn’t buy it long ago’ ago. I try all sorts of things and even made electric cook- today and let ric Company Limited OF TUE And through it all. like a lovely. elusive. tantalizing, shadow. Shirley danced, just beyond Rodneyb reach. riotous evening at some gay party. It meant a day when Louis invariably had s. headache. There had never “Tell you what to do." Louis sua- gested. "You hop a. train tonight. and come down here. We've a good tyP-five to thirty persons were injur- ed‘in the wreck which occurred in sflthick fog just outside oi the sta- ASSUCIAI ED SltfiTl-‘illl i’. l». {the hotel trotted afpr them, carry- | lng rugs and the wraps of Shirley and , (Viki-flutter Owl.‘ tion. stripe. wreckage was piled high 11113’- spent their Christmases. end Shirley fine as the lirenchlliviera." i h. _ .6 d I d ., B t - '»~- _ f across the railway. The work oi 51111193’ b98511 l0 hum "- "Whhl- remembered that the dining-rooms ooh, pad, it's so far for such alimgfirone c? do“, ‘fQferfiYyfogggaxég , rescue was hampered by fog and ml "We 9J1‘- _ were invariably rather empty and mo“; “may . frost. - The engineer of the express train was killed as were three passengers. ',Th victims were found buried be- The scene neath tons of wreckage. She innsd several of her flowers ma ,__ _ r , i _ _ o; of the accident was thirty miles ‘lfienrletta pounced upon her with spend 0hr‘ "1186 l" h" h°m°~ The" to the soft fur of her collar and went bong “gjmgflggf-‘é ffirfehélfievigfo lutenéd m h" palm amempw-a-r’ can‘ !""?.'Zv.'..1,lg i c; ofigsm led cnnplamnvly and m a i“ “m” charlie“ where 15s" October You “me ‘mug! You mean You“ would be a mmny party and plenty t” 5 walk" The “ma. had a dc‘ m!‘ all m5 eccentrlcml- ‘ vlfirsa he“, m‘ “is touowmg a “am m‘ "What i. hour ia-"o i‘e rower?" h" _' Wlinlhlrs lfll'lli.i"li my dc wr- i l 15 WNW! were killed 511d 30 11111"- mffd 0t mdneyt: i m’ I'm" Shirley wlimed duperatfly m Pfesslllfili’ deierlreli M'- The Sh‘)? A smart motor-bent gleaming with t? ‘m1: t n“ J1‘ 0w“ w“ perhaps m. asked b s ) v L ' y b 1 cgnrratflats‘ v';u " A‘ in l‘ ad m g gram wreck. '11.... ffQIght I adore him, admitted Shirley accept. but she couldn't bear to dis- wlndow; still retained their brave brass and whue Pam" avlalmd them r80 xsome almost abliterated menl- w - . o - . - , was being shunted while the express was travelling at 50 miles an hour. .'l'he engine of the express overturn; s1 ed. ‘rnsivrma KING MAKES NEW OFFER T0 ALBERT-A ON’ NATURAL RESOURCE QUESTION EDMONTON. Jan. 9.—All the nat- ' ursl resources except National Park areas to be turned over in tote to the province: annual cash subsidy oi 8662.500 to be paid in perpetuity; and school lands and funds to be admin- istered in accordance with the pro- These are the main terms of a new offer that has been from Hon. Mackenzie King in behalf oi the Dominion Government for the transfer of Alberta's public domain. The offer is s. follow-up of the recent Coiliergnce in Ottawa and in-general accords‘ with what the Prime Minis- ter at that time told the Alberta min- isters would probably be offered. Pre- mier J.’ E. Brownies says that the Government will reach a. decision on _the pfler before the Legislature vincial laws. received by the Government meets. In e. recent automobile parade in The coaches of the express train were crushed snd torn into S London a car of i898 took part. Recent Australian-New Zealand nights have given great stimulus to aviation in New Zealand. n an‘; ‘an- - -blood every .. , u .. . eon:- i - , Shirley ‘ m, mnumes vision s‘: my a flesh and man ohrgmkrixses yo?!“ until you were good. "I ‘Manon new“ meg. '1_ would bsve given my blood “:3: m W“ “o” wgrufgrh; ".2. m” “i ~- 1- 1mm: of oliy m MM- o... heart Shirley was thinking ' seeds“, m’ ‘I m“ 1 "i; “m4,- mmmn gnn-ioy csh afford to be odd. i! mic an W depression snd Mum when l" ‘ . . ’ ' ' II i . ' . no man new 0| i!" the saife But she loved to cmisider "$5.... he hlllelillt her en her trsin 1‘ "m mm“ '° “m” m“ no“ air ‘I think 11w *°'1°~-----B°""4 7°“ 11""! “m-"ml ‘m- °°“'°Y°“""“" -> lathe bursa crush l‘ the other polsibilities" Life was so he mod outside the w of was’ "W" "l" "W "m" m -' ' "will" “"4 "'“°""- W“! “"1"”- I“! lwv- full of delicious bewildering eornsrs our nu dark toflle wind "l" After s while he aid: "You an “I new-vow hi "- ‘Iiluy "hf "I" i- ‘he “"1 '° i film: summed '1... no u. sndsieet. nutuinoininmsoeomll- mm" ' -‘"'°‘“°"‘Y° ‘“°'"‘l"“"“l"“°“”"°“"“"'m'“°°' , , 07l- _ that one might rn ‘and n e _ W5! y - \ "wmmo 4w‘ m“ m i“ w‘ m“ pf. .9. l‘. "m m‘ s: $ "M" m“ “I m" “m” "m" mm‘ ‘an? ‘mm m‘ N" fi r“ ‘B.’ “mm” m‘ “kw” a n“ ‘pgolngvys mo: wsl eyniosi. Firm szzsited the: st the does. "Iii! l‘; ’ 7"" m-‘s no! °"‘“""' 0"” ‘mm w "M" l” 2.3"‘ o1...“ drounawiinmoolfilowii ‘m ‘Wan-o Shefslthisstranli-Qysl “Hsvwt Wu ""11 Y“- “llil B“ "ymvh" W" °° ‘"1 ‘Mm’ i‘ I lssgq is seashel- "umnt w”'“°'d°f mfuihdtgm doom . meet upon‘ fllltlpllffilfiifmlflgilipl “gt um M‘ ~,_T ' ewssyounc an was ov - . ,. ' _ .1 J - - n e s i I ""151, WW "1': To": Ionnln one avowed.‘ No mm will" mm ‘gunman ‘miewlauqiw’ “was” m’ Aniliiget 1 ‘Jlfitit; herfi on: gm!" M nolomiluliodrifyéiaamdzrtigiuiusfi - r 1-; w so r .' |m_|j_|n"jmmgqflg , s "m; wl r _ 3" i witch's- fhe "n" “m” m‘ mu mbiliimnfsltsswiit impuhe town wmn ' without aeareinthsworid x“ 5...” on n» yacht B: the 1d“ mhrifylhitfmh"""9"‘°'uuirl " e wayfromtliedommoiiore. . W! Mm“ Insidious _ !‘You and Rod on the outs again?" Henrietta demanded of Shirley one "I! you can't get along together. Why 110111 you quit seeing each other?" asked Henrietta sensibly. “We can't. help it....It's like that when your in lovel" "But don't you dare tell." Henrietta was hugging herself in ee. "I knew it was just bound to hap- pen," she rcrooned. “No girl could resist Rodney, if he once got crazy about her. And you'll make the darl- ingest couple!" "if you dare fell," warned Shirley darkly, "I-rll let Ted know you sleep with his photograph under your pillow." » Shirley was looking st her grave- '2' “Are you going to marry Rodney?" Henrietta asked her. "I don't know." Shirley rested her chin on her hand and stared out of the window into the wlntery land- scape oi bare-branched trees moan- ing in the wind, of little snow flurr- ies from a leaden sky. "I wonder if marriage doesn't spoil romance fer- ribly? Wouldrft it be better to go on loving some one and maybe give him up? One‘ could l-lave such nice mem- orles." Shirley was at the age when youth delights in tragedy- She h"! a beautiful but patriotic vision of herself , all in black and wearink cape jasmine, going back to Ken- tucky and visiting the quaint 01d churchyard. with its loses and peace- ful oedars. Or again. she 51W hi?‘ self seated at irconcert piano in some great auditorium. With h brmmnt audience applauding her and DWPN ggylng: "She plays like that. so 111118- nificently, poor tllinB. because she has s. broken heart" Not that Shirley wanted Rodney to be dead. by any manner of means. knowing no sadness revels in its potentialities, snd love has a quick- ening power. Shirley must have felt, oven then. tho dark powers that were massing against her, ready. with I chill breath to blow oirt the sun's ll ht. “Henrietta only miffed unreennslyr "A let of good memories will do yvul Chapter le swell‘ souow l Tile old man Iellmil Ill ill W been a chimney at which to hang a stocking in the hotels where they lonely, and the maitre d'hotel always explained that Christmas was bad for business, because everybody stayed at home. Henrietta had invited Shirley to appoint‘ Louis. Rodney saw her on’ when she start- ed for New York. He was going to Kentucky. There was time for lunch- eon together, just they two. Rodneyb eyes devoured her. Ten days of sep- aigfion seemed like ten etemiticg to h "I shank. be able to stand it, Shir- ley." he told her. "Iot me come around by New York on my way back. We can travel together." But she wouldn't let him. She pre- tended to be very indifferent, interest- ed only in her coming trip. Somehow. them was a thrill even about separ- ation-when she knew that she would see ‘nlm the day she retrained. “Will you write to me every day he begged. "What nonsense!" she scoffed. "Whatever would I say?” - "You could tell me you love me," he suggested hopefully. "I always tell the truth around Christmas-else I might find an em- pty stocking." ,Her eyes mocked him as she spoke. He gripped her hand hard across the table. - "Shirley. . .don't go to New York. Come on down to Kentucky with me. Aunt Liz will be crazy about you. We —I-iet's be married." _She laughed at him. "You'll likely meet some chap in he decided jealously‘. "Ii I do, I'll write sud tell you the first of all, Even before Henrietta." she promised him. "Don't." he begged her miserably. thing "If. only I could." His dark eyes ride off with yen. and you could to your heart's content: I woul let you go" ' p "And what would Wu do, i! I bit and scratched?” shipwrecked on a. desert island. inner eye was seeing s different scene Rand place. Cheery fires in the grates and the mellow glow of can- dles. The spicy‘ scent of evergreens; the crimson splash of holly-berries against the milky cluster- of mistletoe. A Christmas tree. music and dsncifll- snd s. barbecue in the servants‘ dim“ New York snd be crazy about him." ters. Guests coming and going. isush- ing. kissing under the mistletoe. That was the Christmas Rodney Sheldon was having down in old Kentucky. He had described lit to ‘i113. hriisd dsiik e lowing with ove e 01' "Can't you see I'm desperate. I wish hl,°‘,-§...,..,.,¢ p i I'd never met you." m ber bag. d her bill, and midnight were dangerous. "If this were Kbll- found harp; the Florida Special. - him’. I'd rut you on Lsdy Jens mil m- s. while. she slept. Nor did she Y6" dream o! the Fate that awaited her i!!!" at her journey‘; end. crowd-an old friend of mine. With m5 yacht, and others-tile weather's as He laughed good-humoredly. "For? For a. little girl who's been twice around the world? I'll be wpit- ing. ma petite. Au revoirl" Christmas displays. but they also had a lonely look, as thouBh the Spirit 311111 gone out of them. The people W110 had homes remained in them: only the waifs like herself wandered dis- consolstoly abroad. She dined downstairfi. because she wanted to hear the orchestra, The restaurant was dellfesflllll; 0111i! 9- scattering oi guests. many <1! them alone, like 116F891!- The orchestra labored valiantly t0 dispel the Sll.‘ of zlvom- The mill" d'hotel hovered paternally over Shir- ' ley. She seemed so YQUIlB V1 b9 ah”- but still so curiously poised and de- tached. - After she had dined. she boushii I ticket from the theatre agency in the lobby for a new uslcai comedy. There were plenty of good seats l0 be had. The show was fair; the au- dience depressingly inadeqllflle- Shh“ ley felt as isolated as if she'd been Her wistful young eyes followed the action behind the footlights, but an . . .A big, colonial house—the old "Some dsy I'm going to have I ediately after the theatre: mired Chapter l2 eternally in the sunshine. informally. flushed uncomfortably. She felt a cur- ious repugnancc. gently : turned to Louis and that they held a mocking light, a little gleam of mal- ice. snd-something else. deck of the yacht in that iuxurioiu of silk Mrs. Conroy . ‘ "It mts cold on the sea at night." declared Louis, with an anticipatory along." "Oh. but the yacht is a perfect psi- ace of luxury and comfort." protested the window, with such a vlistful sigh that Shirley smiled. It was evident An omcer in a white uniform, with "The Sea Nymph" in gold letters on‘ the visor of his smart cap, greeted them deferentlaily. In a moment they were speeding out across the green water, with the salt spray in their, nostrils. ‘ ’ l After a while the yacht loomed be-- fore them. ‘Shirley had a glimpse of a luxurious after-deck, with rugs and awnings and willow furniture strewn with cushions of crimson silk. and two beautifully white Chows romping un- der the guardianship oi a very cor- rect seamen. Mrs. Conroy sighed again. "If I owned that, I'd never leave it either," she mumiured in Shirley's ear. A slight man whose shoulders seem- ed to droop a little wesriiy came to the‘ rail and looked down at the motor-boat that was bobbing like a. cork on the swells. He wore a yacht- ing-costume, cream-colored trousers and blue jacket with metal buttons that caught the rays of the sun. I-lis grizzled hair was his only sign o! age-abet, and the little wrinkles around his eyes. as ii he might have looked too long and too often at the fer horizon, where the waves danced "This is Shirley. Oscar," said Louis The eccentric Commodore stared so long and hard at the girl that she But he only said "I knew your mother well, child." It seemed to Shirley that his eyes CHAPTER. 23 SEED OI‘ DECAY Cocktails were served on the after- ‘Ii felt s lonsln: for light, the shadowed deck, were trip‘ pings of romance going to waste. F01’ the V" curious stirring pity and. at the some time. a faint revulsion. She felt it all ed her t0 think him 3'9""!- thought she heard him sigh as one sighs who has met once slain with a He he had left it off. quite as if there had been no hiatus of his own making. ....As smstier of isctlnevercared for but one woman in all my life." seemedtobenothinltosey. - .. (guanine. o_§.t..»..a...........e..._e<..-.r union-m‘ fare. They wore a puzzled lock, as ll he sought to place her in come dm memory oi the past. She had a leci- ‘ing that while he looked at. her and the zlvwlus ory. half-wistful, hiiir-numorour little ac- count of her lonely Christmas day and said: "You are not at all like hcr. Lllm your mother" “No. I'm sorry. She was very beau- tiful." He shrugged impatiently. "You didn't think so?" she asked curiously. was the short response. ' Shirley wondered who the slrl W45- and what she had been like. whose death had sent him upon his eternal wanderings. Abruptly, he move: to the rlll M111 stood gazing out over the pl tid sea. The moon was rising; it. silvered a path across the great, mysterious ex- panse of dark water. He stood mot- ionlees. a lonely figure against the sky. Bhirley wondered what it W115 that he saw out there in i-he W" waste of waters; what ghostly phan- tom beckoned him; what longing. what sorrow. or remorse. lBY "m"! that inexplicable and mysterious ex- ierior. She shiveicd a little, though the night was still wa . Suddenly she ney. The moon- ‘ Folnmodore, she felt a the more keenly because something told her that the commodore went- He came beck to her presently. She and she particulary disliked church- "You." f t ,, h _ , n _ ' ‘mm mmmm your“ __ gbly lngrry u, I 1 "m" "id h" "° d°‘i"°n"h‘“"g soled himr awtnthelthie 1.33;‘- mt‘ m’ “m!” p" ,,§3:,,°‘:§l,‘,1.c:“§°um7: jfiageiffgf ,.‘,‘;“.°;5,"",2,.;',‘.‘,'2,§.°2.‘?°,,'%, i}: for love." _ m" um um afternoon. sftor some . 1 l" b‘! 5 “w” 9mm“ u" 7°“ ance that he wouldn't. do any such an; tsxied‘ beck to ‘the hotel lm- ing. " moved s trifle uneasily in he: chair. "1 "W141" m“ M‘ my eeilent luncheon hsd been served .- . coior-uuireiy waildered from Shirley! He broke Ln quite ubruptl, in he: 31)’ "I never cared for dark women." p sfiaqw~<utk§p . f. .» . "Will you at Christmas gift?" n. as .d. wit l un- her ‘ expected gsiltlcnrss. ti’ l‘ "Thank ycu." She hid her lacs ill i.» crimson mass. "ailCy are“ m i u“, 4; Lyn; ,1] y up L.i-_' Lmcl". a s .i.i g.l_, . , l'c.. lat Dllthlllg-Sllli, NLs. C .. to Louis with f‘ ~ a sigili. c m: "l at did 1 till you last ll. m2‘! 1,. "Cape Jasmine." she told him slml-i- 1 idly he will ask you both to re- main absurd as his guests for a Wart {f- } It seemed to her that green flrcllndlan cruLse." she proircsicd. rho; from those strange eyes of h:;i i "ificll?" Louie's eyelids flickered. M. l, In the darkness they shsne lik: B‘ ‘And I shall h: left Without a PllY- t wild beast. And then he laughed I male." she sighsd. _ ‘i lhsrshly and said something that W113‘ "Ey n) nzezns. l shflll suggest m», l incomprehensible to hex: is foursome is bett . for a crulsufor y; H l "I see that Louis Van Dom has. blldflfii‘ ior- er- umything." ,1" iemm m5 “‘Qfk well" '"Lcu.s." she looked up at him, n!!!‘ ' l slightly haggard eyes quite serious. “don't sacrifice that lovely child." "Marie." his brows lifted quizzical- ly. "I don't know what you mean.’ She made an impatient gesture. “You know you'd marry he to him The following morning a letter irolrli ng quick an g wink, And why, Louie? if] Rodney Sheldon. forwarded by the‘ You are rich enough as itls. " hoiol in New York. reached Shirley.‘ “not nearly as rich as you think." ‘y; It was her first low-letter. After 811B ~ Ho sighed profoundly, "I do have such . had read italic held it against her rotten look gt, the tables." heart. when she went bathing in the A startled look flickered across tier surf, she carried it in her bath-ball! face. and read it again. lying on the sandl "But you have money of your own- ilndtl‘ i181‘ Sh)’ b85611 P579591 Your gambling is only a foolish III-i‘ Mrs. Conroy. elaborately dressed for “mg my; it?" ~ a morning promenade on the beach. hygg, 0h, yes. I have money. Quite f her delicate make-up only faintly enough, But," he sighed again," it ,- noticeable in the merciless simsbllle- does get away from me so quick- ll M found her there. _ l ' - "Ahai 8o the Child hill I WWI?’ "Shirley is in love.” said Mrl. C0"- . cried the widow brightly. my ungxpgctedly. _ Shirley blushed to her eyebrows and “m”, my gouL 1 hope not!" Innis hid the letter hastily. was actually gtlrtled. "Does Louis know?" asked M"- Mrs. Conroy told him about the let- conroy. nouns hem" 011 the W14» for. Louis laughed relievedly. r "It-it isn't anything-any one 1 “gnme young university chap. 1 1 _ mean. Just s-boy from college’ dang say." Then he frowned. He 118.4 f, The widow sighed. remembered Rodney Sheldon. " he'll g‘ "Don't apologize for blushlnr. my have to get that out of her head. \ child." she looked Shirley over will‘ With her looks and that old-fashion- cslm dellberlifinw- "Y°l.1'1’¢ B “m” ed charm of hers, she ought to lull! youns ‘un. In appearance. you're m“? a brilliant mstoh." ern to your finger-UN. Ind yet Ill “with Oscar Bertrand as the eligib- hfl- Y0" h!" °lll4l5hl°n°d “°"'°“" is rnan." murmured the widow bit-tire CHAPTER 24. l THE WISE LITTLE GIRL 3i i " smiled Shirley. the little party of ‘four was i vuu where “No, I never cared for dark women Shirley was silent, because there "The pearl of my youth." hi! 111119- "Poor little iooli Poor little roman- ticlsti" muxmuredwntizemyiggre 53:: ke so com?!" , ti‘... were robbed of their mnz- ‘M. well. life will teach you diffrrwf-lv- evqn if your excellentlnd dflllmlll’ father has failed in his dut1~ ' dole?" under the deck swnlnll. - ' watching the monotonous swell of s ~_ blue, blue sea, she fleshed Lou-ll Ill - eloquent I-told-you-so glance. for the Commodore was saying: "It's getting tiresome belie. Witt v do ygq “y no g, week's Willi: It!" the four of us?" ' m,