SHORT STORY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17010, 7 April 1923, Page 1 (Supplement)

SHORT STORY.

THE LEURA SWEEP. A TALE OF SHIPBOARD. (Written for the “ Star ’’ by MRS E. BA LZEEN.) Miss Anna Johnston laid down the look which she was reading, and looked up at. the fair-haired trill with the lug. dreamy eyes who had entered the little two-berth cabin on the n.s. Leura. For a moment the two surveyed each other, then the fail-haired girl spoke ; “ You’re my cabin mate!” she cried in a high-pitched but not nn idea.si unvoice. •' Arc you going all the way to New Zealand?” Miss .Johnson nodded. England.” site said. “ Well. I null no at Lyttelton.” said the girl. “ I’m hepping out of rhe Indian heat into a Canterbury winter, and—and I’m not very strong.” she ailed. Mi**-*- Johnston glanced at the cabin trunk and again at the frail girl who vas tugging at the straps. Stencilled upon the lop of the trunk in whit* letters were the words: Miss Malvina Melville, The Blue Magpie Company. Calcutta. The girl noticed the Quick glance which Miss Johnston had taken at the tniiik. anti slio smiled. « hat’s me.’ she said, nodding at the name upon the t; 1111 k. “ I’m Malgina Melville, but there’s no Blue Magpie Oompanv any more. We wont p ump 011 the rock* and the fragments tie knocking all over India ” Miss Johnston’s very aristocratic face showed interest. “ 'Vo busted.” added the girl as she unlocked the trunk. “ \Yc landed high and dry. Empty houses came at us one after the other, ami the show just ln\ down and died from sheer inipeeu-mo.-ity.” I lie show:-** murmured the little ole maid kindly. Ihe Blue AlagiuU Com nan v.” explained tin* girl. --It’s extimmi bed * Blown up! Cone down the road ot has Liens.” - vl , is ' Anna ./•■hn-tm, noUdoU W l.ead *" * !,n " th '" "ho i':»lorstoo:l. and f„r a ,e " niimires there was ailem-e as the unpacked Imp clotliiiiß'. Ilm a rleV ll 1,1 ,h '' disaster was upon Ml ** s f alv , fl»<l she turned and Icatic fllrtlicr explanations „ „' Ve hail terrible Inch' ’ sire said. We came d.ivrn to bread and tlriuniire«t Calcutta. I.ittle flounder Solomons " 1,0 was manager, tried to do a ittt-nway. but I muted him. f went ,J " my knees to him. • Aly God ,ret nre out ot this place!’ I oried. t me away to some place where I tlon t se-e nitrgers inornine noon and night!’ I cried to him. ’ And- and dnl ho help you? ’ aske«i Miss Johnston. ” He gave me a ticket to Lvttelton.’’ answered the girl. <• Somooi'.,, in shipping company », s helping hinp anti I suppose that was thy cheapest \\.i\ ot getting rid of me. He gave the. ticket. hut he couldn’t give shilling i„” the work], .Mis" he sanl when he handed nre the ticket at the hiddapore Docus. ‘Thank the Lord ton SUt ' n " r P as *“S6 to L\ ttel•Miss n,:;i ’.lohnston become much more interested in Mi's Malvina Uel vide as the S.S. Leu,a steamed out of Colombo Harbour. There was a childiMj simplicity about the final, fairhaired girl which made the old maid iron, London like her. Malvina was not more than twenty years of a«t and she had quaint little ways that ’charmed Aliss Anna. She was a simple child, lunch upset by the misfortunes which had 111 den upon the theatrical company o! which she had been a member. And. I Kit, she murmured in a hurst of confidence to fvliss ’Johnston ns they were retiring on that first

evening, 1 was fair crazy coming down trom Calcutta to Colombo. 1 «ned like a kid wjien they pushed out from the docks 1 cried that much that * tea-planter loaned me his handkerchief. I dropped mine overboard in my excitement, and before [ kne*v what I was doing, 1 was dabbing my eyes with the one he gave me. He’s ft googoo-eyed fellow and he’s going right along with us. I found him mighty useful in Colombo. He looked after my luggage and ran around me like a poodle dog.” Miss Johnston looked hard at Miss Malvina s googoo-eyed companion as the two walked up and down the deck together the following morning. The man was not. in the opinion of ZCtss Anna, a desirable acquaintance. He was far short of Jiei* ideal for Malvina Mel vile, the engenue of the Blue Magpie Company. * ! do not like him,” said Aliss .Johnston to herself. “In fact. 1 detest him.” hi the cour-e of a few days she discovered that the “ googoo man had ‘‘tons of money,” and that a cramp around the world in his company would be the best thing for Miss Malvina's delicate health. Mis* Johnston placed an anxious hand on Ihe girl’s arm and looker! straightlv into her eyes*: Don t! ’ .-he advised, firmly, yet as genllv a- ;i mother might have done. u A\ell, ' she said, “ I suppose he’d want to marry me. He thinks ® s I do; I’d tlie if I go to work tiie moment I land. And 1 can’t live on mv friends-—they are mostly poor people. you see. J suppose he’s my only escape. ’ She sighed and cTo-ecl her eyes wearily. Aliss Johnston sighed too ami .just as she was planning rut an alternative for Aliss Malvina Hie sweep fever took hold of the ship and two energetic promoters pounced down upon Miss Anna and the young gill the moment they reached the deck. Ala Ivina made a nioue as they pleaded with her to invest five shillings 771 a sweep upon the day’s imn. “ But 1 haven’t got live *Jiillin"ft to spare.” she said. “ Really I haven’t!” “ Nonsense !” cried one of the vmrn: men. • ! have a belief that this is a 11 I • da*.. Y. 1,1 must take a :T : **••«■.’’ f-Tie turned to Alis* Johnston;

" Would you advise me to risk it?” she asked. ** Do you know. I’ve got an awful desire to take a gamble.” In low whisper she added: “And it’s nearly the last five shillings I’te got.” “ 1 wouldn’t like to advise you.” said Miss Johnston. 1 think 1 11 chance it,” whispered the girl. “ I’m sure you’ll be lucky!” cried cue ol‘ tlie promoters. Malvina took five * hillings out of her purse and handed it to the sweep man. “ Take it!” she cried, “and bring me good luck. I’ve had enough of the other kind.” The sweep was drawn in the saloon that afternoon, and when the promoters ennie round to inform the chance takers as to whether they had drawn numbers in the first draw. Hie girl sprang from her seat and rushed at them as they came towards the spot where she and her friend were sitting. “ Did I draw a number?” *he cried. Quick, tell me if I drew a good number.” “You’ve drawn a number, but I’m afiaid it isn’t one of the host,” said 1 m -‘ of the men. “ You’ve drawn number three hundred and fifty-one.” And why isn’t it a good number?” asked Aialvina. Because to-day’s run wat three hundred and ninety,” answered the young man. “ And the officer on the bridge thinks we’ll run somewhere near that score by twelve o’clock tomorrow.’” Arid I won’t, have, a chance?” \A ell, you’ve got a slight chance. If something goes wrong in the engineroom or it a strong head wind blows up to-night, you’ll have a big chance, but with fair weather and n<> disaster in the eneino“Oli, dear!” she broke in, “and \ hat am 1 to do now that I’ve drawn a number?” she asked. “ A, l H*e numbers that have been drawn will be auctioned on tlie welloeck.” said the man. “ Your minibijr II be put up to auction as well :i ' *he others. Each number will be .sold to the highest bidder. Ji the owner of the number buys it in, he is only required to pay one-half of’the selling price, but if another person buys it. ihat peison pays the full price, half Q f which goes to the owner, and tlie other I.all to the pool. Do you understand?” “Aos ” Miss Melville.” And as far as I’m concerned. I’m out of tins Vr., * • So bu.Mng for me, thank vou. 'I! gladly take whatever my ticket brings and forget all about." Three hundred and fifty-one doesn’t make me crazy to do any further gambling. Why the boat would have to go forty knots slower than she did to-day.” “ Wen - i<; possible,” said the promoter again. “ if a lieaei—” ”Ob. bother!” said Miss Melville; ' anything is possible, but I like to • buik ol something that is probable as Mis, Johnston, w ifo was standing near by, put a question: “ How much (.0 you think the winner of the pool will receiver” asked the little old maid. 1 think there will be fully eightv pounds in the pool, or more. ‘ But we cannot tell exactly until the auction is over.” Eighty pounds!” murmured Alal'a- " ‘O' eighty pounds would keep me lor weeks and weeks- but I’ve c iawn an old number that hasn’t a chance in a million.” • It might have a chancre.” fire H hasn ’ t! I’ve thrown mr mw 1 n n S -'"' : ’ V , ! I didn’t ly.on anything about this old auction Ins morning, and 1 cTldn’t think lv! re t.“ “'‘J' l " my number if I wanted , f®'' W It>s ail ■finished ‘ concerned.*’ ’’l think” said Mis, Johnston that you should buy in the number.” -V.Jyma laughed recklessly “Brv Ibs’t’nnw' h ti T e T.'„‘V I,vr re nltoned up J not non that I’ll ]an~i in Lvtteltnr "orth about six shillings.” J ri 11 lend you the money to buy in A our number.” said Mi<T i~i quietly. * J,S& Johnston i he „P, rl hTTarplv upon her You’ll lend it!” she cried. “ AVhv--■‘bee.uTe'T tl “ ta “' ,ne ' t ”‘ Miss Anna, because 1 think you've got a chance cd 7i- -Aialvma blushon ail'd kissed the other’s thin sheTaid"' 1 S ‘ V ely - “ " can d hU^ S !” S “?' Miss Johnston. “I can do that without any trouble.” )) he “ t'm passengers grouped them.tilts round the auctioneer Miss Mil tlVrJreT ‘ lers€lf , "edged iu between die tea-planter and -Hiss Johnston an l'fh eUt y J lel ' Mamber was held up, sneech a nt ' er a ™ther witty peech regarding the scrap of paper, and said: “ Who’ll start me with a bid for three hundred and fifty-one?” 1‘ ive shillings!” cried a baldheaded man. (All the higher numbers had started with twenty and rose by the bidding to trom three to five pound apiece.) Miss Johnston gripped the rail in front of herself and bid; “Seven and six!” “ Ten shillings!” “Fifteen!” “A pound !” Miss Malvina- spoke to the little woman m a hoarse whisper. “ Don’t he a fool!” she implored. “Every body says it hasn’t got a chance' t-oogoo Eves says ” “Twenty-five shillings!” called Ali=s Johnston, firmly. “ Googoo says it isn’t worth sixpence.” said Malvina-. ‘‘Twenty-seven and six!” cried a weak-voiced bidder. " But Googoo Eyes says——ah, please don’t!” said the girl again. “Thirty shillings! said Aliss Johnston. At thirty-five shillings all tlie others were silent, and the auctioneer looked at Mis Johnston as he brought the mallet clown with a crash on the table, after the usual, “Going, going gone!” “ Mrs Mrs—er, what is the name?” he asked. ‘ Miss Malvina Alelville,” said Miss -lohnston. Afterwards Miss Malvina raged at Miss Johnston in then- cabin. “ I'm ■v.st sick of everything—and I don’t (.ne it* T <lic! T owe you money now. »nd you shouldn’t have gone on with be stupid thing!” Aliss Johnston’s arm stole round the wo- of tlie girl. “Don’t vou worry. dear.” she rJ,• I’m all right *’ The light i 1 b • mail was still in her eyes, it wa> alter one o'clock when .Mal-

vina awoke. She felt horribly ill. The Leura vas performing evolutions which disagreed with her. She saw Aliss Johnston kneeling beside her berth in an attitude suggestive of prayer. Aialvina. iu a voice which showed intense suffering, moaned : ’* Are you praying?” Aliss .lohnston did not answer for a moment. Then, “'Yes, I was!” she said defiantly, “for this bad weather to continue. I mean this good weather.” she added triumphantly. AY hen a sailor lifted up the glass door of the chart-case next day he calmly posted up number three hundred and fifty-one ! “ Oh. my God! I thank Thee!” said Miss Anna Johnston as a whitefaced gill stretched out two trembling hands tow*-*rd« her