Angel Island

A confused murmur arose from the men. Ralph leaped to his feet. He made

a movement in the direction of the women, involuntary but violent.

The women shrank closer to Julia. They turned white, but they waited.

Julia did not stir.

"Go home, you - " Ralph stopped abruptly and choked something back.

"Go at once!" Billy added sternly.

"I'm ashamed of you, Clara," Pete said.

"Better go back, girls," Honey advised. He tried to make his tone

authoritative. But in spite of himself, there lingered a little pleading

in it. To make up, he unmasked the full battery of his coaxing smile,

his quizzical frown, his snapping dimples. "We can't let Angela fly

after she's grown up. It isn't natural. It isn't what a woman should be

doing."

Frank said nothing.

Julia looked at them steadily an instant.

"Come!" she said briefly to her little band. The women ran down the

knoll and disappeared up the trail.

"Well, I'll be damned," Ralph remarked.

"Well, when you come to that, I'll be damned," Honey coincided.

"Who was it said that God did not intend them to walk?" Frank asked

slyly.

"So that's what all this bandaging of feet meant," Billy went on,

ignoring this thrust. "They were learning to walk all the time."

"You're on," Ralph said in a disgusted tone. "Foxy little devils!"

"Gee, it must have hurt!" Honey exclaimed. "They must have been torn to

ribbons at first. Some pluck, believe me!"

"I bet you dollars to doughnuts, Julia's at the bottom of it," remarked

Pete.

"No question about that," Frank commented. "Julia thinks."

"Considerable bean, too," said Honey. "Well, we've got to put a stop to

it to-night."

"Sure!" Ralph agreed. "Read the riot act the instant we get home. By the

Lord Harry, if it's necessary I'll tie my wife up!"

"I never could do that," said Pete.

"Nor I," said Frank.

"Nor I," said Honey. "But I don't think we'll have to resort to violent

measures. We've only got to appeal to their love; I can twist Lulu right

round my finger that way."

"I guess you're right," Ralph smiled. "That always fetches them."

"I don't anticipate any real trouble from this," Billy went on as though

arguing with himself. "We've got to take it at the start, though. We

can't have Angela flying after she's grown."