Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-08-09


to her feet, the huge mass of sweet
peas he had brought her falling to the
dock in rosy rain. ''Good-byl Hur-
ry-you might be left on board How
hot you look-poor boyl o, TIL be all
right, Hurry, Alec! Yes, yes-good-
by!"
Then Alec's sturdy shoulders he'd
buffeted their way through the mass
OF pleasure-seekers. The gangplank
was drawn in. A final maddening
shrek shrilled up from the pipe over
head. There was a grating-a crunch
/ ing-a sliding. The great boat was
slipping away from the lofty ware
houses.
you won't be conceited if make
a confession?"
YOU" he protested. humbly, shave
no idea of the true Christian humility
of my characteri"
He was lounging beside her in con-
tented Incidence She liked the way
he held her parasol-in a languid hand
that withal was as a rock
We'll, then, ever since | read that
wonderful novel of yours I've been
wishing to meet you. It's-O, I've no
i words for it! It's splendid! 1t de-
serves SUGGEST"
The winsome face in the cloud of fair
hair was full of eager interest, Just
for brief space he heSitated. Then
he spoke, grsvely:
"You care a good deal for books,
then?' he ventured.
more than for anything elsei Next
to the joy of being able to express
yourself to your own satisfaction is
the delight of having another do it for
you. IL knew you at once from your
pictures. Although" she FASTENED to
add, "all 1 saw were-atrociousi"
A quizzical smile came around. his
mouth.
"Ah," he hazarded. grimly, perhaps
that is why you knew mel" Then he
abruptly changed the conversation.
Don't you care for sportS-golf. foot
ball and ali that?"
"Golf-yes. But that dreadful foot
ball"
Young Darcie laughed-a boys
hilarious laugh.
Let US talk about books--about
something really Interestingly" she
broke in, imploringly. The pretty
fiuctuant color was coming and going
in her soft cheeks. Tell me how you
got the plot for your novel. Did it. all
come in a fash? Or did it-approxi-
mate itself-as the artists say?"
He shifted the sunshade so abruptly
her hair was blown across her eyes.
A tendril of it touched his tanned
cheek.
"If." solemnly, "I tell you, you'll
never give me away?"
"Neverl" leaning forward with pink
lips parted. "Neverl"
THEM don't know"
"You-don't-know?
II really don't. It's something hlNe
love at first sight A thing no fellow
can account for-or-or describe YOU
know"
"Then," with conviction, sits an IN
EPiradonl I'm proud 20 know a real
live novelist. Alec was dear old thing
to introduce you"
Wasn't he, thought" Darcie toyed
with the rescued flowers the dear old
thing" had sent. And, incidentally, he
made the afternoon vanish for Chrys-
tai Calvert as never time had flown
before. Then the vague, dun tne of
the Michigan coast doomed an indef-
mite, irregular outline before them.
And as the purple dusk closed down
they found themselves gliding from
the open lake into the river slip be-
tween the long, low lying wooden
docks.
The landing was black with q wav-
ing, shouting, gesticulating crowd, be-
yond which were lined up the convey
ances of the resorts. Mrs De Puyster.
pushing forward with her footman in
her wake, welcomed her niece warmly,
and at the same instant cried out in
pleased amazement at sight of her
companion.
"Why, David Darcie! You here?
And with Chrystal?"
David Darcie? The girl flung up her
head. The brother, theni The great
center rush-the eXplorer-the fa-
nous athlete-not-not Edgar, the
novelisti
Forgive me-" he pleaded. "I meant
TO explain. hadn't the courage-this
afternoon"
Alec, coming down to South Haven
two weeks later, voiced his indigna-
ton at sight of the circlet blazing on
Crystals little left hand.
Dave Darcie's a blooming SPORT
He amt any more artistic-or-or lit
erary-than-than met Talk about
feminine logic, will you? Here's a |
cracking instance!"
HE suits me, Alec. dear" Chrys-
tails nod and smile were sweet and
mysterious. HE suits me even better
than you-though you were darling
TO introduce us. Or even than that
that priggish brother of his who has
written book would have done. What |
was the name OF it, anyway ?"-Chi- !
cago Tribune