The Hattiesburg news., 1910-02-22
CHAPTER XVII.
The Sea, the Sand, the Stars

The Sea, the Sand, the Stars.
I telephoned as soon as l reached
my hotel, and had not known how
much l had hoped from seeing her
until I learned that she was out Of
town. I hung up the receiver, almost
dizzy with disappointment, and it was
fully five minutes before I thought ol
calling up again and asking if she
was within telephone reach. II
seemed she was down on the bay stay
ing with the Samuel Forbeses.
Sammy Forbes! 1t was a name tc
conjure with just then. In the ole
days at college l had rather f1outeG
him, but now l was ready to take him
to my heart. l remembered that he
had always meant we'll, anyhow, 'and
that he was explosively generous.
called him up.
by the fumes of gasoline!" he said
when l told him who I was. BLAKE
ley, the Fount of Wisdom against
Woman! Blakeley, the Great I'm
kissed! Welcome to our cityg''
Whereupon he proceeded to urge
me to come down to the Shack, an(
to say that was an agreeable sur
prise, because four times in two
hours youths had called up to ask i
Alison West was stopping with him
and to suggest that they had q vacan
day or two.
"Oh-Miss West!" shouted polite
1V Thnrn
rs she therey"
Sam had no suspicious. Was no
/ in his mind always the Great I'm
kissed?-which sounds like the Grea
Unwashed and is even more of re
proach. He asked me down promptly
as had hoped, and thrust aside my
objections.
Nonsense" he said Bring your
self. The lady that keeps my board
ing-house is calling to me to insist
You remember Dorothy, don't you
Dorothy Browne? She says nnles.
you have lost your figure you car
wear my clothes all right. An ,yol
need here is q bathing suit for day
time and dinner coat for evening""
1T sounds cool" l temporized. "I
you are sure I won't put you out
very we'll, Sam, since you and your
wife are good enough. 1 have q
couple of days free. Give my love to
Dorothy until I can do 1t myself
Sam met me himself and drove me
out to the Shack, which proved to lbe
substantial house overlooking the
water. On the way he confided to me
that lots of married men thought they
were contented when they we're mere
ly resigned, but that 1T was the only
life, and that Sam, Junior, could swim
like duck. Incidentally, he said that
Alison was his wife's cousin, their re-
spective grandmothers having, at
proper intervals, married the same
man, and that Alison would lose her
good looks if she was not careful
II say she's worried and l stick to
it," he said, as he threw the lines to
a groom and prepared to get out.
You know her, and she's the kind of
girl you think you can read like a
book. But you can't; don't fool your
self. Take a good look at her at din
ner, Blake; you won't lose your head
like the, other fellows-and then tell
me whatV wrong with her. We're
mighty fond of Allie"
He went ponderously up the steps,
for Sam had put on weight since
knew him. At the door he turned
around. do you happen to know the
MacLure's at Seal Harbor?" he
asked irrelevantly, but Mrs. Sam
came into the hall Just then, both
hands out to greet me. and, whatever
Forbes had meant to say, he did not
pick up the subject again.
I'VE are having tea in here" Doro-
thy said gaily, indicating the door
behind her. Tea by courtesy, be-
cause I think tea Is the only bever-
age that isn't represented. And then
we must dress. for this is hop night
at the club"
(Which is as great a misnomer as
the tea," Sam put In, ponderously
out of his linen driving
coat. ITS bridge night, and the only
hops are in the beer"
He was still gurgling over this as
he took me upstairs. He showed me
my room himself. and then began the
fruitless search for evening raiment
that kept me home that night from
the club. For couldn't wear Sans
clothes. That was clear after per
spirinG aeance of half hour.