New Britain herald., 1916-08-23
Vews fo1~ 7henfer Goers and Women Readers

boxes and bundles piled near her. was 55abbering away coquettishly to the youth, who, With cheeks reckoning even through his weather-beaten tan. was grinning sheepishly at her chatter.
 Don't spoil sport,' drawled Harry underwood. Hes lucky fellow whether he realizes it or not. Wish there was anybody as interested in me as Katie seems to be in that chap"
 Perhaps she would transfer her attentions,' his wife began mocking- ly but her husband prevented the completion of the sentence by rising coming swiftly to where she sat and lifting her, deck chair and all in his powerful arms
 'S'help me, I'll chuck you over board if you don't stow that gab,' he threatened, grinning at her as he held her easily. "PrOmise?'
 Needs must when the devil drives" retorted Lillian, as coOlly as if the little incident were the most ordinary bit of playfulness. But, as he put her down again, I shuddered
 It was in keeping with the air of bUrlesqued melodrama with which Harry Underwood invests all his rail- lery but the glimpse I had had of the immense brutal strength the man must possess fascinated as well as terrified me. I think he must have read something of what I felt in my eyes, for he leaned forward and said, mockingly, yet with a hint of hidden seriousness: Don't be frightened, little one, I'll never hurt you.
 Harry UnderWood's nonsense always annoys me, but this particular speech vas especially irritating, because of the look of wonder which l surprised in Dr. Pettit's eyes. He was looking from Harry Underwood to me gravely with a hint of sternness. I had gleaned that he was an exceedingly fastidlous man, and I read in his look a wonder that I should permit the boorish jest ing which Harry Underwood ad- dressed toward me.
 NIadge Rcsents Harry's Banter.
 As I met the young physicians grave, questioning eyes I felt my checks flushing with anger toward both Harry UnderwOod's disrespectful banter and the disapproval which I read in pr. Pettit's gaze.
 I was glad when Jim turned the r0u~so Of the boat, and ran up to the landing of one of the beach resorts, With which the south shore of Long Island is so thickly dotted.
 "Ths surely is not your desert is 1.,rd!' Grace Draper exclaimed.
 "Oh, no, this is only where we catch our fish," Dcky replied, smiling.
 We all understood his meaning when a weather-beaten looking indi- vldual who had evidently been await ing us, advanced from a nearby bath house with a shining string of fish and a basket of clams. He passed them over to Jim, who promptly slowed them away, and turned the course of the boat again toward the open sea.
 That's the way you fish, is it jeered Alfred Durkee. T thought you invited us to a fishing trip"
 why you drean1y-head-in-the t1ouds-b bOOk-WOrm,' retOrted Dicky, | If I ever put a fishing rod in your hands you wouldn't know which end of it to put in the water. And as for Harry, he's almost too lazy to eat the fish, let alone catch them. I knew I'd have to do all the work for the crowd, so I had Jim buy them in stead.'
 The mental picture of Dicky's doing all the work for any crowd appeared to be too much, for every pOOV except bI. felClI ana Ifdco Draper burst into a shout of laughter, ! little Mrs. Durkee fairly shaking with mirth.
 Dr. Pettit's face held the cOnven ; tonal smile of a stranger, who had not quite understood the merriment ? he was sharing, but Grace Draper's face was unsmiling Instead she i turned a sympathetic glance toward 1 Dicky. Evidently she meant to con- i Vey to him the fact that she could . not join in any ridicule directed at him.
 l forgot the jealous anger I had i felt toward the girl in my contempt at her silliness
 came in sight Of a gleaming beach of tangled that it looked like small , dumps of bushes, with the calm, still | water of the bay on one side and the 1 laz1ly rolling surf on the other
 Behold our desert island!" Dicky ] exclaimed dramatically, springing to l lis feet.
 Jim ran the boat sl1ilfully up on the beach and grounded her. Harry Un- 1 derwood stepped forward to assist me ! ashore, but pr. Petit, with unob- 1 trusive qu1ckness, was before him.
 As I had my hand in that of the young physician, Harry Underwood ! save a hoarse stage laugh. "I told you SOL he croaked maliciously: 1T knew I had a rival on my hands"