Evening star., 1921-12-03
'vANTAGE>IN.
MERRY after-breakfas. party
was chattering on the bricked
! terrace above the : tennis

/" was cnatterlnS on the DflckeU
N terrace above the : tennis
courts at the Blaisdells' sum-
mer home.
Cant any of you settle. down to
anything?" called their laughing
hostess, as she passed them. flower
basket on her arm.
Nothing plays out even,' Cecily Lee
lands petulant answer summed up the
situation.
Young Hal Blaisdell, banging his
tennis racket into the wistaria vines,
made derisive face at her.
Make Gee match for doubles, mum
mie, with Rich and Merrys mister
and me-
John Lindsay, standing at the edge
of the terrace. flushed with embar-
rassment. at the youngsters casual
designation. Being called "Merry's
mister" seemed intolerable.
The card addicts, pushing their
chairs to the gayly painted iron table
that was placed under. a wide ere
tonne parasol. never SO much as
glanced in the bridegroom's direction.
Go, ahead. Slocum." John mur-
INJURED "You play singles with young
Rut Hal. who seemed not to care
what he did, continued to hove :
around the card table, idly batting
balls against side of the house, aim
ing them as closely as he dared above
the heads at the bridge table.
One ball. flying higher than he
meant it,. struck against a widow
shutter in the second story. A bit of
paper. curiously lodged in the iron
work. fiuttered straight into Cecily
Leland's hand as she reached out for
her cards. She was Just beginning to
uncrumple it when her cousin. Mer-
riam Lindsay, came running up the
terrace steps.
Hal, in impish mood, snatched the
paper from Cecily's fingers and
pranced along the balustrade. shout
ing:
Findings keepings-" His back
was toward Merriam. "'Richie. may
I go out to swim" he began
chanting from the paper.
Richard Slocum made a sudden leap
over the wide steps just as Merriam's
firm hand closed over the boys lips.
The women at the bridge table
were laughing at what seemed to be
was younger than the other women,
noticed that Richard was crimson
with embarrassment, while Merriam,
whose cheeks We're usually healthily
flushed, had turned very pale. 1t was
Cecily who coolly codged into the
"
ed herself of the cr.Impled paper.
Richard did not see her get it; he
had pinioned the mrschievous boy
against the ivied wall. and. with his
lips close to the boys ear. was saying:
Give 1t to me. that's good lad!
Haven't it," gasped the struggling
youngster. "Cissie took it."
''Oh, please stop that rumpus" a
bored voice drawled from the bridge
table. Merry makes four for tennis
Come on. Cecily; were wasting the
whole morning"
Merriam, who wanted that bit Of
paper more than she would have cared
to admit. eyed her cousin appealingly.
But Cecily. who never lost an oppor-
tunity to make things unpleasant for
Merriam. deliberately turned her
the cards. She would not so much as
glance in Merriam's direction.
Merry Jagged as she moved toward
the tennis court. Obviously Richard
Slocum and John Lindsay by far out
matched the bride and her youthful
partner. But the younger pair play
ed very pretty game for all that
Vantage in, Halls score calling
annoyed the bridge players.
Hal, you're a noisy child" Cecily's
insolent voice chided the lad.
"Cissie, you're a disagreeable kid.'
he came back at her. impudently. for
all that she was good ten years
older than he. Game and set" he
conceded. cheerily. Lets make 'em