Evening star., 1921-11-30
DEEP WATERS.
4 II ERRIAM LINDSAY. with her
MI bobbed red curls and ABB
VI breviated bat ing suit,

NH bobbed red curls and ABB
WI brevfated bathinE suit,
stockingless and capless.
poised on the spring board beside
the Rlaisdell swimming pool. looked
about sixteen instead Of the matron
Of twenty-one. 1t was past i O'CLOCK
in the morning: half moon. riding
high in the clouds. flooded the pool
with silvery light 1t hadn't occurred
to Merriam, when she ran angrily our
Of the house. furious at her John be-
cause he could sleep calmly after
what seemed to her the worst guar
rel they'd ever wrangled themselves
into. that any other house guest OF
the Blaisdells' might have been IN :
trigued with the idea Of q moonlight
she She thought that the figure sitting
on the marble bench in the elm
shadows beside the pool must 20 2
burglar. Frightened. but not At All
. coward, she stool her ssounSd; oa S.oMshf %,sht
= bathing coat with her. She stead
led her voice the best she could.
she heard Richard slocum's chuckle
even before he ,strode out % Of the
SHADOWS; Vs. he s.iS iSonso roSe Sg hut he was as
casual az thought were broad day-
light and all the members OF the
house party were playing about them:
.Peach Of a night, ehg. Suppose Wed
better not dive and make = splash or
everybody will want to horn In" He
held out his hand. Merriam put hers
in it rather stupidity. He led her
around to the. edge Of the pool and
iifted her over the wide marble brim,
The cooiness Of the waters. the
moon riding serenely above them;
made Merrism forEst everything s.a1s ana
She exultsd in the luxurious feel Of
the water: she swan easily; almost
Lastly, physically busy enough to Tor
get Johns wrath. her own temper.
and that she'd been avoiding tete
tetss With d Rahard fsn f ss oask asked
her. "Lordy, what lot Of times
we've played around this swimmin'
holei Remember tho first time that
Thorne and ] got you to dive? You
weren't any bigger than a minute.
about nine. I suess| ~ ne sighed.
perfectly huge! Wasn't the scare
cat! 1t seemed so horribly deep. the
water did, that first time!'
But We didn't let anything happen
to you, did we:" his tone was ten
He reached out his hand and put Il
you're shivery; we'd better climb
OUT
She obeyed him meekly.
"Where's your coat?"
"Didn't bring IT." she felt delic-
iously relaxed. She yawned little
as she swung herself to the broad
brim Of the pool. She picked up tiny
pebbles from the path and hung them
lazily into the waters Richard stood
back OF her, tucking his bathrobs
across her shoulders, reaching down
into the pocket as he did so for his
cigarette case.
The match hared, his good looking
profile was lighted for a brief mo-
ment. A little feeling Of friendii-
ness toward him warmed her heart
After all, he waS years and years
older than she, ard he had been her
sooa drisoa ss: s.s asa
these months she had been married to
John. It was childish Of her keep
in mind always that Richard had
been IN love with her bsfors she was
Smoker" he pronersd the case.
me-"
Don't old married ladies like you
do some things their dads didn't let
them" he teased.
John DOESN'T like women to-"
But John does. Dare you!" his
lazy. laughing voice as he held the
light toward her was rather thrilling
to listen TO. TITS like the first time
you dived-not half so deep as 1t
seems"
She let him tuck the cigarette be-
tween her lips: she tried TO pun. but
With sudden gesture OF disgust
Il 'spose I'm q prudy prism." her
voice trembled "but Rich, II don't
feel at all--ntce. I think it's rather
rowdy for an old married lady like
me" she tried to BE- fiippant. ito
be out swimming and smoking at
O'Clock in the morning with~a gay
young bachelor like you"
You are coming along" he re-
sponded gaily. Showing q bit of
pep I'll say. Saksey, you've been act
ing like a recluse instead 2of rea-
eonable human being. YOU Rromised
months ago you'd be yttle nicer
| to me and ever Isince than you've
avoided me ike the bubonic plague" /"
"Am ! being nice now? she fall
Very" His hand reached out and
patted her. you're making me very
happy. Just to be with you is--weli,
bless your heart for coming. There
] sat I as blue as Indigo, almo4t given