Evening star., 1922-12-10

snail not applaud you. l Sald
when he had finished. You might
mistike courtesy for an encore"
II wonder if the bronze haired girl
heard me?'' murmured George, laying
down the banjo.
Unless she is deaf" I pointed out.
she could scarcely have avoided 1t.
She probably thinks we are a couple
Of music hall comedians
Perhaps I had better call tomorrow
and apologize" said George thought
fully.
4 looked him in the eyes
George" l observed. .'if l find you
thrusting your society on that de-
fenseless young woman l shall COM
municate with the local policeman"
She is not defenseless." objected
George. "She has a dog and an old
woman with her; and as for youth
we'll, 1 am but a lad myself"
laughed unkindly.
I'm the matter Of hair" l said.
glancing at the top of Georges head.
Hair" said George hastily, has
nothing to do with it. Hair Is an ex-
orescence. a hideous and perpetual
reminder Of our arboreal ancestry"
You had better tell her that"
replied. "She would appreciate It,"
Il was not speaking Of bronze hair
You never saw a bronze-haired mon
key"
1T may be dyed" suggested.
George picked up his banjo.
such blasphemy." he said. de
serves a heavy punishment. I shall
sing you Beauty's Eyes,"
"Is there no option?" pleaded.
With his thumb on tho strings
George paused.
Yes" he said. you can wash up"
x $50
NEXT morning at breakfast George
~ announced his intention of walk
ing over to Chertsey.
They are taking entries for the
regatta" he explained. "And I want
to put our names down for the double
punting."
How about getting a couple Of In
surance policies at the same time" 1
suggested. U have punted with
George before3
whats your program" he inquir-
cd. disregarding my excellent pro-
Dosal.
Il shall 60 up the Bourne" said.
Z want to hnsh my picture. and the
light is Just right this morning."
well, don't collar the sardines," he
replied selfishly. Il should like 'em
for supper"
He sauntered off about half-past 10.
stopping in the garden to pick our
only carnation for his buttonhole.
After some research 1 unearthed
dpned tongue, some bread and butter,
Z cake, and last. but not least, a bot
10 of claret. These I transplanted
<enderiy to the punt, and then, put
ting in my painting materials, push
"a OF in leisurely fashion up the
6ackwater.
As passed Otters Holt, the long.
low, oreeper-covered bungalow that
adJoined our own camping ground,
caught q glimpse of the girl who
had infiamed Georges susceptible
heart. She was lying in a deck
chair In tho veranda. reading a book.
BY her side crouched a large brindled
bulldog. who looked up and emitted
d sharp "woof" as the splash Of my
ount pole reached his ears.
His mistress put out small reprov-
Ing hand. Lie down, sir- she said
in q voice that no decent bulldog
1ould possibly have resisted.
sThere are excuses for George"
Uaid 70 myself as an Intervening
dump Of willow shut out any further
o60ogvatons.
Tho Bourne. as is usual on week
days, was delightfully."- deserted. II
pushed my way slowly up its narrow
course. thrusting aside the overhang-
fng bushes and startling an occasional
kingnsher into q streak Of living blue
Ny destination was Just around the
fourth bend. a place where the sun
shine played bewitching game of
hide-and-seek through the branches
Of an elm. 1t was this tracery of
light and shadow that was attempt
ing to transfer to my canvas.
Tor about an hour / labored at my
picture with commendable industry.
But somehow or other did not make
~ rapid progress as such diligence
deserved. A vision of a girl with
bronze hair kept fitting before my
Sy0o iu &uo IuVSk ciuSlSS anu ulSCOn.
certing fashion. Once actually
found myself murmuring, Lie down,
sir." apparently in an attempt to
&nalyze the peculiar charm with
which these three words seemed to be
associated.
Fer . person of well regulated mind
this was distinctly humiliating. Ibe-
gan to take myself to task. Because
. young woman happens to address
q bulldog in your hearing" I in
quired, sis that any reason why you
should waste an entire morning."
Getting no reply, I continued with
increasing sternness: You are as bad
az George. You are making an idiot
of yourself over a red-haired slip of q |
girl whom you have only seen about |
three times in your life. Why, If 1t |
comes to that. you don't even know |
her name! Sir. I am disguised with |
xssS
e. :.