Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1924-10-31
A Trip Behind the
Scenes
By ADA BORDEN STEVENS


tie rolls Of money were stacked ut her
side. 1t had been big day at the
beach. Ordinarily she would have
been full of JOY at the smile such
lot Of bills would be sure to bring to
her employers face, but tonight she
didn't care. She wanted to get
through and get out where she could
feel the sea breeze off the water
A little conversation kept coming
back to her. 1t was between Ed and
herself as they wheeled along the
highway to this very summer resort.
He had asked once more.
Are you sure you want to do this
thlng2 1t won't be quite the same US
play, you know, working In an office"
Eyes, of course | am surew She
had been impatient Ed was awfully
good to bring her down, when he
didn't approve. She had refused to
marry him, but then they had been
brought up together, and refusing him
had grown to be habit. He'd got to
understand.
II want one summer" she empha-
sized, "when l can just live at the
beach, and no one can interfere with
mel"
Baker isn't the easiest man to work
for" Ed had warned. She had tossed
her head.
Mr.. Baker, tall, dark and attractive,
was one Of the reasons why she had
wanted to come.
She had been here month now,
and certainly no one had interfered
She knew her employer was satisfied.
BY hurrying she managed to get dip
In the ocean before the bathing sec
ton closed. The trip back and forth
from the boarding house was without
adventure. She had begun to think Of
Mr.. Baker as "the boss" Reluctant
ly she owned to herself that now she
had secured her wish she was not
happy. Her employer had turned out
to be a prosey gentleman plodding
about his work with not a speck Of
romance In his soul At the hour Of
FIVE his family called for him each
night In the motor
She jumped as he spoke over her
shoulder, gathering up the days prof
Its. "Tll just run this down to the
city Office and put 1t In the safe. Want
to conner Mrs. Baker ia In the ma
chine, and It will be good change
for you" His voice was kind.
1t was the first social invitation
since she had arrived. In desperation
she had resolved TO return to the
beach after supper and dance, but Mr..
Baker must not know that. His EN-
ployees were warned to be careful Of
their behavior, and especially against
dancing with strangers.
She felt little guilty as she stepped
into the tonneau. She had met the
Baker family before, and they had
been kind. How tired she was Of
kindness |" Everybody was klnd-as
they might be to an alley cat or a lost
child But nobody was really inter
ested.
The family talk breezed around her.
They took little extra turn around
the shore drive, then left her at her
boarding house.
She thanked them gratefully, but
ah, how uneventfu II all wasl She
had pictured the summer as one mad
adventure after another-and nothing
at all had happened She nodded to
the old ladies on the piazza. Poor
things they were glad even OF one
young person in the gloomy house
Up in her room she dressed care
fully for the dance She did not want
TO be conspicuous. but, oh, how she
did long for companiOnshlp and
good time! Not for worlds would she
let Ed know how she felt!
She remembered how exciting the
evening was when he brought her over
to this very beach last year. There
had been the mad, jazz music Of the
banJos, and Ed between her and every
thing unpleasant; dipping, gliding, in
perfect knowledge OF her mood.
She threw her cape about her shout.
ders and sped along the short cut to
the beach. For one night only she
would play excursionlst and do as the
other girls did who went alone.
II was a relief when the doorkeeper
took her ticket In matter fact
way. She might be just anybody In
the crowd, and II gave her courage.
She took her place on the benches
md watched the whirl.
Then men came to ask her to dance.
She looked at them and turned away
She couldn't, after all There would
be no fun in that The assured man
ner In which they smiled was enough.
IF someone as lonely as She
May have this dancer Engrossed
In her thoughts, sensitive, little
afraid, she shook her head without
looking up. Then well-knOwn
chuckle surprised her and she sprnng
to her feet
ED Your dearest thlngi Where
did you come from?"
"Why," he smiled. i've been here
every night for week I knew II
would get you after awhile. What do
you say, nowf ask you again. VIII
you be my"
Dorothy put small hand over his
lips and the steel-faced chaperon eyed
them susplcIously MS they started the
fOx-trOt
"Sn-h r. she warned. Don't say II
agaln-but ri give Mr.. Baker my no
tlce In the morning."