The Holly chieftain., 1924-05-08

70" hlorniaR nine torty-hEe for few
I hours only,--Tlolet
I He was stil increduIouS when he
saw her walking toward him down
The platform. Frighteued nn1 thrilled
nj the same time With sense eft grnat
adventure, rs lie could see she was
she Ind once more the look OF II
schoolgirl To him. Not merely that
size looked TO his enrupiured. slrap.
! less ewes like prabnt'onarv IN gel
come down to chanse the whole face
/ of the world
! Her face Frightened 1ovously when
she san him then in an instant com
pozad itself into the look of nmicahly
Indifferent recognition appropriate to
/ being met in the station by man
whom her husband might have re-
/ quested to look after his wife.
He took her dressing-cuse from the
| red cap tipped the boy, and said to
! her, You've just about got time to
make the other train. Wen go around
I this way
With demure CLEAN of mischief
which made him want to kiss her
where she stood, she accepted this,
( contentedly, as a maneuver for getting
away at once, out of the Chicago
| crowd that was pouring along the
! platform.
/ u don't care where we CO." she
/ said, when they had changed levels
and We're walking down transverse
Z 4.
In the station at six o'clock. That's
| when ! am supposed to be getting in
4 from Chicago"
"That'll be all right" he assured
her. "I'll get you back here on time.
You can leave it all to me-" For an
instant the sense of the furtiveness of
their escapade elated him. He gave
short laugh, slid his arm inside hers,
and pressed il against his body She
returned the pressure. but at once,
with a nervous glance around, re-
leased herself. "If we're going where
we can really be alone for while"
she said, there's no good taking
chances here"
! She hesitated moment in clear sur
u W itii Sit ibuIlt Ililu SHOWING II
pair of tickets and taking her through
the gate to one of the Long Island
| railway-trains, but she asked no ex-
| PLANTATION, and he made none until
they were seated In an almost empty
! coach.
| This is a little branch line" he
| said. "It goes down to one of the
/ beaches where there's nobody about.
| this time of year. | found it when
I was wandering around, just Il week
ago today. Had 1t all to myself in
! Guiding little hotel that fat man
| Is keeping open because he hasn't any
| where else to go. We can get lunch
there, l guess. 1t was only last sun
day l was there" he added, but it
seems like the longest year I've ever
| lived"
; She had stripped off one of her
| gloves and nestled her bare hand into
his, upon the seat between them At
| this confession. though she msunder-
stood 1t, she darted glance around,
and perceiving that there was no one
else in their part of the car-not even
a brakeman-she raised his hand and
stroked the back Of it with her lips.
"Poor old joe" she whispered.
| He had blissful hour before they
left the train at the little way aystation
he had picked out. despite the rattle
OF the windows, the samming of the
doors. the sudden stops and starts, and
the bawling of the brakeman, which
kept beating a dreadful tattoo upon
! his drawn nerves.
She was looking around pretty du.
biously, he saw. at the surroundings
they descended into from the train
| "Where are we going?" she asked.
We've got to find some shade some
where"
Il don't believe there's any on the
| beach" he said "Theres a veranda
on the hotel over there, though" he
! added
| She cast another dubious glance at
the shabby little gable-roofed build
ing his gesture had pointed out, and
for moment stood still, visibly cast
| ing about for an alternative Just be-
fore they reached the inn she stopped
and faced him. Joe" she asked, "why
did you bring me here? The place
looks SO perfectly disreputabe."
81 don't think it's that" Joe said,
but it does look as If it were closed.
There used to be some chairs and
things standing around on this We
randa." He tried the door and found
| 1t locked, but after rafting and
knocking upon 1t for while, they
heard heavy steps within, and pres
emily the fat proprietor came and
opened it. He was in lis shirt, but
the garment was clean and he was
freshly shaven
The interior made strong contrast
with the outside look of the place 1t
was unpretendously but agreeahly fur
nished, and it was immediately neat.
| There was wide fireplace iianked
| with HAttpns Whprp tho man said