Evening star., 1925-02-22


INA enough clouds to give 1t
character. The ocean serene,
whispering where it broke
into fragile foam of romance and
beautiful mystery and elusive inspira-
ton. A long, chastely elegant hotel
veranda, exclusively for guests; huge
steamer chairs, tea tables sedately oc-
cupied; lawn and formal garden dis
creetly shielded from passers-by on
the Boardwalk. In all her vivid
dreams Lefty Larendon had never
pictured a setting SO delectable for
tnat which was now beginning to
happeG
And her sense of mastery over the
situation waS complete-amazingly so,
unbelievably so.
When first she caught the mans
eyes she had looked away hastily, her
face cast in a vacancy designed to
suggest that her glance had been
tnadvertent or at least casual.
She heard approaching footballs.
They paused. BY the shadow lying
at her feet she knew he was con-
fronting her. Her breath came quick
ly. Why should she be panic-stricken
now? Absurd Thus gearing herself
to the issue. she looked up, flushing,
but smiling calmly
81 don't wish to annoy, or offend
YOU" he said, rather awkwardly. Pm
lonely as the deuce. Just got here
this morning. I'm wondering" he
went on hastily, "if you'd go out to
the golf club later for tea-that is"
he concluded lamely, IF there's no
reason why you shouldn't"
Lefty smiled easily.
Does any reason occur to you?
Have we met?'
'why-why, don't think SO,
Aiiss-'
clarendon" she supplied. not in
Advisedly.
well then-my name is Noakes.
So now you see, Miss Larendon,"-he
smiled infectiously-'we have met,
haven't we?"
why. so we have" She studied
him amusedly, thereby increasing his
discomfort. He bowed
So then, may L pick you up, say
here, at 4:30?"
'Why-I think So"
Thank you very much"
The girl watched until his figure
swung around a corner
$50 that" she said, lis that"
well, Miss Larendon, very neatly
done
Mrs. Delaney Candy was cool,
serene, majestic IN her white lace
frock, her uplifted chin, forid face
Lefty had already decided, in the
vogue of Sir Joshua Reynolds great
dowagers.
In the brief time Lefty had been
at the hotel Mrs. Candy had been very
agreeable to her. The woman had i'm
pressed her as knowing every one
worth knowing and in this way the
girl had placed her definitely.
What must you think of me. Mrs.
bad as 1t looked"
x x
HDO you know"-.the older woman
- sank into a chair at Letty's
side, surveying the girl critically
you're like som ething out of a Greuze
canvas"
That's awfully nice of you! But
want to explain about
Not nice, merely; I'll confess a
Quotation-although, of course, I sub
scribe to it. Halsey Hartshorne said
1.-THE man with whom, perhaps, you
saw me at luncheon"
"Reallyw The girl sat bolt upright,
her cheeks flaming.
Now you may explain about Mr..
Eoakes."
''Oh, you know him, then?"
mo. 1 know of him. At least I
think 1 do. Isn't he one of the
Noakeses of Connecticut? Cotton
mills?'
Yes, Padenarum, You-you see,
I'm living in Padenarum, too"
"Oh, Of course. Yes, yes. Then
you"
'rm-Tm the village librarian at
Padenarum."
Lefty surveyed the woman with
widening eyes.
Really" The girls lips were part
ed. Mrs. Noakes-Jerry Noakes'
nother-comes into the library a lot.
She loves romantic fiction, and so do
T. Really, she's not an old woman
and awfully young In spirit
Good enough. And now, Jerry
Noakes?"
@rHe was a foot ball player at Yale
until he graduated two years ago.
You-you could see him going through
the village In his roadster, sometimes
with friends, visiting him, you know,
and sometimes alone"
And he would come into the libra
ry. too?"
"Oh, yes, quite lot. But he never
came to the desk. He'd dash in and
sit at the table awhile where the
magazines are, then dash out. He
never saw me. And 1 never looked at
him"
''Why not, pray?"
'Tou see, was awfully busy,
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