Evening star., 1927-09-16
CHAPTER LIN.

more the sun shone golden on the
sands at Vineyard Haven. The days
were fair with the sky cerulean blue
overhead Nan found it difficult to
! sleep in the morning. She loved the
little gray cottage that Martin had
taken. She loved with intensity
| everything about it. The white dim
ity curtains swaying in. the breeze
from the sea. the simple furniture, the
air and the light.
Murel sat on the sands all morn
ing. Her skin was delicious golden
| tan. Mans ivory pallor had deepened
! too, and she had lost her look Of fra
gility.
| Martin was to take the month OF
| August for his vacation, but he had
sent Nan and Muriel up the last OF
June. Nan had met very few people
| She wanted to rest and to be bask
| ing on the hot sands. And at night
/ she was tired and ready to so &c
sleep early. She hadn't once thought
! Of such a thing as the walls of hel
room closing in on her. and she and
| Muriel were alone. save for Bessie
who was competent enough to handle
| their simple housekeeping.
| Nan woke on the morning of the
| first of. August with a strange little
! thrill in her heart. Martin would be
| here today. Since that night when
she had come to him With the request
that they make theirs real maria ge
a deep friendship had grown up be
tween them. Nan was happy. She
! understood. Sometime he would see
that she had grown to care deeply fol
| him.
1t wasn't the warm, impetuous
girlish love that she had given Tom
| but it was more than that, it was
| deeper. Sometimes she caught hel
| breath with the knowledge that she
loved her husband, loved him sc
surely. Some day he would see for
| himself. Perhaps it would be today
The boat got In at IL and Nan
| went to meet it. She wore a gray
| linen dress and an orange hat turned
up in the front The pier was
! crowded when she reached there
and several people turned to look al
her. She could still be sure of atten
ton with that little heart .sha ped
face, but she looked a little older now
and she seemed more certain of her
| self
| As she moved through the crowds OF
people that massed the pier. she saw
| that the boat was just nosing in
Again that little thrill swept over her
catching at her heart. and bringing
Tor a moment touch of color int
| the Whiteness of her face. She felt
| suddenly embarrassed and strange as
| though she were about to meet q
lover. Would Martin kiss her wher
he met her? He hadn't kissed hei
when she had left.
Ihe boat showed it's way into the
sup and the crowds surged forward
Mans eyes swept the deck eagerly.
And then she saw him. He wa.
standing by the rail, tall and dark ant
distinguished looking. His eyes were
rowing over the crowds beneath him
Impulsively she flung up a hand tt
get his attention.
The color was hot in her face now
that she knew he had seen her. Hel
pulses were hammering
The crowd was a holiday one dowr
to meet friends. They jostled on.
another good naturedly. And ther
just as the gangplank was flung up
and the people had begun to com,
down. Nan heard laugh behind her
1t was a laugh that she would nevel
forget. 1t was laugh that sh.
would connect always with corn
flower blue eyes and chestnut hair
| 1t was laugh that had little false
note in it.
| Her JOY OF moment ago died. Sht
didn't want Martin to see Alicia, No
now, not this lovely golden morning
! that seemed to hold a happiness fol
her that was trembling on the brink
But she was crowded in among Sc
many others that she couldn't move
now. And she was In the direct line
Of the gangplank
People came off and more people
There were laughing greetings. AnC
then there was actually Martin com
ing toward her. In a minute ht
would be here. She would be greeting
him.
Martins glance was so concentrated
| on the slender figure in the gray
linen gown and the upturned orange
| hat. that he saw no one else. AnC
Nan. carried away by this strange
excitement that was hers, forgot mo
mentarily that Alicia stood behind
her.
AS Martin approached, she lifted
wide violet eyes to his face. happy
eyes. starry eyes. She was smiling
she was actually so glad to see him
She looked as If she wanted him tc
take her in his arms and kiss her
He wondered if she did
! The blood was suddenly hammerine
in his temples. His glance had mar
rowed to her wide generous mouth
with its fresh childish lips. Only this
time he must not make a mistake
He must be quite sure.
AS though Nan knew what his
| thoughts We're surging through his
mind, she suddenly made up her own