Evening star., 1927-10-09


ln. EolIo. formed the lowest point. il
was inevitable that jamie would have
met Edison Payne somewhere. some
fine. for a new man in I.akeVille. d
new man with looks and money ana a
rood Job in the frame and sash fac
tory-cVen though won by grace oi
being nephew to old Philpotts Payne
owner of said faCtory-suCh new
nan was not going to he overlooked
-;ut Rolo needn't have seized Edison
PAYNE and stuck him right under
JHnies nose.
Rollo shifted on the cushion he had
CHOSEN with such care. He loved ease
--"aSe nf body and mind He was
rover able to determine whether phys
al or mental discomfort made hin,
lYore unhappy. Tonight he almost de
c'ded for mental, because there sal
.anie kinnersten, the prettiest girl in
1.akeville or anywhere else. in Rol
los opinion: the girl he'd loved for -
Years Of his 25~-yes. there she sat
end what was she doing Giving the
siaddest Of glad eyes TO Edison PAYNE
listening to him rs though he were
the law and the gospels. Rollc
snatchod at his glass and took Ions
,lrauGht OF the soothing beverage tC
calm himself.
I'm trying to persuade Mr.. Jenks
to let me pitch tent down in his
meadow beside the grove. so that
can sleep out. at least. This will be
sns first Summer l haven't camned
for two months" Edison PAYNE was
making this remarkable statement
Rello caped al him. The fellow was
n nut. Wanted To sleep in tent.
What n wonderful idea" jamie re
piled. Think of waking under the
tr"os. with the birds singing. 1t
would be too lovely"
Il didn't know YOU were so fond OF
trees and birds early in the day.
JAMIE" said Rollo
She disresarded him. Edison Payne
was speaking. "Of course. it's not
Ike real camp. hut it's something.
] hate roof. | like the wild trails.
sna Ions day in the canoe or hiking
through the forest. then A bed of hem
'Hck beside little campfire that makes
e9rle shadows amongst the trees-''
How about deer fiies?" asked
Rollo.
Ha was again diSreearded Its all
hsavenly," sighed jamie.
Eollo made the mistake of laughing
"You. If YOU got 10 miles from a bath.
tub. you'd die
Color rose in JAMES cheek. You're
talking Of your tastes, Rollo, rather
tlan mine. Rollo's a. victim of the
s.'se of civilization. Mr.. Payne. He
hates any eXertion greater than eat.
-, dancing or driving his car. Take
him out in the woods and he'd cry like
a child"
When Rollo recained consciousness
after this unfair blow. he observed
that jamie and Edison Payne had for,
gotten him. a converse ton. or rather
monologue on the part of Mr.. Payne.
vas going on. Rollo caught fragments
o. it. In the Canadian woods three
wears ago lost 10 days il
was bull moose =. f1apjacks d.
sheer drop of 500 feet The grizzly
turned the matches were wet
TIED of exposure d. wonderful carry
:: dufhe bag not even the guide
had fun of rocks swift cur
rent tamaracks :" And so on.
MEANWHILE jamie sat with her
hands clasped. her attention cen
Tered on the narrator 1t was a be-
coming and a f1atterine attitude. Rollo
wondered whether he ought to wave
his arms and shout "Hoo-oo"' to let
them know he was still with them.
And. gazing on them from. as it We're.
they made what is commonly known
as "a handsome couple" jamie. so
ialr. so slender. so delicately lovely in
feature and coloring: Edison Payne. so
tai, so broad shouldered and slim
wasted. so bronzed, so blue eyed. so
dlsgustingly fit' They complemented
and harmonized. A chill fear rode
Gown Rollo's customary blitheness.
1nere was something in the atmos,
phere of the two that vaguely chimed
OF wedding bells. How horrible. how
really abominable it would be if jamie
should imagine herself in love with
this duft1e bag-f1apjack hero.
Rollo was never adroit. but this sud-
den dread made him clumsier than
usual It's amusing" he broke in.
Iaugnlng with forced merriment, Ito
see you, jamie, going into raptures
over the great outdoors. where men
are men and all that sort of thing.
thought 1t was only the sub-debs who
Ga IT: But you. of all people,"
Why me-of all people?" JAMES
tone was icy.
"Well-er-as I said awhile back
you-you'd die if you got 10 miles
away from bathtub."
Mr.. Payne" said jamie, II don't
know why Rollo should feel that he
must break up an interesting conver.
Ttlon with his attempts to be funny.
Really, in spite of his absurd state
ments, simply adore the wild life.
ana even the little bit that I've done
in sport5-''
Little bit is good" jeered Rollo.
running amuck. You don't golf. YOU
don't tennis, you don't ride. YOU don't
get in canoe unless there's some one
II paddle it. you dent 60 out beyond
your depth il the surf
"Rollo:'
We'll, you don't"
jamie turned back TO Mr.. Paine
VI We never been very strong. until the
iast year Or so, and our doctor forbide
any violent exercise, hut I'm hoping
now to make UP for lost time"
II you lot mo help you, I'd coun,
4 the greatest piece of luck, Miss Kin
nersten."
&c night" said Rollo I've got -
hard day at the bank tomorrow" III
Withdrew into the shadows.
1heE were hardly aware of his 60
ing, but he was quite aware Of their
unaWareness. He went our ava
climbed into his sedan. with tho snn.
clal body that exactly fitted the needs
OF the human frame. and tootIad of
INTO the darkness Let Edison pavne
walk back, if he was so keen on eyer.
else '4' 'AVi
AS ne drove along. he became cooler
re saw again the folly Of Introducing
Edison Payne to jamie kinnersten and
OF pokinS fun at JAMES affection for
me Wild life. lie knew jamie hated
10 ne laughed at. He knew there w2s
distinct reddish tint in her blond hair
on. Well-Janie would como 20. She'd
be laughing al Payne in another. week.
Rollo decided thai he would send
jamie million dollars worth OF roses
ard little note asking her to over.
look tonight's rawlings. He'd tell her
he'd had A toothache. and it put him
OF MS limo. Soo;hed and heartened
by Snch reflections Enlln snnpht hi