New Britain herald., 1928-11-05

Just why she had thought that,
Emmy couldn't $50 for the life Of
her. For the minute she had
strapped her skates on she sped
away on the smooth ice In search
OF her latest flame. Presently EN-
my caught = glimpse Of her with q
stocky young man In . white sweat
er turned up around his face and
auburn hair. She seemed to be hav-
ing = beautiful time with him. and
she was skating slowly ~ II she
were just learning.
Emmy swept around the rink two
or three times. She liked to skate
but she wished she we're out Of
doors. She thought suddenly Of
Grand River. frozen and glistentng
between snowy bankA Robb and she
had cooked bacon and eggs and
fried potatoes over q little fire and
had had . winter picnic. Just the
two Of them.
She had missed Robb these last
four or five weeks. The longer he
stayed away the more she missed
him.
And wasn't 1t foolish Of him to
stay away from her simply because
she had told him she didn't want to
marry q poor mani. There was
no real reason why they shouldn't
have gone on being friends just ~
they had been. she told herself.
Someone tall and broad. flashing
past her. caught the point of his
skate In hers. and in 4 twinkling
Emmy was down upon the ice. The
great glass domed room seemed to
vhirl all around her with the skat-
ers. The lights seemed to come
crashing down upon her head like
falling stars. >.
And then hands were slipped un-
der her shoulders. They lifted her
up, set her on her feet again, still
holding her firmly. She found her
self looking into a lean dark face
that reminded her Z little Of Robb's
face - because she had Just been
thinking of Robb. perhaps.
But this man was taller than
Robb. and he was dressed very
much better than Robb ever had
been dressed in all hts life. His
suit was gray. and his shirt and col
lar and his tie were blue-not the
crude dark blue of Robb's working
shirts. but a nice blue.
And, whether IT was Emmy's i'm.
agination that turned the trick OF
not, his voice sounded like Robb's
voice when he spoke to her:
I'm sorry. Are you hurt? Would
you like to go over here to the sid.
and sit for . minute? I skated toe
close to you. l was watching yor
instead Of looking to see where
was going. I'm afraid"
80 you're the person who knock
ed me down." Emmy cried. u
scarcely knew what struck meal
l could see for a second was stars
She laughed. They both laughed
as they stood there together bal
anced on their skateA facing each
other.
We're in the way Of all these
people," the man who made hel
think Of Robb said. and they start.
ed off together once more. 1t seem.
ed the most natural thing in the
world to do.
She began to look for Mariana
in the throng Of skaters. She looked
everywhere. but the black turbar
and white gardenias were nowhere
In sight.
my cousin-I don't see her." sh,
murmured. half under her breath
Perhaps Mariana had gone to thu
checkroom for the wraps. It wa
half-past four-almost time to star
home.
1.-THE girl who came In with you
She's gone" the man said. ''Sh,
went off the ice ten or fifteen min
! utes ago. She went with the maj
she was skating with. / saw then
leave together"
He had seen her come in will
| Marianne then? He had hat
his eyes on her all the afternoon?
"Good-bye," she said to hin
when they had glided up to tn
seats around the edge Of the grea
artificial pond. She began to TAX
| off her skates.
1T your cousins gone, my car
outside. III take you home" he toll
her as he unstrapped them for her
Emmy shook her head in Its dove
gray hat that matched her eyes
quite by accident for It had beel
Marianna's hat in the beginning.
mo. thanks" she answered: "bu
I'm sure I'll find her In the dressin