Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-12-02

He accepted as simply as he wa!
asked. Pamela proceeded to the din
ing room to lay another place, while
the men went in by the fire.
She was proud of her thick, yellow
soup and served it herself, lavishly
from the old silver tureen that stooc
| breast high on the table before her
how many strange places this man had
dined. She felt the variety of his ex-
periences in the ease and simplicity OF
his manner and the fact that his mind
was on his present experience, which
| was excellent soup. It was quiet and
pleasant, the more so with the noise
of the storm outside. Pamela brought
in the food without apology, and, once
in a while, Kermit Vane's eyes rested
on her easily. Much as they had on
| the soup, thought Pamela, conscious OF
| the decorative value of Barbara's rose
| colored dress.
Kermit Vane, 'you weren't fair to only
| ter than that"
It was impossible not to be COM
panionable. The storm insisted on it.
The judge enjoyed himself, liked hav-
ing an audience and guest. He did
most of the talking. Then both men
went in by the fire and Pamela cleared
her dishes away and left them to each
other.
THE kitchen had grown cold, and she
hurried through with her work,
wondering how their guest was going
to get home. She shivered and went
down to shake the fire. She had left it
too long. Everything was wrong about
that fire that could be wrong. Pamela
forgot her guest and everything else.
They'd have dreadful time, If the fire
went out She set herself to shake it
vigorously and see how far down the
burned-out ashes went. The shaker
made its customary noise, and she was
swaying back and forth with 1t when
she felt it arrested in her hand.
81 heard you doing this" said Vane,
so I found my way down. Your ia
theirs fallen asleep"
He shook the CRATE, took out ashes,
coughed at the dust, and became as in
terested as she was. When the fire was
finally nurSed back and fit to be left
temporarily, they looked at each other
and laughed.
Storms make people intimate" he
said. "Once Russian told me the
1t was quite life.''
Don't tempt me-" answered Pamela,
leading the way upstairs. She picked
up Margery's card from the hall table
and handed it to him.
"Your Cousins wife sent me that"
ITO cheer you, when you're showed
in, with that riot of professional post
card jungle?"
mo. To be truthful, since we're in
the midst of such an intimate blizzard
she sent it to emphasize the fact that
she is married to Jack. And that I'm
not"
"were you going to marry JackP"
"A year ago it seemed plausible"
"Are you going on to tell me what
happened?"
Nothing happened. He didn't ask
me- He asked Margery"
"His natural sense Of fitness did
that"
"why?"
"You forget that I've met his wife.
What would you have done with Jack?"
81 hadn't thought it out. We dance
together nicely"
THAT'S not reason enough. Not for
Maybe not. But still ! must marry
somebody"
There must be lot of men more At
for that job than my cousin"
"They haven't asked me-" She
paused and then went on, 1.-THE storms
getting in my blood: Here comes the
story of my life. No man has ever
asked me to marry him. can't figure
out why not"
Nobody at alp"
'Not soul. Except crazy chap
who comes to the library, where work,
and an old man with rowing eye that
met once at Barbara'S. think he
would have asked any one"
Its very interesting"
"It's rather depressing" said Pamela.
Because you want so much to be
married."
"I don't want not to be-"
That's the reason for 1t. One Of
them anyway. You see, you're quite
negative about it. You don't really
care"
"But do. I've almost decided to
advertise"
IT hear that works out about as well
as most methods" He looked at her
again, and she saw in his glance that
she really was very pretty. The house
was so still that the library clock and
the hall one could be heard in their
perpetually uneven race. Pamela felt
curiously restless and stirred.
Lets sit by the fire." she said, we
won't wake father"
I'D like to try my hand at that tur-
mace. once or twice more, and just
make sure it's going to be reasonable,
before leave. Then I must CO."
"The storms still frightful."
st don't mind storms"
He must have been in many storms
ably been threatened with death, again
and again. It was years since he had
even visited his home. She wondered
about that. And she was surprised to
find that she did not want him to 60,
wanted him to stay on and on, in front
of the fire with her.
81 still don't see what you want OF
this marriage grab-bag," he reflected.
tits monotonous, getting the post
cards." said Pamela, I'D like to go
around the world and send few.
And I'd like to be an us instead of a
me- It seems to be SO much more
exhilarating"
us that alp"
She shook her head.
mo. I know how marriages are. My
sister, Decia, was married"
"Yes," he said, Il knew her hus-
DanQ.
"You remember Barbara, too?"
"She was-or is-the very beautiful
Crichton grip"
That's the one. She married and
she hasn't been awfully happy. And
, her husbands not been so joyful. He
suffers when she flirts. And yet both
of them seem so much more finished
persons than I am. It isn't just the
children. 1t isn't even whether they
put it over we'll or not. There's diff
ferent substance about women, after
they marry. even if they aren't happy.
They're graduate women, somehow"
II think the reason that men don't
ask you to marry them is because they
feel you overlook them personally in it.
That's why Jack picked his wife. He's
sun, moon and stars to her. That's
why most men pick a wife, because
she'll concentrate on them. Barbara