Evening star., 1929-11-15

/ nized him. t'FIello, Marty" she said, In
lively surprise. i've been looking around
for you. But didn't know you two
knew each other"
His companion smiled. "We don't
she admitted. I'VE picked each otner
! 'I WISH" Martin put In, that you'd
be good enough to introduce U.S."
It amused him to see that Babe was
shocked. Miss White" she said. with
cold fornality, "let me introduce Mr..
Forbes" She added, as she turned
away to summon her companion who
had been hanging in the background
that she liked some peoples nerve!
Babes diSapproval of their manners
| advanced their acquaintance another
step. AS they moved off, arm In arm,
he was aware that Red-rlo, he wouldn't
even think of her as "Red!" Red White
What name!-that she, then, was as
much amused over Babes attitude as
he was. She didn't say anything about
| it. He was content with lite as they
resumed dancing. His earlier convic-
ton about her was restored. No mat
ter how well she knew Babe, they lived
| In different worlds.
He said to her as they danced, 81
don't like that name: Babe jennings
nickname for you"
She smiled good-naturedly. "RedP
Why not? 1t Ats"
That's Just what it doesn't" he in
sisted. II wish you'd tell me your real
| name"
"You may not like my real name,
either" she said. Its Rhoda. You
don't like 1t, do you? Or, II you do"
she went on, overriding the protest he
made, what made you look so funny
when I told you?"
He didn't try to deny that he might
have looked funny.
"I've got some association with the
name that can't spot. don't know
anybody named Rhoda. But the names
been in my mind within the last three
days"
"Well, don't try to find it now," she
admonished him. You don't dance as
well when you think"
In the next pause, as they stood wait
ing for the orchestra to go on, Martin
saw a frown cross the girls eyebrows,
| and the next instant voice said at his
danee?". A rather scared voice. 1t
wouldn't be Lewis. anyhow, and he
turned to see blushing, eager young
ster who'd cut in ON him.
Annoying as the intrusion was, Mar
tin couldn't help liking the girl better
for her kindliness in putting the shy
boy at his ease. She introduced him to
Martin-Higgins, his name was-and
danced away with him. It pleased
Martin, though, to observe that he
danced badly.
He made for a vacant sofa. one of a
pair that stood back to back thwart-
wise in the side corridor. Its fellow
had, he noted, for its solitary tenant a
girl whose aggressive blondness made a
really focused glance necessary to sat
isfy him that she wasn't Babe Jen-
nings. Reassured, he dropped into the
vacant seat behind her. But he'd hard
ly begun thinking about Rhoda when
man sat down beside the woman on
the other sofa and said:
well, you were right. She's the
girl"
"Where is she now?" The woman
spoke low, but her voice had an edge
that made it carry.
"Out on the floor. She can't see us
here. Trust her to dance when there's
music going. She's some dancer, I'll
say that. Well, guess I've beaten the
"You?" the woman questioned IRON
ically.
"oh, that was good hunch you
had" he admitted.
The woman's comment was con-
, temptuous laugh.
Martin, interested without knowing
why, listened. The woman was speak
! ing now in a more conciliatory manner
"Tell me how you made sure. / sup
pose you got her to tell you the story
!, of her life"
! II made a pretty fair start Will
her" he said conplaeently hShea
r cagey, though, and didn't want tf
press too hard. I'll get M E next time