Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-16
INsTALLMENT VIII.


~ wildered vanished into her room
"A with yawn. Nobody followed
4 a her to discover the clothes flung
wildly here and there just as
they had fallen when she had torn them
of, or to kiss the cheek that was so cold
still from night wind. Indeed, among
the three elders in Calls room there was
even a feeling that injustic had been
done little Ariel, who had run down to
the drug store so mnocently for soda
after her lessons were done and who
had been home and in bed for almost
three hours.
I'VE get too suspicious!" Edith con-
fessed penitently.
Phil produced two small round
wrapped cakes of violet soap and pre-
sented each girl with one.
Peace Offering" he said humbly, but
with a little laugh in the corner Of his
eyes. II was sort of-oh, rotten, about
Calls visit" he said. MY dear old
girl, EIDE and I'd trust you to go with
any, one you liked to China, you know
that"
1t was so unexpected, so incredibly
sweet, that Gail could hardly believe
her ears. She drew Philips face against
hers as he made the little speech and
presentation and he felt the firm cool
cheek wet.
why, we depend on you," said Phil.
you're the thing that has held us to-
gether all these years. You're the guard
ian angl Of the Lucky Lawrencesl"
Ga1fs heart swelled to bursting; she
could not speak.
Sunday Gail stayed at home and was
just finishing the dishes when Edith
came in, flushed and pretty, from
| church.
Its boiling out. It's going to be a
marvellous day. What a day for q pic
nic!" Edith went on with q long sigh
as they wandered into the mellow
greenness of the garden.
Il know" Gail sighed, too. The
golden Sunday must be wasted, as so
many were, upon dull hair-washing,
reading old books, flurries kitchenward
at breakfast and dinner hours.
They were halfway upstairs, lettering.
A voice spoke from the doorway behind
them.
ANY swill this morning, ladies?"
And instantly the day burst into
bloom. Edith tactfully retreated to the
upper regions; Gail came out on the
front steps. Van stood there grinning
/ up at her.
He seated himself on the steps; Gail,
! in wicker rocker had her elbows on
her knees, her hands hoped over her
face.
| He stayed about an hour and they
laughed continually. So joyous, so un-
| strained, was this particular meeting
that Gail presently could say, Whats
this house party next week end?"
"Oh, the usual thing!"
How many will there be, Van?"
"Oh, about DOZEN
She couldn't-Somehow- him
to anything definite about the invita-
ton. He seemed to feel that that was
settled
But Gail was in wild spirits when he
went away, none the less. He had said,
IT take you," in reference to the house
party. His aunt must be perfectly
cognizant of that.
Washing her hair was an adventure
now, and as Dick Stebbins turned up
with his reconstructed roadster the pic
mic suddenly became glittering reality
You must be mind-reader, Dick!''
shouted Ariel, now in one of her rare
agreeable moods, as she dashed out TO
the car. 1t was taken for granted that
Dick wanted to go picnicking. Which
he did, of course.
Edith and Gail plunged into a glory
Of preparations as they so loved to do
eggs boiling frantically, blackened old
coffeepot stored with small packages of
sugar, matches, mustard, pepper and
salt; cream poured back into fat bot
tie and secured with "a thick cap of
paper and rubber band.
They picnicked on the grassy plateau
200 feet from the dam, looking down
at the world, listening to the ripple and
chuckle of the creek hidden In the red
woods behind them. The sun was long
set. but gracious light fingered in the
hot still air; lights began prick up
in the soft blue of towns far down be-
low them and the beetles that were
motor cars busting along the long roads
showed sparks of yellow eyes.
The grass smelt of dew and pungent
tar-weed; the redwoods were caught in
solemn shade. Gail sat with her back
braced against a massive oak, Phil lay
stretched with his head against her
knee. The others were still eating in q
desultory manner.
Gail, half a cruller?"
"Oh, don't"