Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-11-05

She was glad now that she had tucked
his tie in. And at that silly little ides
her throat began to hurt so hard tina,
she could only Just stand it. She pu1
her hand to her throat and blinkee
rapidly and began to think of other
things as fast as she could.
I'm going to have a grand time al
Reggie's." she said to herself. "Ill stay
there all next week if he has a gooc
crowd. Then Ill speak to Sally anc
she'll invite Reggie up for September
And I'm glad to be free. There's a GER
tain kick to it,"
There really was. When she had be-
come settled in the chair car with a
magazine in her lap and nothing press
ing upon her except the excitement OF
anticipation; nothing to hold her back
from being herself and making the
most of her life; nothing to keep her
from taking Reggie if she wanted him
she laughed her littlest laugh aloud
There was something good about it all
And things got steadily better. Reg
gle, very good looking in a linen golf
suit, met her train. He was not at all
like a ghost while he was being so de-
lightfully and unobtrusively solicitous
Of her; and he was Enthusiastically
thrilled at seeing her despite his d.
vorced wife and a multitude of other
alluring ladies who somehow always
f1oated as a shadowy background to his
genuinely charming personality. The
man in the station wagon, rounding
up her luggage, reflected his masters
feeling of pleasure.
The country opened in welcoming
vistas as the roadster swung effortlessly
over the smooth roads. Nearer the
house Of gray stone a man and a girl
were playing tennis, while between the
low branches of the two great beeches
the bay shone blue and bright.
THAT water looks good" she re-
marked.
If you put on your suit now" he
said. I'VE can get in a swim before
cocktails"
"All right" she agreed.
His voice had betrayed his eagerneSs
to please her. The station wagon was
scurrying to the rear of the house with
her luggage. There was something a
bit heady about having an attractive
person like Reggie offering his minions
and his millions and his own efforts
as toys for her pleasure. The shadowy
ladies in the background served merely
to emphasize her triumph. And there
was nothing about Reggie himself to
cheaper it. He stood there. brown and
out-of- doorish, a little plump from
good living, his cap in his hand and
his soul, so to speak, staring out Of his
dark and sleepy-lidded eyes. She didn't
mind it that his temples were grazing.
She felt that she knew Reggie and
could count upon him. II, Inherent in
his devotion, there was a wish to fold
away the shifting background of ladies
and settle comfortably down. this made
her only the more certain of him
Thank God " said Reggie.
What" she asked,
You're happy to be herel"
Didn't you think I would be?v
WELL" he drawled, IT hoped you
would be. I'll show you your room; T
want to be sure you observe the view
I saved for you. Mrs. Silliman is chap
eroning. Do you know her?"
Wasn't she a flame of yours before
she married."
"She and her husband are here"
said Reggie, as they climbed the wide
stairs. Hes a peach of a fellow and
we've got a pretty good gang, all told.
Some of them will be in the waiter
How's that for a swell view2"
TITS grand, Reggie! I'll be down in
ten seconds"
He was proving to her that she could
be happy; and he must have caught
something Of this in her expression for
he frightened and she heard him sing
ing "Old Man River considerably out
of key, as he went to his room to dress
for swimming.
The swimming was fun and SO was
the speed boat, which drummed its
way up to thirty three miles per hour
while Reggie, plumper than ever in a
bathing suit, swayed and balanced be-
hind In the spume of the aquaplane.
Later, a dozen people drifted in for
cocktails and were augmented by a
dozen more from neighboring houses.
Betty's heart felt lighter than for a
long time; she had a positive sensation
of happiness; and only occasionally did
she become conscious that, as every
thing derived from her ghostly Reggie,
it all as yet had an uncomfortable
seeming Of unhealthy.
1.-THE great thing in this life" she
remarked aloud, lis never to allow
yourself to grow up"
And at this everybody had laughed
spontaneously, as if her words had
caught them unawares in some absurd
posture. The laughter pleased her.
At dinner, sitting beside Reggie, she
was in quite a gale; and she was quietly
happy afterwards during the dancing
and the long ride on the moonlit water.
Only n thing bothered her and that
was the experience of being in the ir-
resistible movement of a whirlpool
which must take her to it's center,
which meant to Reggie. The idea had
its ~pleasurable thrill, but she held back
from the hurry. Reggie was becoming,
however, more and NOR proprietary,
not in any obvious way that could be
offensive, but his d~irectness of habit
and her Importance to him meant, she
saw, and the issue could not indefinite
ly be delayed. And it was only this she
minded; because to drift easily, think
ing Of nothing and being happy, was
an experience she wanted to hold as
long as 1t would last. She managed to
hold 1t that night; and during the play