Evening star., 1931-06-18

ALL would not give IN. Sne
slept, walked, breakfasted, went
to luncheon ns'GtzS at drssSinS Soms cluD room m
the girls were notably rude to
her. watched her first polo game. She
would not give In.
van saw nothing. He was in great
spirits. rushing from one thing to an
other-cocktails, bridge, tennis, SWIM
ming, polo, golf-at breakneck speed.
BY Saturday night all these were ex.
hausted. radio and phonograpn nae
that Mockerson's offered the only pos
sible amusement.
This was about 8 o'clock. Into cars
they all accordingly piled and on INTO
the night they went. Lenore was with
Van in the front seat Of the roadster
Gail and Fred Hunter in the rumble.
But Van had been nice to Gail just In
the last hour-had given her the sort
Of affectionate attention she had been
living for, and his discontented, Why'd
YOU fx it that way, Lenore? Why don't
I ever get my girl?" more than con-
soled Gail, not only for their distribu-
tion for the trip, but to the idea OF
going to Mockerson's at all.
Another looking table with 9
limp, Spotty cloth on 1t. They were all
so tired they almost laid their heads on
the cloth and Gail was Scared when she
saw the hip TASKS and the red wine
again. Van had driven like a crazy
man on those Steep circuitous roads
coming over He certainly would not
be in a condition to drive more care
fully going back. OF course, they would
get back to the ranch somehow, but 1t
was frightening.
Funny to think Of herself at home
again tomorrow night playing solitaire.
kI.t crIrn
married Van Murchison, or any one
like him, she would cures him OF this
sort Of craZineSS. She looked at him
beside her at the table and thought
that he was much the best-looking, much
the incest Of them all. He was too fine
for this kind of thing. Any man would
be ruined by too much Of it.
Mockerson'S was as dull as ditch
water tonight. There were parties In
the curtained alcoves, shouting and
singing, but the main room was empty
A heavy fog was rolling In from the
sea-
The floor was dirty, the walls were
dirty. Cigarette smoke was heavy. in
the air; the place reeked of stale wine:
Soap filigrees decorated the mirrors and
fashioned paper StreamerS and ro-
settes festooned the filthy ceiling.
IT wonder If we're all crazy, Van, to
race 120 miles for this?"
"Of course we are! Here's the way
work 1t out" Van said. Our immedi-
ate ancestors used to come down here
on bicycles, or by trains and walking,
or on horseback, and they got raven
ously hungry and they came in here
and found that you could eat your
self out Of shape for a dollar-soup,
salad, spaghetti, sour bread, chicken,
and all good. see? And they leaped
out and told the world that there was
no food like Mockerson'S. But We
effete children Of new generation -"
you're absolutely right, Van!" she
well, am. Because, you see, we
never get hungry! We don't need all
this food"
They were all getting quieter, in the
heat and smoke, and under the influ-
ence OF the heavy, rich food: In an
occasional pause they could hear the
sea. beating-beating on the distant
rocks.
You're awful cute!" Van said af-
fectionately, covering her hand With
his own.
I'VE ought to be going" Lenore de-
cided. This Is too awful"
They staggered up the smelly un-
painted stairs to the odorous damp
bleak dressing room. Its window, on
this raw night, was wide open, the
salty air blowing in deliciously cold and
fresh.
This won't dol" Gail said, going to
close it. Standing beside it, both
hands raised. she looked down at
pool Of bright light at the tavern door,
way below Motor lights, house lights,
were shining fully on the stumbling