Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-04-21
chapter 3
COLD MOONLIGHT

COLD MOONLIGHT
ssT ORD, you can dance!" enthused
IL Jenny's PARTNER, somewhat TO
her surprise: for she felt heavy limb
ed and out Of beat with the music.
Why don't you go in for dancing
Like me to get you a trial at the
Regal? They want girls there for
their new revue
I'm afraid George wouldn't let me.
She doesn't think | could stand that
sort of life. And she's so wonderfully
kind; she's fed me and clothed me.
But"
Amused herself by making a doll
of you, what"
Nothing Of the kind" denied Jen-
ny coldly. Selfishness was not a mot
i've she allowed anybody TO impute to
George; not even herself. She disliked
Ryder the more for merely grinning
at her instead Of apologizing.
The dance was over. vas being en-
cored. Jenny ignored the encore. Their
table was only a couple of yards away
ana she went towards 1t. Behind her
the whisper OF the lance began a
fresh, humming and lifting. She rails
ed her head and saw Aveney getting
to his feet.
She thot it a mere courtesy but he
stepped down on to the dancing-floor
and she presumed he was going to
dance with George.
He came close to Jenny, put an arm
round her and danced her away.
She was so surprised that by the
time she found words her feet had
taken her half round the floor-and
then it seemed too late to protest.
Don't you want to dance with
me?" he asked.
Yes, answered her ~heart-oh, very
much ! want to dance with you. No,
flashed her prize, no, I'm not to be
treated like this, first neglected and
then remembered as a boring duty. !.
Don't you want to, Jenny Revell?'
something and then that hint of
laughter hidden in him, some elusive
| vet intimate mocquere, sent her blood
i faster thru her veins ana she said
rather dazedly: 81 don't think it mat
ters, now, whether | want to or noti''
But she knew that her running, how
ering, sliding feet in their silver shoes
were giving her the lie. She was dane
ing now as she never danced with
Ryder Vale.
mot your kind of a birthday party
at ALL" His voice vas very quiet.
What kind of birthday party would
you have liked it to be?"
She was dumb, the song in her heart
saddened tho lovely still. People who
didn't really belong anywhere could
MT have birthday parties-but she
!. couldn't tell that to a man who had
so openly fallen into love with Geor-
gle; because II would sound as tho
Georges charity were a grudging
thing. And it wasn't that. Never that.
Il should like to give you a birth
day party He let little, swaying
pauses creep between their steps, as
tho his fancy halted in its gait. II
think-there should be a tree-a very
straight, dark, green tree-standing
in a clearing In a forest-with twen-
ty-four silver candles on it. And at
the foot there would be tw~enty-four
PARCELS tied with silver string, each
holding something-very delicate and
rare. Except one which would be bull
ky and sensible-a white fur coat
to keep you sheltered from the snow
Snow? In August"
He met her eyes for the first time
since that long look at the table.
II suppose not. No. Perhaps-the
white glitter would be moonlight, not
snow. Very cold, very clear moon
light" The absorbed, intent look
darkened his eyes-and then was
gone. His glance left her and went
over his shoulder - they had beer
round the room and here was the ia
BILE again. Garth Aveney contemplated
George, lazily gorgeous against a deep
bAht Aul AHiU anu a. pdiiSl VI Olu EOius
Sunlight and moonlight" he said,
as tho to himself. With as little cere-
mony as he had swung her into the
dance he now half-guided, half-lifted
Jenny off the floor and into her chair.
After what seemed a very long
time but was apparently not ten sec
onds, Jenny discovered that she vas
eating the food placed for her during
her absence and listening to someone
saying to George: IAN urgent mes
sage, madam. Madam is wanted at
the house in Rochester Gate at once. ="
Say I'm on my way" returned
George.
Jenny collected herself and looked
up. She was used to these messages
that might come at any hour and
break up any gathering; but h
knew George liked people to be sym
pathetic about them.
What bad luck, George dear!'
Cant he helped, honey. This, Mr..
Aveney, is the dark side Of the job
you say you envy me. Nothing
you can do, thanks, unless you'll go
ana tell EN- to get me a taxiY Take
care of Jenny, Ryder, won't your
I'D hoped we could all go on to the
Crescendo. Is there any chance OF
your joining us?" Ryder asked.
Cant say, of course, but I'll GER
tainly go on there from Rochester
Gate If there's any night le1t. But
don't wait longer than IL Jenny
needs her sleep. Bye-bye. and the
usual apologies and thanksl" A CLEAN
Of apricot and gold and h was gone.
Jenny returned to her dinner,
while Ryder Vale assured her and
himself that the party might yet be
saved. It was unlikely, he maintained,
that Old Man Matching would start
George on a lengthy Job so late in
the evening as this Jenny, knowing
that her cousin might well find sever
al hours work awaiting her, muir
INJURED as hopefully as she could.
Only a part Of her mind was listening
to him, the rest was waiting for Garth
Aveney; to come back.
He would have to talk to her now
that George had gone. Sunlight and
moonlight. But moonlight wasn't al
ways cold-oh, It wasn't! Unfair, un-
KIND 10 call IL cold.
Chapter