Evening star., 1932-11-06

And mine is Carolyn Lee" the vision said
softly, her face still deep crimson.
I'll have us properly introduced tomorrow"
he went on more to ease her embarrassment
than to make conversation. 1--WE known the
captain for years. He'll give me a character
I'm sure but I can't vouch for the kind" he
continued.
Together they leaned against the deck rail
and watched the city recede in the distance,
its lights now farther from them, 1t seemed,
than the brilliant stars overhead made
brighter by the contrast of the midnight-black
sky.
DY the time the Empress had passed the
= 3-miIe limit, Carolyn had learned that
Keith was Columbia graduate. Greek let
ter man. had been business manager of the
Spectator his last two years at college and was
now connected with the Cleveland World. When
she had given unintentional shiver OF ad-
miration at these facts, Keith had insisted on
getting a wrap for her.
NO no. really" she had shaken her head.
She did not want to tell him that she was
travelling tourist-not yet Not until she had
had a chance to get her story across, or until
he had shown such interest in her to warrant
her telling him the facts. 1t was going to be
difficult, too-now that she had learned he was
a writer. He would want to know what maga-
zines she had written for; he would without
meaning to, call her bluff, soon as she COM
menced her story. The fiction Of getting at
mosphere for a story would not sound little
condescending and superior now. 1t would fall
as the germ Of truth upon which she had
erected her fairy tale-in the presence Of real
journalist.
Lets walk" she suggested.
Because they were calling each other Keith
and Carol before tea was served, and because
his straightforward gaze glowed in frank ad-
miration and respect, Carolyn found she wanted
to tell him the unfabricated truth.
To his interested inquiry she admitted hon
estly over the tiny waters and tea
II sing very little. And in addition to
seeing London and Paris and Berlin, expect
to spend at least six weeks studying In Vienna"
He gave her long searching look.
I'll bet you sing over the radio" he guessed,
his high-cheek- -boned face serious and heavy
Might have known it from the start" he
added under his breath as he concentrated on
the vicious bisecting of a chocolate cookie
Aloud he said: Il thought when you first spoke
tonight that you had the sweetest voice ever
heard"
He drew himself to his full feet and threw
back his shoulders as they left the lounge.
Neither cared much for words after that.
They walked, close together, until they were the
only couple left on the promenade. They half
reclined in the deck chairs, nearly covered by
the rug Keith found
Just for tonight" he had pleaded, as he
reached for her not unwilling hand, then
crushed it in his own. In the binding thrill
that had shaken her whole body Carolyn ig
nored, for that brief interval, the significance
of his words. 1t was only when, few mo-
ments later, her pulses had stopped their
violent pounding and she could trust her voice
to speak, that she remembered.
So-he had seen through her pretension,
had realized that she did not belong here.
That he with his important newspaper work,
his college degree, his Paternity pin, his ia
miliarity with European voyages, his acquaint-
ance with captains, was in a different class
than she. Before, it had seemed to Carolyn that
even though she was an Office girl with four
months leave of absence with q business COL
lege education instead of a Vassar or Wellesley
matriculation, she was at least dressed as ap-
propriately, had as keen a mind and, except for
her original intention Of pretending to be some
thing she was not, she believed herself to be the
equal of any one board, however important
they might be in others eyes But it seemed
she wasn't good enough for Keith-except for
tonight!
Anger biazed in her dark eyes-anger mingled
with hurt and disappointment. He had said
it again, as after that first contact of trembling
hand, they had both risen, facing each other.
CO he had through her harmless pre-
- tense of being first-class passenger-into
the actual tourist background of hers. Had
seen-and declared her not good enough.
Just for tonight" his voice was thick and
low as he pulled her supple warm slimness
into his arms-pressing her closer as his clean
young lips sought hers. With a groan he re-
leased her-and stepped back at the sight of
her. Eyes on fire. lips parted in anger and
humiliation-and something else, tears so thick
they could not fal-she faced him.
How could you?" she choked, past the heavy
lump in her throat that she thought must be