The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-11-17

sulky, but more natural. In spite l of her brisk dismissal of his ques. Ition Linda was still iazed by iti unmistakable bitterness. First she l had thought Marvin was limiting l that Tom might be jealous. ... Tom jealous of him, indeed! A wonder the man wouldn't use his eyes. But that last heavily sar- castle bit about the contamination of his presence was off at a tan- gent. Perhaps he was just trying his hand at repartee. Marvin was | certainly not cut out for the light and amusing. Well, he was talk l ing' your husband first. May have the pleasure of the second dancer"
 ] "Oh, Marvin" Linda sighed. I"You do date back, my dear! Things aren't the way they were in our childhood. First dance and second and all that. You just dance till you drop and one merges into the other. Sure, I'll dance with you first after Tom but if you wait for the music to stop and begin again you'll never get any where. When 1t seems as if other people were beginning to change, give me the high-sign and I'll take it as formal bid"
 Hhe chuckled and seemed more at ease. You sound as If we were 50, Linda"
 Well, I've passed my first quar- ter century. l love to say that it seems so positively elderly"
 He laughed outright. And by that count, I'm going on my first half-century. You remember l have several years your advan- tage."
 "Uh-huh. Hardly any, it seems now. But when first knew you -oh, the difference between 16 and 23v s
 "Were you really such a kid? Heavens, as look back, you were more grown up then than now"
 You certainly haven't changed much, Marvin. But then you all ways were a grownup, solemn sort of person."
 "Yes." He moved restlessly. "But you've rubbed that in a good Coal, Linda"
 "oh, sorry" She hadn't real ized he could be sensitive about that holdoffish, stiff manner of his. "I haven't meant to. Just the hangover from feeling so very young and respectful when first you hove upon my sight. Now I look back on 1t, must have treated you then as if you were-oh, fully as old as Cousin Amos and far more honorable"
 "Oh" She could not analyze the tone.of the exclamation but again 1t brought @ sense of dis comfort. "Is = is your cousin a very old man, Linda?"
 Not 50 very" She determined to go on speaking lightly. "That Is, not so awfully, really old. He likes to be though. old, so he can be thought young. If you see what l mean. He's--oh, middle 60's, I suppose. You'd think him 80--75 anyhow-the way he boasts about cold baths and golf and the younger generation. By which he means us. not the generation we mean when we say young"
 She had rattled on because--or did she only fancy it--there was something ominous about the si- lence of the man beside her. Now what had Cousin Amos done to him 1.-the one person she had thought spared annoyance by the exasperating old man. They had turned into the club grounds and came to q neat stop just as the mans silence threatened to be- come strained. Tom swung the larger car into place beside hers. Pratt had just time to help her out, then held the door of the sedan for the others.
 We do get lazy nowadays" He seemed to make a deliberate effort to be pleasant and Linda decided he was conquering the sulks. That's just step from your place, Averil1. A few years ago we'd have thought nothing of a five-minute walk down the road" Its even shorter if you cut through behind the clubhouse and come out by our garage as we off, ten do in the daytime" agreed Linda. But that's rough going at night. Besides. it's too hot to walk"
 But you can dance all night still, I'm sure--and be as fresh as daisy at the end of 1t. Remem- ber--" Pratt's voice lowered, and though Tom heard Linda's gay little laugh, he did not catch the words which prompted it.
 (T0 Be C0ntinuedI