The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-06-18

ed a voice OutSlQe. It was the IdHl . ous and beautifully modulated voice of the Bojan. She entered as she spoke, and stood white in the black doorway. She wore a thick tweed cloak over a glittering dress. In her hand, as Martin saw very distinctly was a peeled wand or cider. He saw very distinctly, too, every but ton on her cloak. He saw, also, that the tips of her white shoes were dark because they were wet through. She had the slender neck and the soft chin of a young girl. Her eyes were black beneath blue lids. Above them was a wild surg ing mass of hair---red, but with the redness not of hair buteof tropical flowers. Such was the Bojan.
 So sorry. see you have a vis- itor," she said on a slightly sing ing, slightly mocking note; and then she looked at Martin in his bathing cloak. Her look began at his bare feet and ended at his mouth, and there 1t rested with an expression that was at once both practiced and not quite controlled.
 He comes from the other side. He was out swimming in the storm. I pulled him out and gave him something to ear. He was very hungry after swimming" Puck said holding on to Tigers collar. The dog was growing, and his eyes blazed.
 1T see," said the Bojan, and she began to smile. And what is his name?"
 "Dr He'll" Martin said huskily. as he brought his heels together. This was not very effective = clothed as he was.
 Wait moment, I have seen a picture of you somewhere" said Bojan. Weren't we side by side in a photograph in some newspaper? ? Do you remember? I've quite for gotten how you came into 1t. But l noticed your face. And you were in a bathing cloak that time, too."
 Tt was when l made the two hundred meter Austrian record with the breast stroke" he said. Bojan looked absent -mindedly at his teeth and reflected. Will you stay the night with us?" she asked vaguely. Its true there isn't a room-and all literary people, not sportsman among them. But II you could make shift with an at- tic-"
 Thanks" said Martin.
 Do you mean yes or Iio?" asked Bojan.
 No, thanks" Martin answered. He was Q swimming instructor. This was no place for him.
 Puck intervened. "The boy can take my boat and get across and I'll fetch it tomorrow" she said.
 You don't appear to observe that the boy is quite grown up," said Bojan. You must take care how you behave with Puck, Herr Dick tor. She is only wild growth of the woods
 "Woof!" said Tiger, and Puck had to hold him.
 You must not be so angry with mother. How often have l got to tell you that?" she scolded in a whisper.
 Bojan wrapped her cloak round her. "Good-by. Herr Doktor." she said. "Please see that Puck comes in soon to go to bed. Otherwise she'll De bad-tempered tomorrow. She gave her hand to Martin, and he took its hesitatingly. It was a hot, almost fevered hand, unnatur- ally soft; and 1t seemed to wait for something. As Martin stood there with this strange and celebrated hand in his 1t rose of its own &C., cord to his lips. It smelled of bit- ter and exciting perfume. and Martin confusedly executed kiss that missed its mark and died away on the perfumed air.
 You mustn't bite mama, Tiger said Puck, when the BoJan had left the hut. Her little mouth trembled and looked very childlike, and her eyes had become bright and feverishly alert.
 Suddenly she let. go of the dog, who had been straining impatiently at his collar and whining hoarsely. He shot out furiously into the park like a white streak and broke into a clamor of barks. Puck seized Martins hand with a quick urex- pected movement and bit the ball of his thumb. He started at the pain and cried out.
 What's the matter? Why do you do that?" he asked, shaking his hand to and fro. He held 1t to the lamp and there was the imprint of her teeth in small oval that be- gan to turn blue. Martin was vexed. Puck stood with her arms hanging by her sides, looking down intently at his hand. It was large and strong and the finger-tips were puckered with long swimming.
 "I don't know what's the matter with me. I'm in temper" she murmured. She went into corner and stood there with her face to the wall. But come back. Oh-- the wall. "Go away." sine said into no, don't. don't Know myself what I want---'
 Martin did not like this sort of kthing. Scenes drove him distracted