Evening star., 1933-09-24
:: !: ii! II: ), RoNN'E
By PARKER BUTLER

dinners were over and the sun was
still high and Belle Barton sat on
the veranda of her mothers cottage
doing fancy work. Her crochet needle
looped the yarn almost caressingly,
for Belle was contentedly happy.
From the far end of the lake came the faint
dance strains of phonograph playing in the
small casino. for this was Friday evening. On
Saturday evenings three musicians displaced
the monograph Saturday was the evening OF
the weekly dance.
In an hour or two, Belle was quite sure,
Charles Denton would paddle across from his
bachelor cottage on the far side OF the lake
to chat while and say, indolently I'll pick
you up tomorrow evening for the casino dance.
shall -" for he had said that for half dozen
Fridays.
Other evenings he might bring his canoe to
the small Barton dock and call "Yo no. Belle!
Want to come on the lake?" And she would say.
Just a minute, Charles" and get a wrap and
her mandolin and join him They enjoyed
being together.
Belle Barton was sensible girl. All the
mothers in all the cottages around the lake
said Belle is such sensible girl by which
they meant she not f1irty or highty. but
dependable and rather placid. She was, OF
course %. and had been teaching school two
years.
DELE had just finished row Of her cro-
u chet work when a white canoe slid along
side the Barton dock and that nice boy Rom
ME Roberts, stepped out Of the canoe and
made his painter fast. He touched the collar
points of his white sport shirt and ran his
hand over his carefully smoothed hair and
came toward the veranda. Belle put down her
fancy work and rose to greet him
Good evening" Miss Barton" Ronnie said
with more seriousness than the occasion seemed
to call for. II suppose you are surprised to
have me come here like this-1 mean when
hora kofo oil
Mercy" thought Belle Barton. Whats
the matter with the boy?" for Ronnie had
stopped and his face had Redeemed. Is ne
going to ask me to go canoeing?" she Won
dered and That's nothing to make him so
hustered surely I'm not so terrifying as all
that"
II mean" said Ronnie nervously ''it wasn't
because don't think you're just dandy, Miss
Barton, but when fellow gets in with
younger crowd and somebody else is going
with an older crowd ="
NO, we can't help how old We are, can
we?" said Belle pleasantly. THAT just hap
pens. doesn't it. Ronald?"
Yes" said Ronnie, finding a handker-
chief and wiping the palms OF his hands.
'sThat's what I mean. Miss Barton. And
welHI don't know whether you'll think I'm
crazy or not. but I do think you're the most
sensible person know"
Il don't see why I should think you are
crazy because you think I am sensible, Rom
aid" said Belle, smiling.
NO, I mean because what I'm going to ask
you may sound crazy to you, Miss Barton,
said Ronnie because I want to ask you to
do me favor-a very great favor. mean
wouldn't ask it If you weren't sensible
person. because, of course, you'd know didn't
mean it in earnest"
MY goodness, Ronnie, whatever are you
trying to say?" asked Belle. What is it you
want me to do?"
"ubv what moan Miss Barton" said
Ronnie. "is that if you'd let me make love
to you-"
Make love to mel" Belle exclaimed. But
you funny boy"
Il don't mean really" said Ronnie, blush
ing to the roots of his hair. II mean just
make love to you so it would look If was
awfully gone on you, Miss Barton, but you'd
know I wasn't. Because, of course, wouldn't
be-" ..---.
uCERTAINLY no., Ronnie," said Belle, her
~ eyes twinkling. "You couldn't be, could
you? Not when I'm so much older. Hasn't
Dorothy been treating you nicely, Ronnie?
What you want is to make Dorothy jealous, is
that it, Ronnie? Have you been reading
book, Ronnie?
He blushed again, for Belle had guessed
correctly.
well, in the book" he said "the girl made
the fellow think she was getting in love with
this other fellow"
"Yes know" said Belle. II read the same
book"
And as soon as they get jealous they know
they are in love with-weu, just can't stand
it any more, Miss Barton; she just wants me
to be her slave that's all; she can 60 around
with any fellow she wants to, but I've just got
to hang around and be on hand, and If no big
COOP asks her to go to dances and things, why
maybe she'll be so kind and condescending as
to say III 60 with you this time, Ronnie,' and
I'm sick and tired Of"
And quite right, Ronnie; you want to show
her she's not the only pebble on the beach.
But wouldn't it be better to make love to one
of the younger girls?"
"Well, /" said Ronnie in some confusion.
"I couldn't tell them it was just to make Doro-