Nogales international., 1933-06-17

At last they were all gone, and
Packard, closing the front door,
came back to the living room and
began to put out the lights. He
yawned widely. Gee, I'm sleepy.
Got to be up early tomorrow, too.
Going to bed now, Frills?" he asked
pausing with his hand at the last
light.
eyes, l am" replied Joyce. She
couldn't get the words out which
she meant to say casually. Turning,
she went upstairs, closely followed
by Packard, who switched on the
bedroom light for her.
IT sure have missed that sleeping
porch. Seems as if l never had any
real air in those hotel rooms. "re-
marked Packard when they were in
the bedroom. "Once you get used to
sleeping out anything else seems
stuffy."
This hardly seemed an appro-
pirate time to announce that she
had decided to sleep in the house
hereafter and Joyce, in an agony of
embarrassment and indecision wan
dered over to her dressing table
where she sat down and lighted an
other cigarette.
If he would only go to his own
rooms and let her alone! But Pack
ard fingered taking off his tie and
unbuttoning his shirt while he
talked.
Neil was now taking off his shirt,
and joyce, catching sight in her
mirror Of the white top of his
sleeveless underwear felt wave Of
color burn her face and she sat
rooted to the spot. To her great relief,
however, he went off to finish his
undressing elsewhere and she
jumped up and hurried to the closet.
just as she had stripped her last
garment off and was reaching for a
kimono she heard him again in the
bathroom. She had left the door Of
the closet just a trihe ajar so that
she could keep track of his move
ments and the bathroom door stood
wide open.
Shall I run hot bath for you?"
called Packard, cor are you going
to take shower?"
Joyce hastily called out, mo tub,
thanks. I'll take shower when you
get through"
"You needn't wait. I'm not using
the shower" he called back cheer
fully. II want real soak after be-
ing on the train two nightsP'
She, sat Nhuddled on a chair in the
closet and listened tensely to the
process of his bath. He splashed
and whistled and to poor Joyce it
seemed as if he would never finish
Suddenly the whistle stopped
abruptly and she heard him ejac-
ulate, "Damnl There goes the soap!I
Then raising his voice he called,
"Say, Frills, be a good kid and get
me the soap, will you? l dropped il
out and it skidded way over into the
bedroomp
Joyce was pctrifed by this simple
request. She was so startled that she
even failed to take refuge in what
had been her salvation in other awi5.
ward moments, the conveniently
temperamental disposition of Frills
swell, wait a minute, I'll II
get it," she returned, and holding
her silk Coolie coat tightly about hel
she emerged from the closet, founC
the cake of soap innocently lyine
on the blue carpet, picked it up, ane
entering the bathroom, hastily thrus
it into Packard's wet outstretchee
hand. Then she turned hurriedly AMI
left the room in a turmoil Of emo
tions.
II wish he'd hurry" she funed
with a sigh of relief that that awk
ward moment was over, though he
heart still thumped violently, "I'r
tired. If that shower didn't have
glass door I'd go and take a batl
now. / simply can't do it, though.
She sat down again and listenet
anxiously.
Presently she heard him rubbing
himself vigorously and a few min
utes later he appeared in the bed
room in blue pajamas and slippers
his hair sticking up in damp rum
pied; confusion. How funny ma
looked without collar, she though
and the pajamas seemed so loos
and baggyt Lowering her eye
she went past him into the bathroom
She shut the door after her and ver