Evening star., 1933-11-05
LNNY COTIE2 watched closely to


Crowds Little shops A Chinese
laundry. Denny sat up all at once
This was the place She reached
for her bag and drew her jacket snugy against
her lips and told Hawkins to sop here, please,
in front of the Grab-a-Bite. There disap
proval in the tilt of Hawkins chin. He could
feel that way. Even now when Denny was 81
he could show disapp:oval because he had
driven her when she was to Miss Slmms
dancing classes and to Gebutanto parties when
she was l8
Denny stepped out into the rain and liked
the sting Of it against her face For an instant
there reflected glimpse of that face IN
the glass Honey-colorcd laShes and lips not
too red and yellow hair that would curl against
the bTinl of her hat when she wanted to effect
severity Don't wait she told Hawkins.
Something pushed up in Dennys throat and
hurt. She was scared, and she knew it. Queer
for Denny Cottcr 10 be showed under by
situation
The Grab-a- Bite had wide heavy door with
a brass handle and thumb rest. Denny put out
a hand and the door swung open with surpriS-
ing case and almost Immediately across the
heads OF the lunchers she Peter.
Maybe that was because Peter had red hair.
Or perhaps she knew where to look because he
had told her once about his favorite place here
at the back windows where you could glimpse
strings of barges over beyond the river sheds,
and -whee!ers churnng brown water. This
Peter Riggs got his fun from queer things. The
lights ON the river at night or the way the
fog lifted or q pot of yellow flowers in shop
window. Peter newspaper man. He had
to see things
DETER was with the Press. The Press was
Cotter controlled. That was a coincidence
Or maybe not There the Cotter bank
and the Cotter block State street and the
Cotter mills down along the river. The clatter
of thick dishes urged Denny along a counter
and among the tables across to Peter. Finally
he glanced up. 1t was funny. The way he put
down his fork and hand up through his
bright hair and got to his feet.
What the devil Denny"
She sat down against the other chair at the
small table and groned for something bright to
say
She said finally Hello
There we're quick lines of humor running out
from Peters eyes. He said, See here, kid What
do you want down here?"
''Well-lunch." She laughed across to him.
Wabbly laughter, because the queerness she had
felt outside was still pulling at her Il haven't
had any And breakfast had been orange juice
and triangles of toast and Aunt Jennifer with
a new thought about Maxwell Trent. Poor Max
ought to have some one besides servants In that
great elephant of house.
When Aunt Jennifer talked about the Trents
she bristled with asterisks like paper on
genealogy. Max such dear sweet boy.
Which was inaccurate because Max was &c.
Peter leaned toward her on an elbow. You
can't eat down here
She said But I'm hungry"
--Then well find place uptown with some
atmosphere
"Oh, atmosphere" Denny pulled of
glove and her fingers were cold. I'D thought
about meat pie she said, land baked apple
and coffee with one Of those funny little jugs
of cream" Denny had never eaten meat pie
seen cups of such girth. The food at Aunt
Jennifer'S came in dabS in silver dishes and
the china had history.
Peter stood up and jerked his chair around
that a palm between them and
the pnk-faced man.
"Whats Up, kayO
"There's tapestry in a jewelers. vault up
town Max took me to see it last night The