Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1933-05-26
GIA VIC


came back to the living room and
began to put out the lights. He
vawned widely. Gee, I'm sleepy.
Got to be up early tomorrow, too.
Going to bed now, Frills?" he ask
ed, 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. Turn
ing she went upstairs, closely fol-
lowed by Packard, who switched
on the bedroom light for her.
"I sure have missed that sleeping
porch. Seems as if | 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 hal she
had decided % sleep in the house
hereafter and Joyce, in an agony
of embarrassment and indecision
wandered over to her dressing table
where she sat down and lighted
another cigarette.
If he would only go to his own
rooms and let her alone! But Pack
ard fingered taking off his tie and
u%nbuttoning 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 a wave
of color burn her face and she sat
rooted to the spot. To her great
relief, however, he went off to fin
ish his undressing elsewhere and
she jumped up and hurried to the
closet. Just as she 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 a trife ajar so
that she could keep track of his
movements and the bathroom doo-
stood wide open.
"Shall l run a hot bath for
you?" called Packard, cor are you
4 going TO takd a shower"
Joyce hastily called out, mo
tub, thanks. I'll take a shower
when you get through"
you needn't wait. Pm not US
ing the shower,' he called back
cheerfully. Il want a real soak
after being on the train two
nights!"
She sat huddled 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, Damn! There goes the
soap!!" Then raising his voice call
ed, Say, Frills, be a good kid and
get me the soap, will you? drop
ped it out and it skidded way over
into the bedroom!"
Joyce was petrihed by this sim
pie request. She was so startled
that she even failed to take refuge
in what had been her salvation in
ether awkward moments, the con-
%veniently temperamental DISPOSE
ton of Frills.
well, wait a minute, I'll >. {.
I'll get it," she returned, and hold
ing her silk Coolie oat tightly a
bout her she emerged from the
closet, found the cake of soap in
nocently lying on the blue carpet
picked it up, and entering the
BATHROOM, hastily thrust it into
Packard's wet outstretched hand.
Then she turned hurriedly and
left the room in a turmoil of emo
lions.
Il wish he'd hurry" she fumed,
with a sigh of relief that that awk-
ward moment was over, though
her heart still thumped violently,
"Tm tired. If that shower didn't
have a glass door I'd go and take
a bath now. l simply can't do it,
though" She sat down again and
listened anxiously y.
Presently she heard him rubbing
himself vigorously and a few min
utes later he appeared in the ber-
room in blue pajamas and slippers,
his hair sticking up in damp rum
pied confusnion. How funny a
man looked without a collar, she
thought, and the pajamas seemed
o loose and baggy! Lowering her
eyes she vent past him into the
bathroom. She shut the door after
her and very quietly and carefully
turned the little catch that locked
it.