Evening star., 1934-05-04


dance with her perhaps-but he did
His eyes, the way he had answered
her smile, told her he was as eager
to take her in his arms again as she
was to be taken. What then? OF
course, there was reason. He was
not O guest. He was a newspaper
man, a reporter. Wearing evening
clothes so that he would not be con-
SpiCuouS. They did, often.
II she had only guessed his role
sooner, swooped down on him. Now
he was gone-she might never meet
him again-never.
'Beano," she said wearily, "whisk
me out on the veranda. I crave a
drink. Get me one, darling, some
thing potent, while I run up and
down the veranda chasing rainbows
"Rainbows? You can't catch 'em
at night" Beano protested.
Listen to who's giving nature
talks" Sandra twitted. You wouldn't
know about my kind of rainbows,
darling. They're very special. I'm
liable to run into them any time, day
or night. Are you getting something
to keep me from dying on the vine or
are you not?"
I'm getting 1t. Only you've got to
promise to stay here and take it, not
stand me up like you did last time I
went foraging."
"Beano, I'm faint. Positively"
'Oh, all right" The roly-poly youth
1umbe-ed off in the direction of the
buffet.
Sandra made a quick turn of the
verandss. The tall young man was
nowhere in sight. The night was
empty That universal nostalgia which
overtakes youth at unexpected season
tugged at Sandra's heartstrings, was
an active pain in her temples. She
wanted to 60 home. She hadn't had
a sane amount Of rest in weeks. She
was tagged. If she hadn't promised
Sonny Warren, word of honor, she'd
save him a dance, she would do a
"fade-out." And there was her mother.
Corinne would be furious if she failed
to show off properly. The reporter
chap was lucky. He did not have to
be bored with these parrakeets, chat
tering and hopping about in cage
Perhaps it was just as well he had
gone. She might become interested
in him. She was interested in him.
He was different sort of thrill-that
strange breathlessness she had felt
when he held her lingering moment
when she had stumbled on the moon
lit path-different from any thrill
she had known. ="
I'm going slightly soppy," Sandy
admonished herself as she hurried
back to her rendezvous with Beano
Hes probably a struggling young
newspaper man, poor but honest. A
heck of lot of help he would be to
me and my ever-loving family"
Beano extended a glass of what he
designated as heat lightning. Il had
to do a regular field scrimmage to
get it. The buffet looks like fourth
down and one yard to CO."
Thanks" Sandy raised the glass.
"Here's to the worlds greatest laugh
love at first sight"
Right. Take me for example, N
Beano nodded a sage head. "The
first time you looked at me you never
guessed that underneath this bulgmg
shirt front a heart Of gold would go
on beating only for you-"
Darling, you're priceless" Sandy
emptied the glass. But you want to
be cautious. Some day may get fed
up with the thin ones and go in for
love in the bulk-here's Sonny. Prom
ised him the next dance"
The death watch" found the "red-
headed Reynal girl live subject for
conversation during the evening. She
was getting quite out of bounds, and
what men saw in her to keep them
anchored to her side waS-Well, the
death watch" hoped poor dear Co.
rinne would not have another tragedy
after the way her husband behaved
left her practically penniless, my dear
with two daughters. And Raoul, the
Reynal brother, y'know, some sort OF
queer hermit.
Sandra was passing close to the
"death watch" as she danced with
Sonny. Feeling the eyes, Of certain
of the watchers upon her, she accel-
Grated her pace, swaying and dipping
to their very toes, her body curved to
that of Sonny Warren, her bright
head snuggled in the nook between
his neck and shoulder.
Cats are meowing," she told Son
ny. "They think I'm KIDNAPPING you
Let's give them thrill"
Sonny caught her closer and looked
down into the gray eyes, half mis-
chievous, half challenging, raised to
his. He did not care about the cats
This elusive little tyrant who had
been bedeviling him for weeks had
suddenly become sheaf OF fire and
fragrance and yielding grace in his
arms. He would make this the last
dance if he had to drag her out by
her adorable red hair.
At exactly 4 am. Sandra glanced
at the clock atop Louis XVI cabi-
net in her room. Both the clock-a
combination of alabaster and onyx
with a fit face-and the cabinet,
testified to the exquisite taste OF the
late Pierre Reynal. Four o'clock was
too early to be checking in; she
had meant to greet the sun.
Sonny Warren is no special treat" :"
she thought, and laughed as she re-
membered how she had rid herself Of
him by the simple expedient of pro-
claiming she was going on a binge"
with Beano, and sticking to her guns
regardless Of the clamor the remain
ing five Of her escort set up. Sonny
had been furious, but his constant
attendance upon the punch bowl had
rendered him incapable of offering
effective resistance. Afterward it had
been easy enough to persuade the
roly poly one that she was total
wreck" and to have him drop her at
the cottage. -,f
For swan song, the clambake
was pretty much of dud," Sandra
told herself. I'm glad it's finished.
I want to move on. Even Corinne
won't find an excuse to linger, now
the seasons over"
She tossed the pillows of her bed
to the floor, flattened herself against