The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-08-13

about Henry's?"
If she weren't the hostess, Isa-
bel reflected. they'd all be per-
fectly frank about it and say they
wanted to stay and see the thing
through. The party was as good
as it had ever been, only Sylvia
long dark eyes were narrowed
now, her mouth was set in a pc
tulant line. Sylvia was very an
CRY. . r.
They gathered up their things
Sylvia's white and silver bag, her
frothy wrap, Patty's compact, Isa-
/ bells lipstick. 1t was late, Isabel
Thought. The older women had
begun to look tired. And Boots
I Raeburn was not at Mrs. Water
mans table. Oh, we'll
i Just as Isabel skirted the mu-
sicians' dais, a shout went up out
of doors. One Of the men who
always hung around the club
not exactly an attendant, just
one of the regulars" in blue
jeans and a battered cap, went
running down the pier. Isabe
heard the words, "Man over,
board" She ran. too. Every
body, it seemed, was on the piel
at once: hatless girls in frai
frocks, men in dinner clothes
their eyes searching the blacl
Horizon.
young fools" she heard {
white haired, moustached mar
say, angrily. Then someone cried
"They've got him." and the
words ran from mouth to mouth
Hardy it was Hardy >. and
everyone knew he was a whiz
with sailboat. What could have
happened? The night was calm
the sound was running smooth as
black glass.
Isabel's heart began to beat
very fast. She was fond of Boots
always had been. What if any
thing had happened to Boots?
She had lost the others now
Sylvia and Patty and Laddie
were nowhere to be seen. She
tried to see over the shoulders OF
tall man just in front of hel
and failed. Isabel was thorough.
lly frightened now. She pushed
her way through the crowd, back
toward the clubhouse. Some OF
! the younger people were making
great joke Of the whole thing
"Well. if they will get sloshedv
she heard a high, giddy voice say
ing, merrily. Isabel was terribly
angry. Imagine anyone making
fun of anything so terribly seri-
Gus.
Boots wasn't there. Oh, Isabel
said to herself, wildly and de-
spairingly-the worst had hap
pened. Hardy had upset the
boat. Boots, tangled in those
fluttering skirts. had been lost
Boots was a fine swimmer, but
you couldn't do much with
long dress wound around you
Foolish, folish, unhappy Boots
Isabel felt somehow responsible
for her. She had seen hurt anc
bewilGerment in the girls eyes
that night, as she danced by. II
was the fault of all CT them. -,
81 can't-can't bear it," lsa'
bel sobbed soundlessly to herself
huddled against some hawthorn
bushes in the bank of shrubbery
surrounding the house
Suddenly she heard her name
Gale din the stiffness. Isabel
Isabel"
She trembled all over. Was il
true, then, that ghosts came back
to haunt you? 1t was a ghostly
voice, faint and far away, and
yet it was Boots voice, surely!
WHAT" she quavered bravcly
"Who is it?" She peered into the
blackness. unable to distinguish a
thing.
cts me-Boots," said the voice
steadily. 'I'm here in the sum,
mer house."
Isabel demolished the space be-
tween the shrubbery and the DID,
rustic, empowered summer house
in two Jumps. Yes, it was Boots
Raeburn and not her ghost who
sat huddled in the shadow.
'What on earth's the matter?''
Isabels teeth were chattering'
She felt as though she were 60
ing to be sick.
| "There's such a racket down
on the pier" Boots said in a
fretful voice. 81 didn't know what
to do. I've lost my shoes"
"Lost your shoes?" The full
tide of relief flowed over Isabel.
She reached out a tentative hand,