The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-08-24
pEcIN HERE TO-DAY

set of LarcnneCk' ~,
New York suburb. She disiiSe
Root. Raeburn whose family ha
little money.
One night at the Yacht elu'
Roots IS put in an embarrassing
situation by Hardy Whitmore, one
of Sylvia's guests, who had peer
Jr;nLing. SYLVIA maliciOusly con
trives to force Boots resignatioi,
from the Juniors Illuminated
Roots withiraws from the crowd
She goes about with Russ Lund'
The swimming instructor. Kuss
falls in love with her and an
pounces he's going away. ne
bags Roots to elope with him and
she asks for time to think 1t over
Mrs. Raeburn returns from
visit and Boots breads having her
mother hear about her resigna-
ton from the club
NOW COON WITH THE STORY
Of course it was madness;
Roots told herself as she slipped
ont of the half-wet bathing SUIT
and nervously began to dress.
Why. it was just game they
were playing. Girls and boys talk
ed as she and Russ had all the
time and it meant precisely noth-
ING. Johnny had been shouting
10 Geraldine that very day ON the
raft. s'Be mine, darling. BE mi
yun, ! can't live without you!
Al o,.arvone had simply scream
ed with laughter. 1t had been the
most priceless comedy me.
Yes. she and Russ Lund were
inst playing at being IN love. 1t
didn't mean thing. 1t was eX-
citing. like being in drama the
Amateur Group Of the Juniors
might give. ~
She laced her white sandals
and ran a comb through her un,
rulv curls. The memory Of Russ.
grave. unSmiling face as ne had
said. Tomorrow, stayed with
her. Nonsense. 1t was all non
sense and she was fool ever 10
bavo let him saw such things to
her! Tonight mother would come
home: everything would go back
into its proper place. like the
pjeces of a iigSaw puzzle. Russ
would take the cattle boat or the
frrIit boat for Chile. She would
bavs one letter from him-mayoe
two. This time next year she
might not even remember MS
name.
That's how serious it is" she
said half-alOud To convince her
self.
All through the evening, as she
served ielhed SOUP and brolled
chops and salad to her father, as
She washed dishes and brushed up
the kitchen floor with a worn
broom the thought stayed with
ner. 1t was not serious - she
would not let it be. Tomorrow
she would employ just the right
blend of gravity and humor IN
her farewells to the beach-clut
Guard. He would see, he woulo
understand that she was a woman
of the world for all her IS years
She flushed at the memory OF
her scarlet cheeks and starry
eyes. Why, Re must think me
fool she told herself indlg'
nantly. che probably says that
to some girl every place ne goes
and expects me to know that.
In the furry of her mother 5
arrival she almost forgot Russ.
The dear. familiar thin face and
spare questionable figure. The
unpacking of the shabby bags
somehow the evening flew by.
and how did she take care of
you. Daddy"
Mr.. Raeburn, florid. bald, a
good 10 years older than his
wife, muttered that Barbara was
fair enough but he was glad to
have Mother home again.
''She'S been on the go the live
long time" he muttered, shaking
out his paper and settling down
under the amber-Shaded lamp. Il
never knew where she was after
dinner"
Mrs. Raeburn beamed. That's
nice, ducky You've been having
good time"
Inwardly Boots writhed at her
mothers trust in her. Not, as she
reminded herself, that she had
done anything to be ashamed of.
On the contrary, her journeyingS
with Russ had been of the most
decorous nature. A ride in the
sweet smelling lanes chOco-
late soda at the Sweet Shop
but would people believe that? A
girl didn't usually spend so much
time with one man unless the
current of their affairs ran more
deeply and swiftly than that of a
platOnic friendship. But it had
been platOnic. Boots told herself
sturdily. After that first impul-
sive kiss weeks ago Russ had not
laid a finger upon her. The men,
DRY Of that kiss stayed with her.
What did you say, darling?"
Her mother, Strengthening a
stopped back, lifting out a pile
of undertakings layered in tissue
paper. looked at her fondly.
Nothing" But the sound that
had escaped her was almost q
groan. Her carefully built VI
fabric of common sense crumpleC
and shattered at the thought OF
Russ kiss If she answered
him coolly and diStantly tomor
row he would go away to Chile
She would never see him again
'Here, let me hang that up,
she said at random, taking
brown crepe frock from her mo
theirs fingers. She fairly flew a