The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-08-22
~ BEACH CLuB Girl MI . z:s."

lation from "the gang" was very
lonely. More often than not,
when her father dozed fitfully in
the porch swing, small car
would side up to the curb and
the girl would call back softly,
"I'm Just Cling down to the Post
road for a few minutes"
Then she and Russ would be
skimming the roads together. He
would look down at her and smile
that slow smile Of his and say
softly, GLOW you coming, sweet
ness?"
And she would flash him
smile in return. She would be
content with that. After that
first night he had not touched
her again and there. was some
thing in his control that piqued
the girl unutterably. She had no
chance now TO play the sweet,
equable, womanly role she had
decided upon.
Tonight she was not uncOnsci-
Gus of looking her best in the
plaid brown and yellow organdie,
the very frock she had worn to
the fateful party at the Yacht
club.
81 might as well get some good
out Of it," she had told her image
defiantly. She wasn't going any
place else and it was cool. She
had brushed her yellow halo of
curls with espepcial care. Her
small mouth was just touched
with a scarlet salve.
"Well, this is our last ride to-
gether," she told him, smiling, as
the car coasted down a brief
grade.
She made the effect she had
counted on. The young man at
her side said with flattering con-
Germ, "Why? What do you mean
by that"
"My mother comes home to-
morrow" Boots said, with brief
fluttering laugh in which nervous
ness and gayety were mingled.
"She-she's terribly fussy. She'll
think there's something serious
about-about this. Our being
friends"
He said something under his
breath which she did not hear.
The scent Of the cigarets he used
chung to his rough, shabby tweed
coat. His duck trousers were old,
too, and many times washed, but
to Boots tonight he seemed ex-
traordinarily virle and handsome.
He was man, anyway, she told
herself, and that was more than
you could say for Johnny or
even Hardy Whitmore. They
were only children. This man had
been to Singapore and Port Said
and Shanghai. He had shipped as
a common seaman on fruit boats
and cattle boats. He had seen
/ the world
"What did you say?" Her
flower-like face was very close
TO his. Her small feet, in their
shabby black-strapped slippers,
were planted squarely on the
floorboard. close to his bic
brogues.
II said that was a rotten
break" Russ told her slowly.
"Well, it's been fun and you're
a grand little pal and maybe III
be seem you. Pm pushing off
next week, anyhow"
A pang shot through her. She
swallowed hard. With dry throat
she managed the words, con,
where? Isn't this a SURPRISE"
"Not much" drawlea the man.
give been getting restless, hang
ing around here. I've got an Of
fer to go down on a cattle place
in Chile. Anything for a change"
Suddenly she felt that she
could not bear it. Why, Russ was
her only real friend now. She
saved up things to tell him-littlo
things that made him when his
eyes, made him throw back his
head and laugh resonantly. On
the beach she'd been sitting near
his lifeguard station every day
now, careless of the curious
chances thrown their way. She
hadn't minded Syivia's gathering
to herself the usual little sycoph-
antic group as long as she had
Russ to talk to. The days had
passed quickly. People had looked
inuuisitively at the small, fair
haired girl with the body of a
Tanagra figurine, talking quickly,
earnestly to the squarely built
young man with the life
,:nm Tin,o1