Evening star., 1934-05-06
"I'll take him." Valerie said.


Looking at those thin lips curled
inward, at those slant eyes glinting
with q hunger that was not Of the
heart, Sandra wondered If Gilbert
Atkin might be more fortunate If he
lacked q conscience.
At the last moment Valerie an
nounced she would not 60 to Sonny
Warren's house party. Sandra went
determined to sink Val, Gil, Corinne
| and the whole mishmash into un-
navigable channels of her mind. She
found, however, that will-no matter
how hard 1t is ridden-refuses at
times to take a Jump. Mentally she
would be galloping along gayly. pur-
suing the thrill of the moment.
when suddenly her will would shy and
shunt her toward the tangle of their
lives-the hazard of their tomorrows.
Impossible for them to go on longer
than December as they were. She
discovered that the imminence of a
bad spill did not frighten or de-
press her. A spill would bring about
a change. What the change would
be she did not know. But 1t was
there, just around the corner, the
tall young stranger Of the beach.
of the moonlit path, would be wait
ing for her.
When Sandra returned to town
from the house-party she had re-
fused to consider marriage with
Sonny Warren-for the present. She
liked Sonny. Her refusal, she knew,
caught him by surprise. He Gould
take his pick practically OF any
girl in their set.
rs there some one else?" he had
asked. They were riding and had
dismounted by a brook on the War
rem estate to dwaddle while. Sam
dra admired the grip he took on
himself.
mo one" Sandra assured him.
There wasn't really. A stranger one
might never meet again was not
rival. Its just that-oh, because
I'm so darn restless. I haven't a
notion who / want, or what or when
or why. Maybe 1 was born to drift.
I'm not going to take on marriage,
Sonny, on the drifting plan. I'm sick
Cf this matrimony-f y-for-the-Season.
When I marry, I want it to be for
keeps"
"I'u wait" Sonny said quietly; but
Sandra caught Sonny watching her.
the puzzled expression of spoiled
child on his face.
Sandra and Gilbert Akin, roaring
down the Motor Parkway. lapsed into
a strained silence. Already trees
we're shaking off Autumn finery.
What a heavenly place" Sandra
indicated the woodland through
which they spun. Draw up under
that tree will you, Gil, the yellow one
with the red spotches."
He obeyed with quick swoop of
the car. Things were going better
than he expected. Maybe the cute
red-head would suscribe to a bit OF
light cuddling.
Like old times, what?" he said.
Darn nice of you to give me buzz.
Have you taken me off the pestilence
list for good. or for the afternoon"
THAT depends" Sandra said
when you asked me to pick you
I'D at Bubbles Courtlandt's, I thought
I was hearing things in my sleep.
You let me down with such thud
at Sandharbor I've been groggy ever
since"
Sandra saw that the furtiveness
with which Gil watched her when
first they met had vanished. Her
casual resumption of the familiar
banter between them put to flight
the lurking suspicion that had i'm
PEELED him to first plead an engage
mont u,hep che telephoned
"Now then" he said, what next?"
His eyes were eager, his hands seek
ing hers.
Il was pondering," Sandra said in
a voice as matter of fact as though
she were commenting on a familiar
subject, "if it would be better for
you and Val to have a small wedding,
just a family affair with few
friends, or whether you'd prefer an
elopement." 80
She saw the light go out of his
eyes. give place to CLINT of cum
ming.
Il don't get the idea," he said.
hesitantly. rs it-that night-on
the yacht?" N
"Yes-that night. Valerie is afraid
of gossip-afraid mother will hear
I think you'd better just find the
nearest marriage license bureau, I
don't care what you do afterward.
either of you-go to Paris, Reno-but
you know Val loves you
But I don't love Val. II 1t
hadn't been for the liquor-and you
letting me down I'd never have
put her in such a position"
you had your chance with me at
Sandharbor. You chose Val. Just