The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-20

ater party that he asked her. He said, There's a dinner dance at the Country Club tonight. Or we could go slumming-to one of the decent roadhouses, mean. Or we could go to Cleveland. It doesn't matter to me where we go, just so we dance."
 Ruth replied quickly, "Not the Country Club, John! don't want to see lot of people I'm expected to remember--and don't!" Let him think her blase. Let him think her indifferent to Worthwhile. At least he could not think her indifferent to himself.
 "All right" he said. "So much the better. If I took you to a local dance I'd play stag all evening. Now I know 8 place called the Allegheny Cabin that's 60 miles from here toward the mountains, but worth the drive. It's run by a couple of people from Maryland down-and-out gentry-who spe- cialize on good food and a good orchestra. There's the right pa- tronage. No rough stuff. A beauti- full lodge overlooking a water gap. Hangs over the river. Two big fire- places. Maryland fried chicken"
 Ruth said, Are you a paid press agent for this paradise, or just feeling lyrical? Anyway, I'm sold. What time shall I be ready?"
 wed better allow an hour and a half," he calculated. ''on ac- count of the curves. I'll phone for o'clock reservations. Let's leave here about 5:30. Do you think Bertha will object?"
 Ruth shook her head and laugh ed. "It's not very fiattering to me; but her one idea seems to be to get me out of the house. What must I wear, John?"
 He said, "It's one of those places where anything goes. won't dress. Won't have time. But you wear anything your little heart desires"
 Her little heart desired to wear the lace dinner dress. Yearned to wear 1t. After her bath she ar- gued with herself about 1t: Johns not dressing. The correct thing for me to wear would be one of the knit dresses--or the navy blue satin. But he's seen me in all of them. He's never seen me in the lace. If I don't wear 1t tonight, he never will. If don't wear 1t I'll always wish I had. It might get to be a suppressed desire With me and turn me into a criminal or something! I'll wear It."
 
 When she had put it on she was not sorry. Its cream-tan color flattered her brown eyes and hair. It's little round collar was young and demure. Its fitted bodice call- ed for a slender figure, exactly like her own. She said to the mir TOT, "If I'm not his idea of a girl tonight, then I'll never be!'
 John was late. It was after 6 when he called for her, bfeath- less and apologetic for having been detained at the factory. "I'm not play boy" he told her. "Busi- ness has to come first. We'll, we'll step on it. The first 40 miles is pretty straight road"
 It was this part of the road that proved their undoing. About 80 miles from Worthwhile. doing q careful 60 miles an hour. Johns car was overhaulted by a police motorcycle that had been loiter- ing in side road. There was no argument. <.
 "John McNeill, Worthwhile" snapped John, giving the informa- ton with some chagrin and irrita- ton. ''Yes, I was doing 50. What of 1t The roads clear. Got to set to dinner, haven't we?"
 The callous one said, Its notbin' to this township if you never eat" Ruth watched his pencil move, fascinated. She could see there was other printed data on the card to be filled out. She bravely and said in small, clear voice, And my name Is Ruth Woodson.'
 Both men looked at her. The officer smiled and said, "Your name's not necessary, lady. I'm just interested in the driver"
 John McNeiil said nothing. He took the ticket offered him. said a forgiving goodby to the laws representative and put