Evening star., 1935-07-21
By Wyatt Rundell.

him failed to detract from his broad
grin.
Big night" he remarked. as If
impartins a confidence. THE old
shed is ]ammed to the doors"
Jencks lighted a match with his
thumbnal and held 1t to a cigarette.
Through cloud Of smoke he observed
carelessly: There was q lady t. see
you, Paul. She's waitin' out in the
flivver."
Paul glanced at him sharply, his
smile fading a trifle. She's what?"
he queried.
shes out back-in the car. Said
t tell you t come on out"
What's tn big idea? Couldn't she
wait in here?"
by me, Paul. All 1 know is she
said t send you out, and that 1t was
mportant-leave it u any Of these
guys"
Paul looked from one to another.
They all nodded in confirmation.
Puny kow-towed to the floor. 1T is
the truth, your worship" he de-
claimed.
Paul began to look worried. His
affable manner was lost completely.
To him the announcement meant but
one thing. Another disturbing inter
view with Jessie. He ranted inwardly
and his thoughts were mirrored in his
face, lending it an expression that
was almost despairing.
GtNTyI,o L. dap,ondad nf pi1nV
That well-fed youths reply, given
in elaborate pantomime, removed any
trace of doubt Of the presence OF Miss
Whitewood in the car, outside. He
merely grinned at his interrogator,
catlike, and closed one round eye in
an eloquent wink. Paul started
toward the door, his feet leaden.
1t was a beautiful night, the soft
breeze from the wooded heights to
the southwark of the. park holding a
first suggestion of waning Summer.
The stars were almost obliterated by
the brilliance of a nearly-full moon
that hung motionless overhead. How
ever, by contrast, the shadows behind
the looming wall of the dance palace
we're doubly dark, the line of auto
mobiles parked there, distinguish
able only by the glimmer OF their
nickelplate and their bright stripings,
Paul turned in beside the broken
rear fender that branded the old
roadster. He stopped and put ten
tative foot on the running board.
Jess" he identified. guardedly.
A dim shape in the seat moved
slightly and he caught the gleam of
blond hair. He did not wait for a
reply.
Lets get it over with, Jess" he
went on. i can't stay out here very
long. We're due t start playing any
minute-and besides, Ina comes out
sometimes, on Saturday night. And
don't intend To-"
He interrupted himself to light
cigarette. The figure in the car was
very still, close beside him as he
leaned on the door. The revelation
of the match-flare froze him to the
marrow. His cigarette dropped to
the ground, released by lips that sud
denly became nerveless.
I'm sorry" said Ina. ut doesn't
happen to be Jessie-this time"
Paul could only clutch the edge OF
the windshield and stare at her in
the darkness. His tongue seemed
rooted, his brain paralyzed. No e.
PLANTATION seemed possible. Ina's Sec
ond remark caused him to grope
frantically for words.
"I can imagine your disappoint-
ment," she commented, with the equa-
nimity women are able to summon
at such times.
"H-honey," he stammered. i
didn't dream tit was you, out here.
IL"
No" she cut in. I'm sure you
didn't"
He was again brought to the end
of his resources. There was another
torturing silence, endless to the agon-
lied Paul.
They didn't tell me who-who it
was" he finally offered. They
should have"
Warned you," she supplied. swift
ly. BY all means"
The silence this time became in
tolerable. Paul reached into the car
and snapped on the dashlight. Re-
fiecting from the instrument board it
filled the interior with shadows, re-
vealing the features of the girl in
the seat. There was set, strained
look about her mouth that Paul was
unable to endure. His hand closed
over the small one that rested Imply
in her trim, silken lap, but she seemed
insenSible to the contact.
Listened, Honey" he begged. Il
know this looks bad on the face of it,
and it's natural for you to Jump at
would, myself. know
it looks as though had been-meet-
ing some one out here, but Haven't.
You see, Jessie Whitewood is an old
friend of Puny and me; we've knew
her in Omaha, years ago. and-and
we know a lot Of people in
common. She's one Of crowd that's
always out here, dancin' and some
times she'll give me the sigh sign
that she wants t. see me first chance
1 get-you know-to spill little news