The Washington times., 1935-02-13

eSting-naturally!"
Juliet had come down from
her tiny room minimum rate
next the elevator) to the Cocoa
nut Grove because she was dis
contentedly hungry, because she
wanted to sense the pulse OF
this unfamiliar city, but mainly
because there was the dusty and
lonesome feeling in her heart
that strange hotels always
aroused.
When the avocado salad she
had ordered arrived, she i'm
mediately felt more cheerful.
This was because Destiny had
decided-on the sly-to do
something about Juliet, without
further delay, and the subtle
elation she began to sense was
really the preliminary thrill of
new luck a-borning. The salad
had nothing whatever to do
with it.
To any unobservant eye,
nothing extraordinary occurred
in the next few minutes. Ger.
tainly the four middle-aged
gentlemen, who leaned as
though in a strong wind when
they came into the Grove, we're
not recognizable as outcriders of
Destiny's caravan.
Three of them wore flushed
faces above smart tuXedos and
Spiced the festive atmosphere
with their convivial and
aromatic breath.
A Guest
The fourth man, taller than
the the others, wore a plain
gray suit and somewhat more
serious expression on his lean
face. His gaze fell upon Juliet
and she returned it unwaver-
ingly.
This man is superior per-
son." she announced to herself
and continued courageously to
look at him.
The three in tuxedos spied a
group of hilarious friends at
table across the room and for
ward-pitched in that direction.
The man in gray fingered be-
hind and kept looking at Juliet.
May I sit down." he asked
with shadow of a smile, his
hand resting on the back of the
other chair at the small table.
IF you like" said Juliet in a
smoothly vanished voice.
Thanks. Those other chaps
were getting little-tiresome."
Before him was a girl of Is
with bright seductive lips that
seemed somehow to contradict
the aloofness in her dark and
fearless eyes. Her complexion
was exquisite, the black hair
lustrous, and she carried her
head like a queen.
Win or lose, Juliet's head was
the kind that would remain for
ever unbowed.
Were down-a lot of us
from San Francisco for the
Stanford-Trojan game tomor-
row." said the stranger. Its
remarkable, isn't it, what idiots
the big game makes out of fair
ly sensible men? A few drinks
and they think they're 20
again."
Juliet smiled. And you?"
Il merely envy their cheerful
idiocy. I'm so, I know it and I
don't try to keep up with the
pack. But let me introduce my
self-Terhune'S my name. I'm
a lawyer and I'm going back to
San Francisco tomorrow night.
Know lots of people in this town
and here's a confeSsion-Im as
tonished at myself for accosting
strange young lady. I have
only one defense-it's the South
ern California climate"
e Does it always affect you
this way?" Juliet asked, smiling.
First Time
"Never did before" Terhune
said. mo, the simple fact is
that I saw you sitting here so
distingue and alone-so intelli.
gent-looking and altogether
Charming-I thought how nice
it would be to chat with YOU
just for a little while. Actually
I'm quite harmless. Will you
forgive me?"
Juliet found herself liking
him more and more.
There's nothing to forgive"
she said CASUAL y. why
shouldn't people act naturally?"
The Cocoanut Grove was
getting bit tempestuous and
Terhune'S friends, apparently,
were swallowed up in the toss
ing sea of humanity of dancers
and haraSsed walters. The pre-
game celebration Surged around
!. them but its excitement left
Juliet untouched. 1t was agree.
able merely to drift along with