Evening star., 1935-12-29
CHAPTER XIV.

4 n with Carvel, and grocers?"
She shook her head. mo man can
understand" she admitted. "I don't
really understand, myself. But-I'd
heard a lot about you, and you sounded
pretty grand, and when you insisted
last night that we get married.
She hesitated. "Oh, I tried to stop
you," she said. "At least, I went
through the motions" She smiled,
appealingly. But guess I didn't try
very hard. You see, wanted to marry
you-or somebody-so much"
well, you're honest about it, any
way"
"I told you last night how it was
with me-" she insisted. "And told
you that if you married me I'd never
let you go!"
Bob's brows lifted. "I see," he re-
marked, in a sardonic tone Then he
said, half to himself: well, you must
have been hard up for husband to
pick mel" There was grim nnirth in
his tones. "I expect you hadn't heard
my latest exploit" he decided, and eX-
planned in grim self-disgust. Il was
called to do an emergency appendix
yesterday afternoon and the hospital
superintendent wouldn't let me operate
because was drunk. She sent for
the chief instead! I'm probably on the
street myself right now"
Pain was in her eyes. "I'm-sorry,'
she said.
He looked at her thoughtfully. "You
knew I was engaged, didn't you?" he
asked. "Genevieve must have told
you"
Kay nodded, and he laughed again,
In a helpless way. II don't get you, ~
he said. You seem like nice kid
and yet you've acted like a moving
picture vampire!"
II don't get myself" she agreed
wistfully.
Its a mess!" he reflected. He sat
still, looking at the water which flowed
so calmly past their wheels. And al
last he stirred.
WELL" he said mo use sitting here
I'll hail car, send for help, get this
bus back on the road. I guess it will
run all right" He tried the starter
and the engine responded readily
enough. He switched it of again
''We didn't go in deep enough to wet
anything. You stay here!"
She nodded obediently, and he
scrambled up the bank and departed
Kay was left for long time alone
When he returned she had not moved
at all. She heard car stop on the
road above her, and then mems voices
and she looked up and saw Bob and q
garage mechanic.
Bob called down to her: "You'c
better get out. The car might upset
when he haulS it up the bank!"
Kay obeyed him. She climbed to tn,
level and stood by the elm. watching
while they affixed a chain to the real
axle. The service truck backed int
position, and after some maneuverinE
the roadster was safe on the banE
again. Bob directed briefly: you cal
get in now!" She saw him deal with
the grinning mechanic, then he camt
to climb into the seat beside her.
A car approached and slowed down
and some one shouted, Hey, Bob!
Kay saw countenances vaguely ia
miiar. But Bob, without replying
meshed the gears. his eyes straight
ahead, and they leaped away towarc
Boston.
Kay asked no questions, but BOZ
said at last, under his breath:
We'll go to my home. But I hate
to think what my father will say!"
Kay did not speak, and thereafter
no word passed between them till Box
stopped the car before DR.. Dakin's
house on Beacon Hill.
Beacon Hill houses are in their
essentials very much alike. They
stand pressed together so that all the
units in block constitute in effect one
building, but though their interior
design is by the nature of things
almost uniform, outwardly they mirror
the individual ideas of the owner OF
the architect. Flat-fronted brick may
be set next to brick with bay windows
and beyond that gray stone, and then
brick again, and the brick may be
painted or not, and the windows may
be small or large, and the roof may be
fiat or steep with dormers. Each house
is about 80 feet through, from side to
side, sometimes a little less, seldom
much more. And each extends from
the street in front, or from near the
street to an areaway behind. These
houses have windows only in the front
and rear, and the rooms are high and
q little gloomy on murky day.
DR.. Dakin's home was distinguished
from its neighbors by only one circum-
stance. 1t had the same small yard in
front, with tulip tree which bloomed
lavishly in Spring, and for the rest of
the Summer dropped under an in
creasing burden of SCOT and CRIME. It
had the same iron fence around the
yard, with the same sagging, rusty iron
gate and the same channel in the
stone step where the gate had dragged
1t had the same half-dozen steps up
ward to the front door, the fanlight
above the door had the characteristic
graceful lines of the neighborhood
But this house, though it was of brick
like its neighbors, was painted white
O-@J "@AAVS AAOAoC IA bIlC K. BOD
referred to this when he pulled up
before the door.
We'll, here we are" he said doubt
FULLY. THE white one!" Then he
grinned in reckless amusement
Mighty convenient, having it white
AS long as a man can see at all, he
can find it, the darkest night, NO
matter how fuddled he may be-"
Kay tried to speak, nodded dumblv
and she smiled little and swallowed
and said: MY throat's dryl I guess
my voice is cracked. I'm scared!"
so am J." he confessed. He shook
his head, spoke protectingly. But
you needn't be- Fathers not the
storming kind. No matter what he
feels, he'll be courteous, and-kind. -
He took her arm. Come" he said
''Well go in"
He pushed back the gate that grated
on the stone, and they climbed the
stanc to0afbar Tk,ara ,,,o~ 4, .Io.s T.. = 1.