The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-10-11

ment. "1t'S Saturday, lSnt Il and r m not coming back this af- ternoon. You can use the extra hour, can't you?
 "Oh-of course-and thanks" she said, slightly confused. She with drew, prepared the letters for mail ing, and five minutes later was on her way out.
 Reaching the street, she hesi- tated, uncertain. She had planned to do some odds and ends of shop ping, to lunch quickly at some handy coffee shop, and then to hurry home and put in a busy, house -wifely afternoon cleaning her tiny apartment and putting her wardrobe in order. But the day was bright and clear, the sky was a rich, spotless blue, and the wind that swung down the crowded street seemed to smell of open fields and woods, far beyond the city.
 Born and reared .n a small town, she knew moments when the great city was almost unbearably oppres- sive and confining; and she sudden ly realized that this afternoon she must manage somehow to get out into the open country, away from the crowds and the noises and the hustle and confusion of Dover.
 "I'd like to take a long hike across the fields she, unused. Lets see-who could I get to go with ine?"
 She thought of Bobby; but she kn.W he would be working all day, and she also knew that an after nooa in the country would revive his romantic instincts and cause him to speak pleadingly of mar riage and little apartment. Today shs didn't want to be proposed to. Hastily she mentally scanned her list of girl friends. One or an- othcr of them, surely, could be in- duced to join the expedition.
 I'll hurry home and change, and then start telephoning," she thought. She walked to the corner and caught her street car.
 When she had reached her apart Inent, bathed and changed her frock for Q rough tweed skirt, woolen stockings, low-heeled shoes and a sweater, she discovered that she was ravenously hungry. "The tele- phoning can wait" she told herself, and she went to the little. kitchen cite to prepare lunch. Just as she was plugging in the percolator the telephone rang.
 She scampered into the other room and answered it.
 Miss Dunn" said a mans voice. Well, now isn't that luck for you? I didn't think I'd be able to raise you on a nice afternoon like this?"
 The voice was vaguely familiar but no more. She froWned and said, Who is this?"
 A laugh came over the wire. You wouldn't break my heart and tell me you've forgotten me al- ready?" said the voice, teasingly. I'm the long, lanky guy that man. aged to get dance with you at the Golden Feather the other night Remember? My names Harkins - Sandy Harkins.'
 "Oh," said Jean. "Oh, yes, MT. Harkins."
 T suppose you're just all loaded down with engagements this after noon?" he drawled.
 
 planned to-"
 ' Well, listen here, good looking. I'll bet down where you come from you like to go horseback riding on your afternoon, don't you?"
 Horseback riding? Why, yes. Butt"
 T thought so," said Sandy. You looked like girl that knew how to ride. Listen, how'd 1t be if came around and tokk you out to riding academy and we got d couple of nags and went for a little ride-huh, how about it?"
 To ride horse again some thing she had not done since she left Maplehurs;. She suddenly dis covered that that was what she wanted to do this afternoon more than anything else; and before she knew that she had made up her mind she heard herself saying oh, I'd love to-"
 "Kayo, baby" said the breezy MT Harkins. "I'll be at your front gate in half an hour"
 He hung up, and Jean sat for q moment gaping at the telephone, She had thought about him several times since meeting him in the night club, and while his frce-and- easy personality and infectious laugh had made & strong impress sion on her she had definitely de- cided that if he carried out his threat to call her up she would re- fuse to see him. After all as Larry had pointed out, she knew nothing about him; and then, besides Bob- by and she were practically engaged, and 1t wasn't quite right for her to go out with other men
 But I do want to go riding" she said aloud. And she hurried to her clothes closet to get out the riding costume which she had not worn for months.
 Tn precisely half an hour her bell rang. Sandy met her in the little lobby on the first floor and they were in his roadster 1t was a flaslly yellow thing which looked only little shorter and less pow erfui than one of the navy's newest destroyers-almost before she knew 1t. As the car swung away from the curb he looked at her briefly and commented You looh good in that outfit, sister"
 She flushed with pleasure. She did look nice--her own mirror had