Evening star., 1935-07-13

- Then he shrugged his shoul-
derS and lit cigarette. He
sat in the breakfast nook and
opened the morning paper, turning
to the sport page. For some minutes
he read steadily, then suddenly threw
the paper down impatiently. He rose
and walked softly through hall and
living room to the bed room door.
He listened a moment and, his man
ner heSitant, called, "Ina-!'
No sound from within.
He started to call again, but the
door below banged and a rattle of
voices and a scuffle of footsteps on
the stairs halted him. He ran a
hand through his touseled hair, fu-
tilely. Damn" he said.
Bud and Sue propelled themselves
into the apartment. Paul went to
meet them. He felt baffled and
slightly inhospitable. Sue brandished
a rubber bag. We're going SWIM
ming" she informed him Where's
Ina?"
In the bed ROOM he replied,
briefly. I'll call her"
Bud parted an imaginary coat
tail and subsidized into deep chair.
Then he reached down and pretended
to lift a child to his knee. We'll, well,
WE'LL he babbled. fond smile spread
ing over his wide features. Here's
little Geraldine-come to see Unca
Bud. How's my girl today? I de-
clare. Paul. this child looks more
like you every day. Naughty
naughty" he extracted an imaginary
infantile hand from his shirt pocket.
Mustn't grab. Bad girl-just like
her poppa. You know Unca Bud
bring you some candy. didn't you
Jerry?" He waggled finger at the
invisible culprit.
Huh" grunted Paul. Must be
screwy.'
Sue giggled Hes so fond of chill
dren," she explained. conf1dingly.
Paul shook his head disgustedly
and returned to the bed room door,
"Ina!" he called. Bud and Sue are
here. We're going swimming"
All right" responded a faint voice
When she came out, she did not
even look at him. Her eyes wert
slightly red and her chin held high
but she greeted their callers as il
nothing had happened.
They went to Winnwood Beach ano
spent the afternoon in their bathing
suits. 1t was the girls day off and
although Sunday, the Bunton aggre-
CATION was idle until evening, there
being no matinee dance because of
the heat. Paul, contrary to custom
spent most of his time on the spring
boards out in the lake, deSerting his
wife to the company of the others
an arrangement that Ina, delicious in
clinging blue sun suit, seemed to
indorse.
For fully an hour he perched on
the railing on top of the diving tower,
talking to a couple of girls. He
vaguely hoped that Ina would see him
and her stonily maintained indiffer-
ence be shaken, but eventually re-
turning to the group, he was shocked
to find Sue and Bud asleep in the
sand, while Ina sat, chatting init
mately with a bronzed young man
with dark, curling hair and very
nice smile which he was employing
upon her with conscious freedom. She
looked up nonchalantly.
"Oh-'' she said. Mr.. Gresham
my husband-Paul Machanello."
You would have husband!
laughed the young man. He shook
Paul's hand. but didn't seem as de-
lighted as he profeSsed to be. I've
seen you in action, Mr.. Machanello,' y
he revealed. "And. after meeting your
wife, I can understand why you sing
so charmingly" He smiled at Ina
for the forty-fifth time.
Paul was not so pleased. That
SOP" he responded, shortly.
Mr.. Gresham departed shortly, ex-
pressing fear of sunburn.
Ina" began Paul. Z"
Mr.. Gresham has a cousin with
Wayne Kings Orchestra" interpoSed
the girl, as though unaware that he
had been speaking. She looked after
the departing young man, musingly'
Paul lapsed into a sullen silence after
one concluding remark.
Damn Mr.. Gresham and his
cousin!" he growled. Ina glanced at
him. her eyebrows lifted, but did not
reply. She lay back on the sand and
gave him an excellent view of perfect
shoulders, unhampered by the low
cut back of her suit. Paul sat and
glowered Unfortunately at every
passerby.
They bought sandwiches on the
way in. and dined at the apartment
upon them and few bottles of beer.
Bud and Sue were in holiday spirits
and clowned continuously, even win
ming a desultory laugh occasionally
from the now thoroughly miserable
Paul. Ina, although the perfect host
ess. was preoccupied and, like her
husband, had little to say. If the
other two wondered, they gave no
sign.
The two girls decided to 60 to the
dance that evening, and Sue soon
ran upstairs to get ready. Bud &C
companied her, and Paul and Ina
were left momentarily alone. Ina
stood by a window and stared into the
darkening court below. Paul watched
her a moment uncertainty, then fol-
lowed and slipped his arms around
her from behind. She started and
he felt her body grow taut. She
twisted in his grasp, her hands push
ing against his chest, striving to
break free.
I'm sorry, Honey" he muttered,
his voice, shaken, penitent.
She shuddered. Suddenly her re-
siStance ceased and her arms went
around his neck, clasping him tightly,
unreservedly. He held her as If he
could never let her go, and their lips
were drawn together as If by some
force, blindly. all their
pent-up emotion loosed by the contact,
sweeping all the pangs of misunder-
standing before 1t.