Evening star., 1936-08-02
Nasozins Section

burst of afectionate applause. But to
Lois the two well-dressed, smooth
young people were complete strangers.
When her people saw the picture, they
wouldn't know what to say to each
other. They would feel that they had
lost her. They wouldn't realize that
she had lost herself.
Three days later. Gale telephoned
home that he had to go into Los
Angeles on business and instead drove
inland up into the mountains. 1t was
stupid of him to use that age-old
subterfuge of the comic husband to
escape domestic vigilance. Lois didn't
seem to mind where he went. On this
occasion she wasn't even at home.
She had gone to some studio party
and might not be home till late. So it
didn't matter. He needn't have lied
at all. She would never ask.
But if he had told her beforehand
that he was going up to see Catherine
Fenshaw she might have wanted to 60
too. And he wanted to see Catherine
Fenshaw alone and explain something
to her - he didn't quite know what.
But when she came to meet him down
the porch steps, he knew that he had
nothing to explain. She accepted his
return quite simply. And for the mo-
ment he was content to stand there
in the sunlight, smiling up into her
warm and friendly face, holding her
hand and saying with hght-hearted
boyishness, Gee - but it's good to
be here again."
He could see that she was happy
too.
Couldn't Mrs. Thornton Gomez?
81 don't know - l didn't ask her -
she was out somewhere and had a
sudden yen to make break - just
threw up everything"
"How long can you stay?
II can't stay at all. l oughtn't to
be here. I've no more business playing
hockey than robbing a bank. But I'm
going to stay all day If you'll have
me-"
She looked at him gravely, with
some thought that he couldn't fathom
back of her eyes. Then she drew
deep breath.
Let's have one whole day." she
said. Lets have a picnic"
. He hadn't done anything like that
for so long. The crowd went on wild
beach parties with servants and cham
payne. But this was the simple coun-
try picnic of his boyhood. They didn't
60 very far just to the top of the
nearest hill - and when the picnic
was cleared up they sat and talked
lazily. For the first time she talked
about her own life, as though she
knew how hard it would be for him to
talk about himself. She told him how
the uncle with whom she had lived
was dead, leaving her the ranch.
II love it." she said, but it's hard
work sometimes - single-handed.'
II wish could help. l guess farm
ing's different out here. But I'D catch
on. I'm swell farmer"
That's what you really are. aren't
you? The others just make-believe."
1T isn't even good make-believe." )"
mot very" she admitted.
Gale sat up sharply. He felt as
though dead weight had been lifted
from his heart.
"Yon know then"
II didn't at first, not when you were
just being yourself. But now they're
trying to make you into dude"
I'm not anything any more" he
said. I'm like the place we live in -
like the people we run round with -
Just layer of show-off and fake and
nothing underneath" He put his
hand on the warm. dry ground. But
this is real. You're real. That's why l
wanted to come back"
"You should have come back be-
fore. You promised -"
0I Lpou We three were Ooin0 tn