Evening star., 1936-08-07
porch to stand staring moodily at the

porch to stand staring moodily at the
ocean. The rocking chairs were de-
serted. Everybody was heading for an
afternoon nap, he decided. All but
Joan. She would be leaving the cot
tage shortly and walking to Waples
Beach alone. II only he hadn't prom
ised that fat doctor to call on his
Or had he promised7 The man
had taken 1t for granted his invita-
ton was accepted and named an hour.
If he decided not to show up at the
specified time, Deeds told himself
that 1t would be easy enough to fake
an excuse. No great fun trying to en-
tertain a hypochondriac, anyway ..
or that fussy relative. Much pleas
anter to stroll with Joan. He could
hang about and amuse himself while
she was undergoing the process Of
being made beautiful. Perhaps she
would be willing to =.
Deeds swung about alertly at the
sound of a step in the hall.
Instead of seeing Joan, as he ex-
pected, he found himself staring into
the blue-gray eyes of Gene CASTOR.
As Deeds had admitted earlier in the
day, he had not gotten very far, with
this slim, black-haired youth who
was regarding him now with a ques-
tioning smile. AS If he were politely
amused at the eagerneSs the other had
displayed.
Care for a cigarette?" he ven
tured.
Thanks. I'm smoking" Deeds
lifted his hand in proof and unob-
trusively resumed his former posi-
ton, with one shoulder against porch
post. "You have plenty of fresh air
here" he offered aimlessly as CASTOR
gave no evidence of leaving.
Usually"
Deeds was forced to admit that the
answer was all that his effort merited.
He tried again, this time endeavoring
to simulate a degree of interest.
Been coming here long?"
Ever since I was a kid ;. off and
on, that is
Its my first visit. Very good beach
for bathing, I think"
"One of the best along this shore
Safe"
"How?"
"A lot Of the other stretches are all
shelves and pot-holes. Pretty level
here. The undertow's a little bad
until you get accustomed to 1t. Hope
you're staying while"
6ox InGv Gv;& u,
plans"
Deeds tone was more gracious. He
was conscious of an effort to explain
to his own satisfaction why he didn't
exactly like this good-looking chap.
Younger than himself, he believed
not more than twenty-three or four.
Rather fastidious, even in his infor-
NAL dress. Moved with an almost
graceful ease :. perhaps that was 1t.
A little too much assurance. It
aroused an instructive suspicion,
almost Mighty few young fellows had
a right to that air unless they
were grafters of some sort living
on some one else's money -.
Deeds pulled himself up short. He
didn't know the first thing about the
chap. Perfectly decent, SO far. But
Joan had shown an odd restraint
when Gaston's name was mentioned
gave the impression she didn't
care to discuss him. So what?
"On q vacation?" Deeds inquired
carelessly, stossing away the stub Of
his cigarette.
I'm way. Mothers been coming
down here for years =. her one idea
Of putting In q Summer. Claire usu-
ally shows up for a part Of the sea-
son. Too quiet for me. haven't
bothered with the place much
until this year. Thought I'd try 1t.
Nothing else to do"
Something like Miss Kendall"
Deeds said it, almost unthinkingly.
"She was telling me this morning."
he explained somewhat hastily under
Gaston's inquiring regard, that it was
her first Summer here in some time"
II rather believe so," Gene admit
ted non-commitally. He consulted
his wrist watch unobtrlsively, but
Deeds felt his resentment rising anew.