Evening star., 1937-11-21
Moeuziss Section

most reliable - but certainly not exciting.
Of course, he had been rather insistent, but -
until Bruce Ramsay - she had felt that she
was too young to think of love and of mar
riage And Alan had not been in financial
position to talk seriously of either. 1t was
unfortunate that not until after her marriage
to Bruce, not until she had blazed through
bewildering honeymoon, did she realize the
depth of her feeling for the young man in
Seaville
For almost year she had tried to forget
that she had made mistake. She even con-
vinoed herself, or at least she tried to, that
she was very happy when she heard that
Alan was engaged to Nan Marshal. That was
as it should be, of course.
Yet tonight Judith had telephoned Alan,
partly because she knew she could rely on him;
secondarily because there was no one else in
Ocean County to whom she would more logic
ally turn. 1t was odd, this sort of meeting with
the young man she might have married. She
shrank away from something which crunched
under her feet and hurried faster toward the
Lodge on Duck Island.
brake pedal and his rather dilapidated car
skidded to halt in front of simple white
cottage on Cypress Avenue. Rain slanted in
black streaks in front of his headlamps before
he snapped the switch, locked the ignition and
opened the door, He stepped into puddle of
water, laughed at himself, said, What a
night! What a night!' and leaped onto the
vvIi oh <ho xof <La
house. He raped on the front door and said
''Hi folks! Open up"
From inside came the cool, pleasant VOICE
of a young girl. She called, who's there?"
Paul Revere. The Redcoats are coming"
He shook himself like terrier as the door
opened and Nan Marshal stood framed in the
yellow rectange of light. He said, Lady. I'm
jest po' wanderin' stranger, an l crave
shelter"
This way, sir." Her eyes crinkled at the
corners. ALAN - you're soaking wet"
He put both hands on her shoulders and
bent his face to hers. "One for luck, he said,
kissing her, land the other two just for fun.
Nan, you're beautiful tonight"
In contrast to the weather, presume" ;"
She seated herself on an ancient couch and
motioned him to chair. ITO what may
attribute the honor of your visit, Mr. Keith?"
"I1l give you three guesses, Nan - and
you'le wrong on all three"
You make it hard. Suppose you relieve
my suspense
Alan's boyish face grew serious. Its
Judith. She s in JAM"
"Serious?'
Plenty" He lighted a cigarette and
started talking. Simply, he told her of the
telephone call from Judith.
Nan said, That's tough, Alan. But can't
say I'm surprised
I'm only surprised that she's walking out
tonight. 1t doesn't sound like Judith"
That's where you're wrong, dear. 1t does
sound like Judith. I grew up with her, and
know"
But gosh, honey, on night like this ="
"A1d with man like Bruce Ramsay! Don't
you understand, Alan - their marriage never
had chance. Ramsay is hard as nails, and
that suave manner of his is enough to infuriate
any girl of spirit. I'm afraid you don't under
stand women so we'll. They can take just so
much, and then comes the break"
Il begged her to wait until morning."
'She couldn't. Not after she had said she
was leaving. And as for Ramsay, you can
imagine what sort of chap he must be when
he's willing to let her walk to the Lodge"