The Washington times., 1938-02-28


couple who rushed around too
madly in New York to get &C.
uuainted with each other; my In
comparable little cousin, Henri
eta, and a nice young man to
amuse her-add me and Ray as
hosts, and the small but flawless
gathering was complete.
Someone must have slipped
vitamin Z in my coffee that morn
ing.
It would be hard to say what
started the trouble. If it hadn't
rained the car wouldn't have run
into all the disasters and delays
known to a stormy night on coun-
try roads.
If Evelyn's husband could have
been in the back seat with her
instead of that imp, Bob MacAr-
thur, the nice young man I'd
picked for Henrietta, getting hila-
riously better acquainted while
Ray and I took turns driving and
fuming in front. Lots OF IFS.
"WAs SUCH FUN"
We arrived at our farm three
hours late, to be greeted by Eve
lyn's husband, totally demoralized
by worry. He had waiting-for-the-
remains expression.
Evelyn, you're late!" he said
flatly, looking very mid-ocean.
'Oh. but it was such fun!" said
Evelyn, and introduced Bob.
Well, we got into the house some
how, and there was poor little
Cousin Henrietta. She'd been pre-
tending to read a formidable look
ing book and she was simply
starved, because she hadn't dared
to eat on account of Howard, pac-
ing up and down and waiting for
the remains.
And that devil. Bob Macarthur,
looked politely right through my
pretty cousin and slid away to talk
to Evelyn.
That's the way it started and
that's the way it went on.
There wasn't much left of that
evening by the time we'd had a
pickup supper. I remember hav-
ing the impression that Evelyn
had Bob on leash-he trailed
her with that alert, pleased ex-
preston so distinctly canine.
I began to look at Henrietta
with more critical eye; perhaps
she wasn't so attractive, after all.
RAINS ALL DAY =
Saturday it had settled down
to good, steady rain. How we
managed to drag through that day
I don't know. Desperately we
traipsed over the place and
showed our treasures. Horses?
Blah! Tennis courts? Ugh! They
did look pretty sad, with little
pools gathering on them,
I wondered what possible at
traction I could ever have sup
posed our place had for anyone,
even for us.
Indoors we had no better luck.
Evelyn didn't care to play con-
trace. Neither, quite suddenly,
did Bob. They loved to walk in
the rain. Howard was left to
make a fourth, playing with a.
fury that scared two hundred dol
lars worth of lessons out. of me.
The Grants were certainly not
hitting it off. Most of the friction
must have taken place in my in
nocent blue-and-silver bedroom,
but on one unfortunate occasion
I heard Howard growing some
thing about that puppy" and
Evelyn answering that he was, at
least, agreeable.
AT LAST, THE SUN
BY that time there was no aues-
ton In my mind but that they
were referring to that nice young
man, Bob Macarthur. My cross
word week end certainly had its
cross words.
Sunday, at last, the sun shone.
Everyone came to breakfast at
the same time; that was some
thing new. There was GONZALES
cent attempt at good fellowship,
a sort Of well, well, it was only a
little shower" attitude.
There was also the happy
thought that it was to be our last
day together. OF course Bob didn't
seem to know there was anything
wrong. It was his bright thought
that 1t would be swell idea to
start the day with a bit of target
practice.
Henrietta, I bet no one can
outshoot you," Ray offered, thank.
full that there was something the
poor kid could shine at. Get out
the pistols and we'll set up the
target"
The setting up was no light Job
Ray and Howard got the dirty old
target standard out of the barn
and struggled with it across the
field. The ground was still pretty
muddy.
Where's Bob? He might give
us q hand" Ray complained.
And where was he, indeed? r.
been trailing along in an executive
capacity and Henrietta had hel
guns and ammunition laid out il
an orderly fashion on a table neal
the house.
Hi, Bob!" shouted Ray.
6GrTkan1~ L~ Se y TYa~a~.;n&&a aaHn-