Evening star., 1939-02-19

HOMAS WESLEY fSLUGGERj WEDGE
WOOD fought his way into his sisters
room, belaboring his imaginary oppo-
nent with his fists Absorbed in his private.
pugilistic world, he was in no haste to deliver
the message that was the reason for his hav
ing to come to her room, and when Mary
turned from the window before which she had
been standing, he squared off facing her, a
doughty figure in shirt and shorts and sneak
ers, and struck two telling blows at the air
first with his right and then with his left fist.
THE Old One Two'' he muttered for her
enlightenment: and then. casting superior
glance upon his opponent OH the floor, he
said. with ptiless nod. Mine - ten - and
out Harveys waitin' for yuh on the porch.
Mary had known what his message would
be- Waiting anxiously at the window. she had
seen Harvey's coupe draw up to the curb.
and then she had stepped back from the win
dow as he had hoped out with his tennis
racket under his arm, so that he would not
catch sight of her waiting and watching =.
She said quietly, Tell Harvey I'll be down
as soon as I'm dressed, will you Toddy boy::'
As long as Slugger Wedgewood could re-
member, he had been called either Tod or
sickeningly, Toddy. 1t was pretty stinko. He
gave his sister long look of resentment. He
did not see slender girl of twenty whose face
made people feel better about the world be-
cause it was not only pretty but kindly; nor
did he notice the anxiety in her clear brown
eyes, He simply saw his Oldest sister and was
pleased to realize that he had caught her in
lie.
Get dressed" he repeated loudly. why,
you're already all dressed in your tennis
dress! Whatcha want to keep Harvey waitin'
for, huh"
His voice, Mary knew, must certainly have
been heard by Harvey on the front porch.
Her one thought was to get rid of him before
he said something else She forced herself to
SMILE to say lightly. "A lot you know about
it Slugger.'
Surprised and immensely pleased to hear
himself addressed by the name that until
that moment he had heard only from his own
lips, he promptly lost all interest in his sister
except as an audience for an exhibition of
shadow boxing that carried him out of her
room into the upstairs hall. She returned to
her vigil at the window as he clumped down
the stairs He let the slamming of the screen
door announce his arrival on the front porch
like the report of royal salute, and with
lordly air he sauntered to the head of the
steps leading from the porch to the front yard,
completely ignoring the very presence of the
man sitting at the top of the steps, his back
against one of the pillars of the porch.
Tod was torn between desire to impress
Harvey Fawcett with demonstration of the
Old One Two and feeling of shyness. For
one thing Harvey was almost a stranger.
since he had been coming around only about
month all together, and constantly for only
the last couple of weeks for another thing.
he was slightly older than any of the other
young men who had previously come to see
either of Tod's sisters. Tod had always felt
at ease with the others, like his pal Spikes
big brother, Pete Barring. for instance. who
had been coming to see Mary for ever so
long; Tod had always felt superior contempt
for goofs who exhibited a sissy streak by
showing an interest in his sisters.
But it was different with Harvey. Tod did
not realize that it was Harvey's mature poise,
his air of smooth assurance that made the
difference, but he. thought of Harvey as
sure-enough member of the grown-up world
and, we'll good grief! you don't think your
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