The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-08-18

4 secrets from you, you couldn't sug- gest, suppose. exactly what it is l ought to do-aside from inspect ing my baggage for an unmention- able object presumably placed there by a person or persons un- known?"
 T could suggest--but 1t would do no good" he told her wearily, that if you find what have reason to think you will you communicate with me at once, by a messenger I will gladly place at your disposal shall then be in position to advise you"
 Thanks a lot" Christine flashed. T'll take my chances on the persons unknown"
 
 As she marched out, she glanced at her watch After Il, and she was good two miles from home. Well, she needed a brisk walk to clear her mind after all that hocus- pocus.
 Of course the idea that she could be in any danger was just funny. The whole scenario was ridiculously clear - beginning with that telephone girl - and all so crude and bungling.
 Yet in spite of her bravado, Christine jumped when a voice said at her shoulder, Tt would be you. Don't you know thta no girl with eyes and hair like yours is safe from unwelcome attentions on this Boardwalk at night?'
 50 it seems" Christine said when she could control her voice. No doubt if you had your way, curfew would ring at sunset for every woman under 80"
 The bareheaded young man must have run up the stairway from the beach, for he was breathing quickly, and his hair was rumpled.
 Well" he went on with such infectious pleasure that Christine found herself feeling for the first time that day that it was marvel ous to be young and alive, may be I'll be able to enjoy my meals now. When I called the Crest view this afternoon, they told me you'd checked out But let's get out of this mob"
 They had been standing just in front of Christine's studio" As they moved on under the lights of the Twentieth Century Pier, Christine stopped short in the midst of the crowded, noisy Board- walk.
 But she cried - why, you're drenched"
 The sleeves and front of his coat and shirt were dripping, trickles of water ran down his light trousers and his shoes were sodden and caked with wet sand.
 "Oh, that?" He glanced down with some embarrassment. T got pretty close to the surf-line, and a big one caught me amidships."
 Christine was not an introspective young persons. She was no more capabe of analysing her sudden lift of spirits than she had been of that her restlessness and loneliness of the earlier even ing had not been entirely due to worry about Cousin Emma's strange deSertion. She only knew now that she felt more at home with this tan- ned stranger whom she met barely 24 hours ago-more warmly glad to see him-than she would have felt with any one she had known life time; and that her pleasure in being with him again was as right and | as the clean sea breeze.
 I'm cold, too," he was going on plaintively. Something hot to eat would feel right good at this minute and Deckers is just walk along the Boardwalk. That's the one place in Surf City that doesn't reek with fried potatoes And l hate eat- ing alone. Come on, Miss Thoren- son., he wheedled with an engaging grin, "be good scout"
 "I'd like to, only" Christine laughed for the first time that day -"except that the fellers call you Bill I don't know your name"
 q answer much more docilely to Bill, but if forgot to mention it, the rest of it's Yardley," he told her. Then he added with something be- hind the smile in his eyes that made her catch her breath, T hope you're going to like it.
 While they were waiting at the able Bill had found by window hat overlooked the sea, Bill said, It occurs to me that there's a ot about me besides my name hat you don't know. raise horses for a living mighty fine horses, by the way. But the market wasn't too good this year; so took over the riding school here. You see, I've had a handicap over you all along. When I heard you say you were Mrs. Talbert's cousin, I kneN you wouldn't be interested in lifting my watch"
 If you'd known the whole truth" Christine said wryly, you'd prob- ably have kept your hand on that