The guardian., 1940-12-07
LOCALE
g
By MEREDITH SCHOLL
ASSOCIATED Newspapers.)
WNU Service.
TR. DUMONT laughed heart
lily and looked at his son.
l "Stan," he said, "when l

middle OF January. Snow was fall
ing and Amy's feet were wet. Most
uncomfortable. remember it as
plain as day. We were standing on
the bridge in the Public Garden"
did she accept you-then?" Stan
asked.
''She did, We stayed on the bridge
for more than an hour, and were
late getting home to supper. Her
dad gave me the devil"
STAINS brows puckered into
frown. Presently he asked: dad,
you and mother loved each other
lot, didn't you? l mean, before you
were married?"
why, yes, I suppose we did.
Why?"
"Well, listen, Dad, tomorrow
you're going up to the lake to open
the camp for the summer, aren't
you?"
That's right" Mr.. Dumont
looked puzzled. whats this all
about, SOM"
Stan ignored the question. "It
ought to be pretty nice at the lake
now, hadn't it? I mean, warm and
sunshiny and-and nice?"
Its always nice at the lake. Now,
look here. If you want to come up
for a week or so before going to
work, we'll be, only too tickled to
have you"
"That," said Stan, "is exactly
what l want to do. But that's not
ALL" He hesitated. 1--WE a friend
I'd like to ask up, too"
"a friend?" Mr.. Dumont studied
his sons face, and presently his own
broke into smile. The light of un-
derstanding was in his eyes. 81 get
it," he said. 20. K, Stan, fetch her
along. guess if you think as much
of her as that, your mother and
will approve"
Stan grinned boyishly. II know
you'll like her, Dad. You couldn' t
help but like Helen. She-she's s
grand!"
"She must be-" Mr.. Dumont
agreed. He placed his hand on his
sons shoulder. Son." he said, ere
member this: There's one thing that
hasn't changed since your mother
and l were kids"
Stan didn't grasp the significance
of the remark. But for the time
being he let it pass. There were
too many other things to occupy his
thoughts. He had to get in touch
with Helen at once. There was a
bare possibility that she couldn't or
wouldn't accept his invitation. The
thought was disturbing.
But that evening the possibility OF
her refusal was instantly dispelled
by the dark-haired, dark-eyed,
charmingly demure Helen herself
She not only accepted, she seemed
eager to go. Inland lakes nesting
down among green mountains, she
said, were exactly her idea of a per-
feet setting for an ideal vacation.
Secretly Stan hoped that the in
land lake would prove an ideal set
ting for something else, too, some
thing that he had been contemplat-
ing for long, long time, but lacked
the courage to put into words.
Stan drove Helen up in his road
ster two days after his folks left to
open their camp for the summer
+ They arrived in the mellow light ot
a perfect June evening. Helen ut
tered eXclamations of delight at ev.
cry turn in the road. When the camp
itself came into view her enthusi-
asm fairly bubbled over.
The Dumonts met them on the
front porch, and Stan knew with q
feeling of relief that both his mother
and father approved of Helen. His
dad took her hand in his and looked
down into her face and smiled
warmly. Stan had a momentary
thought that an expression of under.
standing passed between them. But
the idea was forgotten in the excite
ment of showing off the camp for
Helen's benefit.
The days that followed were, for
Stan, a glorious realization Of
dreams that he had cherished for
FIVE long years. There was but one
doubt to mar his happiness, and that
doubt was, he knew, the product oi
his own reasoning. 1t existed only
because of his lack of courage; its
continuance was and would be de-
termined by his ability to conquer
hideous fear.
For six days Stan harbored the
doubt and fear without speaking the
words that would decide his future
happiness. On the afternoon before
the day set for Helen's departure
he became desperate. They hac
gone by canoe to the lakes nortI
end for a picnic lunch, and were re
turning when it suddenly started t.
rain.
1t was one Of those sudden, sum
mer downpours that are usual t.
upper New York state, quick t
come and as quick to 60 Before II
minutes had passed. both of then
were drenched to the skin. A quar-
ter-hour later Stan nosed the canoe
into the beach below his father
camp The rain had stopped, but
the sky was still overcast and q
chilling wind had come up.
"Cold?" he asked anxiously, help.
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