The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-07-20

ment 10 BOB MERCER because of
his growing earelessness and unro-
mantle nature Before she can IN
form her widowed father, GRANT
CLAYTON. he announces his APP
preaching marriage 70 HELEN NAY
NARD. an older woman whom sheiia
dislikes intensely. shelia resolves to
take an ocean voyage with the idea
of meeting someone whom abe can
love so she won't have 70 return 10
live with her father ana stepmothef.
At the travel agency sheils meets
jim DAVIS. handsome son OF her
deceased mothers beat friend. After
he mentions he IL returning 10 Ar
gentins South America, via New
York. she decides TO go there via
New Orleans. While she Is visiting
MRS. SUSAN DAVIS, Jim arrives
night. Several days later At the rail-
way station Sheila bids farewell to
her father and friends. When she
boards the cargo boat at New Orleans,
she becomes homesick. tears fiji her
eyes and again abe runs across Jim
Davis He says that he was unable
to obtain reservations In New York so
flew TO New orleans. In order to
thoroughly enjoy the voyage, they
agree to pretend not TO have met
before. OLIVE TRACEY. a young and
pretty brunei. tells Sheila she thinks
Jim Is the only interesting man on
s ss saR Rrca Il slsn Maxwell SSsI ssfs
and handsome American. who lives
in Brazil. Jim sees them pacing the
deck Jims worries about Sheila
falling In love with Maxwell are end
ed when the South American leaves
the boat At Rio. 10 fly 70 Sac Paulo.
young Brazilian MARIO MULLER. OF
German descent. comes aboard the
boat and although Sheils IA fsttered
by his attentions. she does not like
him a. well a. she did Richard. Ar
irving In Butnoe Aires shsiis feels
very lonely because there's no one 10
meet her. She gratefully accepts Jims
invitation n dinner. Waiting IN the
hotel lobby for the travel agent. ERIC
WAINWRIGHT. Sheila becomes swsre
that a handsome tall and dark man
10 a. conscious OF her presence As she
10 OF his.
CHAPTER NINE
The Alvesr Palace roof might
have been in Chicago. II IT had
not been for the foreign faces
Sheila could easily have imagined
herself in any OF the big hotels at
home. But although she smiled 10
think that Jim would choose a
place as similar as possible TO
those In the States she was sur
prised how well they danced to-
gether
And your mother told me you
never had time To play she said
as they returned 10 their table
That's tru. haven't" he de-
clsred.
Then how do you happen to
dane. - WELL"
DO -" Jim answered looking
pleased. Well haven't done
much Of It but I guess we just
happened 10 hit II off"
BubbIing vitality
Never In n.r life had sheila BEEN
SO conscious OF bubbling vitality
within herself. The lights, the mu-
sic. the well dressed people were
like champagne. II was sweet
Of Jim TO take her out this FIRST
evening.
She would never have suspected
that he looked 20 well In evening
clothes. He had gained some
weight during the voyage and the
tan he had acquired In the long
hours by the swimming pool was
becoming.
Sheils would not have believed
IL possible 10 have such q merry.
foolish evening with Jim Davis
but no doubt II VAS b<csuse they
we're both - far away from nome.
Being strangers In strange
land Away. brought psopl. closer
together. jim too seemed 20 feel
the magic Of their surroundings
For u. first time In their sc-
quzintsncs no was treating her
like a charming attractive woman
not just a little girl II might
have been only her own overly
stimulated Imagination but she se-
tually fancied that he pressed his
lips against the sllken softnsss Of
her hair.
II Jim would only forget that
be was a bushes man and a self
made one al that he could be
plenty interesting But Jim. shs
knew. had only one sweetheart
and that wss his JOB.
Everything else would have 10
be sacrificed 70 II. Nevertheless
be was certainly making an effort
10 be agrees bic tonight.
He hadn't even mentioned II sx-
cept 10 say that he was gong 20
have 10 work like tn. dickens and
IL might Be weeks before ne would
Dc hack In Basno. Aires.
i suppose you're relieved that