The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1940-07-04

NN.
gentle motion, the whispering sound
of the water, induced a state of
drowsy contentment. She found it
increasingly difficult to concentrate
upon problems and eventualities
though that was what she had gone
there to do.
Not that problems were pressing.
They seemed to retreat farther into
the hazy distance with each day
that she spent at the lake. She
was active from the hour of their
early breakfast until the inevitable
moment when her eyes dropped over
a magazine, the parchesi board or
the word games which Kate insti-
gated to while away the after-supper
interval when darkness fell over
the woods and the lake. She slept
soundly, without dreaming.
1t was the air of Maine, she sup
posed, and the simple life she'd been
living for-How long? Five days, she
calculated, surprised that it had been
that long, equally surprised that
time had passed so swiftly. She
hadn't realized how tired she'd been
until she began to rest. It was for
this she had come to the cabin, she
thought, the contentment she felt,
her pleasure in the sun and wind,
the daylight hours of activity, the
long nights of restful sleep. But
would she have stayed if John had
gone? Would she be so contented
now, lying warm and drowsy in
the sun on the rocking float, if he
were not there in the cabin potter
ing with his test-tubes and micro
scope in the room that had been
Mrs. Dill's?
But he wasn't there. At a cheer
full hail from the shore Gay rolled
over and then sat up. He stood on
the boat-landing in swimming trunks
and jersey, an arm raised in salute.
''Is the water cold?" he called.
"Frigid. I have icicles in my
ears"
"Think I'll paddle over"
"Sissy!" she taunted. "T swami"
"You were showing off," He
dipped his toes into the water and
withdrew them with a grimace.
pure exhibitionism."
Superior stamina"
"Oh, yes?"
Thank heavens they'd gotten over
being so terribly polite, she thought,
watching him take a shallow dive
from the end of the landing. The
first day after she and Kate had
arrived it had been pretty dreadful.
They'd watched each other warily,
suspicious of the meaning behind
every gesture, all defenses stoutly
guarded. 1t was different now. Each
day that passed brought them closer
together in an impersonal compan-
ionship, based on experiences
shared, household chores squabbled
over and gaily performed, a great
deal of laughter. Kate's presence
was a safeguard. Her wry humor,
her resourcefulness, her energy and
enthusiasm kept them occupied and
amused. Gay, sitting on the float,
her arms hugging her knees, won.
dered what would have happened
if Kate hadn't been there. She was
glad, really glad, that Kate was.
"Perishing?" she asked as Johns
head bobbed along the side of the
| float.
Practically" He pulled his lone
body up on the planking, shook him
self, scattering shower of drops
"Heyl" Gay said, ducking.
Sorry" He sat beside her
opened the pocket on the belt of his
trunks, produced matches and ciga
rettes. "Will you light one for me?''
he asked. "My hands are wet"
She Lit cigarette, placed it be-
tween his lips. The brief contact
was closer to intimacy than they had
been during the past five days. For
an instant their eyes met and held,
then Gay glanced away.
"Are your germs behaving well?"
she asked, when the light quick beat.
ing of her heart had subsided.
"Abominably." He stretched out
on the float beside her, his hand sup.
porting his head. ''I've just buried
| the whole lot under pine tree. The
odor of the cabin is vastly i'm.
proved"
'Oh, what shamel" she said ir
sympathy, surprised that he seemed
SO cheerful.
"That's the way it goes" he said
"You've got to have the patience Of
job"
Aren't you-?" An altered tone
in his voice caught her straying at
| tention.
"Mmm?" she hummed on a ris
ing infection.
II asked you if you were bored
Certainly not"
"You weren't listening"
81 was"
Don't be polite" He sat up te
| light a cigarette. There's no rea
son why you should be interested
T, It must seem very dull and, as yol
said, unrewarding."
81 can think of gayer subjects .
she said, wanting to hurt him be.
cause he had hurt her.
"Such as-?"