Evening star., 1940-09-05

her angular bulges into flower-stem
lines, and her crawl and f1utter sug-
gested nothing less than a side
wheeler under forced draft. But she
still had Craig in tow and any one
with half an eye could see that she
was falling in love with him.
Carl stopped short of the pool by
a good 10 feet and dropped into an
easy chair, but Brick ran ahead to
dive cleanly and beautifully, coming
up smoothly to cut the water with
long, lazy strokes. AS she pulled
herself up on the far edge of the
pool and lay shivering little in the
warmth she did not look back across
the pool for Carls tolerant smile to
greet her but down into Craig Brad
streets face, laughing up at her
from the water.
He lifted himself and dropped
down beside her. His body was
Drowned and spendidly built. Even
his hands were strong and long
fingered, deeply burned. She had
flashing vision of how they would
look covering a smaller handlers
-Molly's perhaps. Something in
that last thought made her say what
she regretted instantly. "L see
Molly can swim, too."
He glanced quickly at her and
then at the girl across the pool.
Sure she can and am glad, tooi'
His remark carried some implica-
ton which slipped by her at the mo-
rnent. Then his eyes came back to
hers. do you know, Elizabeth Mag
dalena Cameron, you are a nice kid
sweet at times and lot of oomph
all the time, but you're spoiled rot
ten. don't know whether you need
to be spanked or kissed" For a hot
moment she thought he might do
one or the other, here and now.
Brick Is Upset.
Her chin went up. "Why don't
you go home-instead of staying
here worrying about such things?"
His eyes travelled back to Molly
and Carl talking together across the
pool. She could not tell whether he
was looking at Carl or Molly. His
answer, slow in coming, was pune
tuated with arrogance. my first
concern in life happens to be my
own comfort. I'm very comfortable
here. I'm enjoying myself immence-
ly because dudes don't seem to get
into nv hair"
st can see that" she said drily,
thinking of the way Molly and he
rode stirrup to stirrup all the way
to and from Pinon Canyon, how
they had had their lunch sent down
to the pool.
He faced her suddenly. II want to
know you better, too. want to
know what you think about the Eu-
ropean situation. I'd like to know
how you feel about marriage and
children. And quite definitely
want your opinion on solidity. After
awhile we might get down to some
real companionship." He was laugh
ing at her. He was chiding her for
being jealous of girl like Molly
Winters He was reproaching her
for considering herself a rather SUI
perior individual. He was suggesting
that she might be marrying Carl be-
cause he was solid and gilt-edged.
She started to get up but he was
too quick for her, taking her hands,
holding them tight, pulling her to
her feet. Listen, go easy on Bill
for saddling Pard for Carl. 1t wasn't
his idea entirely" Now he was grim
ming down at her, forcing her
against her will to smile.
"I almost prayed that Pard would
leave you setting in the dust OF some
arroyo as he did me one day last
summer, but you did a magnificent
iob with him. Tell me-where did
you learn to ride so wen?"
ct earned my way through college