Evening star., 1942-01-04

during the few days he would be l
Sheila, and she could hradly restra
seemed so portentous. But she did
that, to him, the information would
seem to bear out the suspicion he
probably already had that Sheila
and Vic had fallen in love.
There we're cocktails before dinner
that evening, and between Randolph
Shawbridge and Owen Morgan a
great deal of back-slapping and os-
tentatious good fellowship. Patty
couldn't help but leel, watching
them, that nothing could be worse
than stuffed shirt unless 1t was
two Of them. Vic's father was strict
ly a prior edition of his big, hand
some, garrulouS son. He had three
or four drinks while she and Sheila
had one, and by the time dinner was
served he and Owen and Clarissa
were in high spirits.
Sheila, a little embarrassed and
not too much impressed by the elder
Shawbridge, took advantage of the
first opportunity to speak to Patty
alone.
II don't want to sit in on this all
evening do you?"
"I don't know" Patty replied,
thinking mostly of tbs things she
might overhear if she stayed. What
else could We do?"
''Oh, go to a movie, or run out to
the club" Sheila thought for mo-
ment. I'VE really ought to scout
around bit if I'm going to get
date for you for Saturday night.
And for that matter" she laughed,
I'D better do some shopping of my
own, with Vic away.
Patty Suggests Johnny.
what about Johnny Mulvaney?"
Patty asked quickly. I'm pretty
sure I can get him-if you don't
want him."
Sheila looked at her quickly, her
dark eyes sharp in the dim light
Of the hallway. Would you want to
ask him, really?"
Sure, If its all right with you.
think he's nice-just as nice as you
always used to say he was She
regretted saying the last even before
the words were past her lips, and
she felt a warm flush rise to her
cheeks as she waited for Sheila to
rseply.
I'm sure it doesn't matter to
me, Patty, except that dad"
N4 hri frnYrD,
touching her forehead. "Oh, it
doesn't really make any difference.
Come ON. let's 60 in to dinner"
Randolph Shawbridge was talking
In his deep, gruff voice as the girls
entered the dining room. II said I'd
give you my decision on that mat
tar tomorrow, Owen, but by CAD I'll
give it to you now. It's deal! Any
man that can mix drink like that
Is a man TO stick close to-" He burst
out tn a booming laugh, in which
Owen eagerly joined.
This calls for something special"
Owen said then, and he summoned |
the maid. Tell Godfrey to get
bottle of my best champagne out of
the cellar" he ordered magnani-
mously, lifting his brows to Shaw
bridge for approval.
Excellent" Randolph exclaimed,
and then he laughed again. Beer
would probably be more appropriate
in view of the nature of our new
enterprise" ne added jovially. But
champagne will do! Ha, ha! That's
good. Champagne will do, eh,
Owen?"
Patty couldn't join in the general
enthusiasm over Randolph Shaw
bridges good humor because she
had the sudden suspicion that the
secretive talk concerned Mulvaney |
Inc. THE nature of the
would be more
appropriate-" She couldn't be .
sure, of course: it was just hunch.
But from that moment she detested
Shawbridge with the same
Ioathing contempt she had for Owen
Morgan, and she knew a burning
anxiety to overhear as much of their
while she was guest |
in the house as she possibly could.
All during dinner, under the i'm
petus of the champagne, converse
ton between the men was rampant.
Only occasionally did Randolph
break of to make some arch remark
10 Sheila, upon whose dark beauty
he cast an increasingly hazy
but ever appreciative eye. He all
but ignored Patty, and by the end
Of dinner, when his frequent re-
marks to Sheila swung around to a
deliberate eulogy of Vic, the reason
was obvious enough.
Hes a fine boy" he said at one
time. "Shawbridge. all the way
through. All the confidence in
the world and a sharp mind to boot.
You'll go a long way, young lady,
before you'll find better provider
than that boy will be. Eh, Owen?
Isn't that right, now"
Owen nodded enthusiastically, a
Juicy piece of steak making speech
at the moment impractical, but !