The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-04-30

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CHAPTER XIII
OF course at the moment Peggy
qualified her plotting - she wasn't
really interested In anyone like
Nigel. II would be fun to see II she
could win some Of his devotion
from Fays lovely direction, but
Badly was her mark. Badly, she
was ambitiously sure, knew the
show business from props to pocket.
book and back again. Smart as he
was, and with his New York back
ground, he could set any talented
girl on the way to an exciting and
glamorous-n to mention profit
able - career. Her family had
scorned her singing and still
thought OF her as the baby Of the
family. II would be grand to show
them what she could do, TO come
home from New York with lovely
clothes and lots Of money, bringing
presents for all the family.
But Badly could walt q little. II
she could keep Fay out OF his way
he could be kept up at the house
for the whole weekend, and 1t
wasn't smart maneuvering to rush
q man like that. The thing was to
get him aware of her, appreciative
Of her possibilities.
That was q thought that pleased
her.
In the meantime it was q good
thing to have two strings to her
bow.
Nigel was q good second. If worst
came to worst, and she was unable
to make a friend Of Badly and in
fluence him to her designs, she
could fall back on Nigel, perhaps
even marry him. 1t was as simple
Us that, by Peggy's romantic rea.
soning: opportunity at her feet, just
waiting for her to kick 1t which,
ever way 1t suited her.
The fact that Nigels eyes were
searching the shore for someone
else did not greatly disturb her, nor
did the fact that his thoughts were
elsewhere.
It was she who suggested that
they should land on the island and
swim and dry in the sun. The is
land was a great slab of rock rising
from the lake, with round smooth
surfaces near the water and hol-
lows In the center that the CEN
turtles had filled with silt from
which grew a tangle Of underground
and q cluster Of fragrant pines.
The rock was warm and the air
f,ili Of the tangy smell Of the woods,
but the water was cool. Nigel was
q good swimmer, and while he gave
Peggy a demonstration Of diving she
slipped the knot Of the canoe and,
diving after him, challenged him 70
3 race. It led, naturally, out OF
Wight OF the drifting canoe.
He did not notice 1t as they
climbed out, cool and refreshed and
lay On the warm rock to dry IN the
viI.
"Are you going overseas" asked
eeggy, opening her campaign.
Nigel turned and looked at Peggy
As abe lay on one elbow on the
sinSulashed rock. She had slipped
on her bathing cap and her dark
eurls tumbled free. The impish
amusement in her green eyes
easight his eyes and held them for
q moment. Then ne looked at her
as though he were seeing her for
the first time.
Her swimming suit, two draped
strips Of violently colored pattern
against Q dark red background,
suited her remarkably well and
showed OF In sharp contrast the
contours Of her young body with
the 1.-THE sliInneSs Of dancer. His
ewes turned away from hers with
d sudden embarrassment. He had
not given Peggy a thought before
this moment, so full had his heart
been Of another girl, a well-groonl-
Cd girl with O serene, easy beauty
80 different from this gay child who
gave the impression OF q coil OF
wire ready TO spring with restrained
vitallty-wto was 50 stimulating IN
her frank enjoyment Of every mo-
ment.