Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1948-05-28
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TT was still early and the beach was
L deserted except for a few lone
bathers far around the shoreline.
Merry finished her splashing in the
chilly waters and climbed on a rock
by the lakeside, the only rock in
view anywhere on the sandy beach.
It made nice spot to sit and dry as
the morning sun grew warmer.
Spreading her beach robe over the
rock to protect her new green bath
ing suit she rubbed her arms and
legs brislSly with a towel, then cast
It aside and rummaged in the can
vas beach bag for her brush and
comb, and hand mirror. She had
just finished shaking the water from
her long, blonde hair and was
brushing it to golden sheen when
a masculine voice beside her told
her she was no longer alone.
"Ah, mermaid" said the voice,
and there stood a bronzed young
and dark and broad-shouldered, and
just the sort of young man a girl
dreamed of meeting on her vacation,
only he had appeared much too soon.
She blushed and CROPPED for an an
swer. She shivered and sneezed.
"Wen," commented the young
man. 81 don't know mermaid lang
uage but kerchoo, yourself"
Without waiting to be asked, he
had seated himself on the sand be-
side the rock and not knowing what
else to do Merry went on awkwardly
brushing her hair.
whats your name?" he asked.
mines Terry Thornton. Staying
with some cousins at that cottage
down the Ine."
Merry" she admitted unhappily.
"Not Mary; Merry, like in Merry
Christmas. Only my last names
Day. My mother had original IDEAS"
Hmm" Terry unused. well, on
you it turned out all right, though
she took a chance. Supposing you
were one of those grave, sober
people who 60 around frowning all
the time? But with those dimples
and that smile it suits you"
Merry blushed again. 1t was dis
concerning to have a strange young
man studying her face SO closely,
but it was funny, too. She laughed.
Merry" he repeated. 81 like that.
Merry and Terry. Makes a good
combination. Hey! Where you 60
ing? Don't jump back in the water,
mermaid. I'll only swim right after
you'll"
breakfast" said Merry, gather
ing up her belongings. eve haven't
eaten yet. They're expecting me at
the cottage"
WELL" said Terry reluctantly.
"'Bye, then, for now. See you
again" He walked over to the deep
end of the pier, waved, dived clean
ly and, as Merry left the beach, she
saw him swimming with long, sure
strokes out to the raft. If only, she
thought, he hadn't come along quite
so soon! Now she would have to go
to the beach even earlier.
TERRY Thornton?" said Mrs.
White, with whom Merry was board
ing during her vacation. "Why, yes.
He comes up here summers to visit
relatives in one of those cottages
down the row. One of the best SWIM
mers around her. Regular fish,"
Merry's heart sank but she ate
heartily of the BURBERRY mullins
and decided nothing was going to
spoil this vacation of hers. She
had planned too long and worked
too hard for it, and now she was
going to enjoy every minute.
1t was not much fun, going in the
water so terribly early, but she
splashed determinedly the next
morning, then spread her beach robe
on the sand and lay there on her
stomach, soaking up what sunshine
there was. Head Graded on elbow,
she gazed dreamily at the lake. 1t
was always changing color, like the
stone in a ring she used to have