leaves are

s from the

he naked ste

moke, and the heat!" Atkins kept saying in distress. He felt angry with himself for not having noticed ho

same. He was young and impressionable, and he thought Marie was altogether char

ng over her, moved away

ot room; I'll take you upstairs.

them to his face, and wondered what her thoughts had been. Perhaps he would have understood a gre

ve died! I would l

hich had fallen to the floor. His ugly f

iderate of us to let you be 26 there, Mr

he turned away. And yet-surely it was better to know now the true fa

th her to the stairs. His eyes were concerned, but as he had said, she had "only fai

d through her ar

" he said. "You told me you were

little names. Nobody but Chris ever calle

r you," he said, as they reached her room

want to sp

the hotel, and the very new silver brushes and trinkets which Aunt Madge

ago she had been the happiest girl in the world, but

ted, but he quite realized that there was nothing serious in a faint. Some women made it

ay to me?" he asked. "

ook he

N

fingering a 27 little silver box, and for a moment

ell you-I know all

her word

t. You funny kid! I s

ruck by someth

u mean, Mar

im squarely. "I mean-I know

hed to his face. "Who to

ged her s

I wanted to say that . . . that it doesn't

her puzzled,

step nearer to her. "Who told you, Marie?" he asked. "Aunt

unt Madge had been willing to deceive her as well. Th

naged

ld start by-by not having any secrets. We-we've always bee

heart. It was only friendship, then-on his side, at least. She knew how

id again: "Marie-is there anything the ma

er, and laid his han

t me,"

her eyes

s something you are keeping from me! I haven't known yo

tenderness in his voice, and for a

im the truth, the whole wretched truth of what she had heard! Even if he did not love h

ad been the last means whereby to win his sympathy or admiration. He liked a girl to be a "sport

self to remember it, and nothing e

n't be afraid! It's all right,

ds would come, and then with a r

you said just now-we had al

nder the impression that it was you

. . just being good friends?- just

ence that followed it seemed to Marie that every hope she had cherished was throbbin

at you don't

t and amazed, she knew, but her heart told her that his one great emotion was an overwh

ice as she answer

came again before Ch

hall be as you

not speak, and he turned to the

d-ni

ard it shut again softly, and the sound of

ht in Marie's brain as she lay awake through the long night, listening to the soun

happy. An impossible task it seemed, and yet she meant to do

e brave and turned a smiling face to a world that had suddenly grown so empty something good w

ly hated him. She would never be able to like him, she would never be able to forgive him. But for him and his carelessly spoken words . . . and then she hid her face in the pillow, and for the first time the tears

hat had drawn a line through her happines

known all the time. Marie clenched her hands a

u and make yo

said such a thing-k

rself over and over again. After all, there

ther people in the hotel were astir

ny, and the tide was out, leaving a l

ves with a shrimping net, and further along a man was strolling by th

reeze blowing through her ha

save an occasional heartache when she thought of Chris. Only two months! She felt as if she had taken a great s

st time what Aunt Madge and other grown-up people meant when they said

never been very popular at school, and she had never been clever. Her lessons had always worrie

thy Webber, had often told her. "If you don't cure yourself, my

ady, sooner even than

its new wedding ring, and a lit

fiercely. "Even if he doesn't love me, he i

red Chris was hers. The knowledge sent some stre

ised, bewildered thoughts. She had passed the boy with the shrimping net, and had come abr

ning, Mrs

ly as her eyes met the kindly

irst bitter thought, and he wore a loose, collarless shirt wh

white canvas shoes, and a damp towel and bath

"I thought I was the first o

hed car

a place like this? I've had a dip-I like the sea to myse

s had escaped 32 her almost before she was aware of

hers" onl

aid in friendly fashion. "I could

lussed by hi

u," she said after a moment. "I

you do! And that's where you are mistaken! If you tak

him with growi

blankly. She had never been spo

, and ran his fingers

d sententiously. "And I always think it's policy for a woman

dliness in his voice and wo

't interest me in the lea

th pebble, with which he skillfully skimmed

you are very young." He looked down at her

s she answered: "It may sound as if I am very young, but

k face

"I should like to be friends with you. As a rule, I've no use for women any more than . . ." He stoppe

a little

you haven't. Well, why not look upon me as a sort of big brother?" His

a forced li

I don't want

what we may want in this queer old world, and brot

thought he was the stran

d presently, "It's nearly nine o'cloc

reluctantly

he asked a

iend, why weren't you his

spoke, and saw the quick f

er that quest

I should l

ris asked me to be best man, or wh

as really in

liked the idea of Chris being married. Mar

over the sea wi

spoil Chris' friendships," sh

d, "I am afrai

disapproval in his voice, and Ma

she said angrily. "I don't think

swered. "Let's leave it at that, shall we, an

ut now and a smartly-dressed woman with red hair, to whom Feather

?" Marie asked with an effort

was the reply. "She

mart," Marie s

art?" he asked, mildly amazed. "I think she looks a sight; but, then, so do most of the

miled f

like women,

his sha

ot," he

old me I should be wise

nd hope some day that you wil

of newspapers in his hands. He looked

n, as Feathers moved away. "Is

led ner

and had a long walk along the sands, and I

rs,'" said Chris.

ut I hardly

ubtfully. "Do you think you will man

felt instinctively that she would not be allowed to have much of her husband's u

more for something to say than for any other reason,

he said. "I saw

she had never seen such a big room. She kept clo

tle way from theirs, and Atkins got up as soon a

ank you, and isn't

I say, can

es

hen laughed and colored, realizing how very little

ously, when breakfast was over and they were out in the loung

ual eye over

out much enthusiasm. "Probably they

from him and looked out over the sea, a

and bitterness she almost wished for his hatred. Anything, anything ra

almost immediately and

presently." he said. "You

ut he was talking to someone e

, of course! What t

efore the crowd gets down. We'll take

"Why, of co

y," said Feathers, looking up from his

Atkins lightly. "You're al

en he sought M

asked. "It'll be to

phone to someone. I wonder

e'll be all right

pend on him for her amusement she thought desperately. She went off through

nd white costume, and looked up at the sun! It might be such a perfect world if only things were a l

g stage a little distance out, and she

up to sit beside him in the sun "Look here! I'

ou a box of cig

ed from the staging together, laughing and full of excitement. They were both good swimme

tness blinded her. Her headache had returned, too; she had almost forgott

about her heart- she tried to call to the boy ahead of her, but a little wave broke in her face and carried her voice away. She thought that she screamed-she was quite sure that