| Show The Sin of Innocence cel I L By Claire Pomeroy CHAPTER 42 Come on lets let's all g gO swimming Six young people sat sat on n the veranda of Cass Crosby's house and two young men gl glowered at two other young men nen men find and nd all four of them refused to budge an inch This I dont don't like swimming from rom Tarleton Tarleton cried Oh come on Lida Llda The party part wouldn't be complete complete com cam without you swim wim said I dont don't know how to l I Martha rtha quietly Then Im I'm the man roan to show you how burst out Fletch Campbell Ill make Champion out ut of ot a you in no time Theres an Inducement Martha said Leslie Bonner be the next channel swimmer Campbell did not get the sarcasm be surprised he said eald seriously Marthas 1 got the build for a swimmer She's got the rI right ht kind of legs too Long you know and a a. good chest Martha l blushed pain painfully tully a. a and Bonner gave the red faced youth a blighting look Lida Llda giggled Fancy our our Martha swimming the English channel in nothing but a a. veneer of axle grease She giggled again until she caught the darkenIng darkening darkening darken darken- ing look John Lyal sent her Tarleton snickered Until until until un un- til Lyal rose to his feet and gave that young man man mana a a. not too gentle poke in the rIb ribs Say you muttered JOIn John nothing to laugh about Come on drag out your your swimming swimming suit suit and join us I 1 think Im I'm going to enjoy this Miraculously all six aix of ot them managed to pile Into Campbells Campbell's roadster and they made their way to the beach Lida's Lidas bathing suit very low bow in inthe inthe inthe the neck and very high in tb the thigh might have been beena a a sh shade de too revealing on anybody but Lida Llda Her boyish slenderness made mad a n. charming picture as she danced seaward her arms arns upraised her herred herred herred red h hair lr windblown Marthas Martha's ch checkered silk bathing frock was just what she she should h have ve worn A jaunty red and black rubber kerchief covered her dark hair which persisted Jn in n peeping be beneath beneath beneath be- be neath the cap in lovely little tendrIls tendrils ten ten- drils dribs around her ears Red bathing shoes protected her feet teet For the time being they forgot to tot he be t e jealous these thesel young people and they romped and arid laughed hilariously hilarious hilarious- ly by like happy children Tarleton to be sure sure wheezed slightly and his laugh may have been beena a trifle forced but he proved that he was waa made of sturdy stuff be because ause he made mad 10 no 10 sound of ot protest when Lyal stood him on his head But Lida Llda even while she frolicked her maddest was conscious of the difference in th the two young young men men Tarle Tarleton on so aristocratic in his clothes was now but buta a puny thin legged rather flat cheated fellow fellow- who Who ma may have haye been a a ay y ig old man man or or an old looking young young one He ran like a a. girl and nis I I laughter became shrill shrill and nervous John T ere was no denying that John in comparison was enough to turn a a. a girls girl's head So tall his his' skin tanned to br bronze the smoothly rippling muscles on l' l his ls well knit frame Th The strength of ot him when be he grasped grasp d hold of her bier The white flash of his teeth when he lIe laughed Shall I drown him Lida 7 John had moved apart from the others and Lida Llda had paused for tor breath Drown Who Wh Your prospective husband answered answered answered an an- John No trouble at all Lids Lida made mad an Im impudent ud nt face tace Dont be be funny He doesn't need drowning bless his his' heart Isn't he ute cute te t The youth snorted Cute Good GoodLord Lord Is that what you women call cute He He turn turned d his bis ey eyes eyes' Js down Pcp her her Lida Llda oh oh oh-Llda Lida cant can't you be sensible Tell Tel me honestly are you going to marry th that t little insect Sure am He looked at at her bier with sick eyes What kind of a girl are you anyway You dont don't love him Yo You cant can't He grabbed her hand You love me dont don't you Lida Llda Dont Don't you She jerked away from him Say This bathing stuff stutt gets you ou every time doesn't it Dont Don't forget our last laet little swimming party He reddened under her biting words S SS S'S S 'S Oh all right Go on marry him See If I care He shrugged I and turned away How far can you swim Bonner Bonner Bon lIon ner ncr Fletch Campbell huge and towering gave the other oilier youth an I almost pitying look lookAs As far as you can whatever returned that r S Campbell laughed raucously raucously- ant nt to b bet t on It Sure ure replied relied Bonnet Bonner l' l with I alacrity v J l Martha was weis an amused onlooker She like Lida Llda found Interest in comparison Fletch heavy and to her way of thinking Leslie Bonner fair and slender slen slen- I der possessing the Hie grace of a a. dancer and muscular withal A It Greek god That was silly silly- silly s sounded bounded ded foolish but he was was was' like bike that All right lets let's' go The two young men leaped into the surf Burr and slashed away plowing plowing plowing plow plow- ing through the water in hi a rapid crawl Bonner was soon outdistanced outdistanced by the bigger fellow and with a a. derisive laugh he swam quickly back and rejoined Martha on the beachS beach S. S Youve You've l lost st the bet said Margaret Margaret Margaret Mar Mar- garet sympathetically I I know It returned return d Bonner cheerfully I want to lose it itt Why Because 1 replied the theyo yo youth tb his blue eyes laughing into hers its the only way I could get et the big donkey out of the way He picked up Marthas Martha's hand and held held It I 1 hope the silly fool keeps on going and never comes back They laughed long bong and and P loudly Suddenly Bonner turned to the girl girland girland girland and said Martha Martha Martha Im I'm falling In Inlove inlove inlove love with you Martha looked at him startled her heart contracting 5 Are you Yes it all Horace Brandon delivers an ultimatum ultimatum ulti ulti- and Marthas Martha's future Is Is de decided decided decided de- de for her S I S To be continued Copyright John F. F Dille Company |
