Show SANDRA SAN S 1 L D i R E A. A L V- V VDA D' D DURST B By HURST Ii START HERE Sandra Hoffman HoHman resents being ing blamed for tor the escapades of her herl cousin Christine Sanderson but Christine's guileless beauty makes Sandra an unwilling martyr Sandras Sandra's parents arc are de dead and her Aunt Min Minand and md Uncle Ben never suspect that their an angelic daughter selfishly shifts is the blame for all aU her scrapes on Sandra's Sandras Sandras Sandra's Sandras Sandra's San San- dras dra's One evening Chris Chrls sneaks out for fora a date with Barry Holbrook and doesn't get back until very late Sandra Sandra San San- dra bundles Chris Into bed Immediately Immedi but just as she the Is about to crawl crawlin in beside her Aunt Mm Min comes into their room Aunt Min 1 suspects i Sandra Sandra San San- dra who says nothing to defend her her- self seH Chris pretends to be asleep Aunt Min Mm forbids Sandra to go to the Saturday night dance with Jefferson Jeffer son Long but on the thc night of the dance Aunt Mm Min has a sick headache so Sandra slips downstairs while Christine stops slops to show her dress to her mother CHAPTER TWO Sandra descended boldly Into the I living room where Uncle Ben nodded half asleep over the paper Youre not going to the dance are you Sandra 1 Yes Uncle Beni His meek voi voice e protested But I thought your our Aunt Min said ald you were not to go Im going anyway anway Sandra repeated re re- re firmly Teh brown eyes so like a faithful old dogs dog's blinked at her Aunt Min will be angry I 1 cant can't help that she said Ive I Iveas as ac much right to go to this dance as Christine has Christine pale from the strain appeared appeared ap ap- ap and without another word the two girls went outside where Barry was waiting Sandra when mother finds this out she's going t tp ts be wild But by that time it will be too late to lo do anything Christine's eyes Ces widened Sometimes I think you are the most cold blooded person I ever knew IMPISH EYES Considering that Christine herself hersel was the cause of the trouble Sandra was amused But Christine climbed into Barrys Barry's car and Sandra ran through the perfumed May dusk to find Cind Jefferson He greeted her eagerly I 1 was worried Sandra Afraid you couldn't get out She answered coolly Oh I knew Id I'd get out all aU right The question is will I get back In The spirit of forbidden adventure gave her n a gala ala feeling eeling that something something some some- thin thing wonderful was about to happen Defiance had induced In her a willful mischievous mood Imps danced from her eyes but the corners of her sulky mouth were soft soft- cried ened by laughter She tripped through dance after dance her slippers slippers slip slip- pers winged with youth and a delicious delicious de de- de- de licious sense of ot irresponsibility Whatever happened tomorrow tonight tonight tonight to to- night was hers She must make the most of It Those e boys who attempted attempt attempt- ed to make love lo to her she evaded mockingly None of these was to be beher beher beher her fairy aIry prince prince- Yet tonight she half expected to meet him Hoped as she always did she would come across him unexpectedly Christine had the kc key and had promised to wait for her when the dance was over but when Sandra and Je Jeff t arrived Christine was not nol there Sandra would not permit Jeff to wait She knew he had to rise rL early and md it was a long wa way to his apartment A STRANGER The house was dark not even a alight alight Ii light ht upstairs Once she cautiously tried the door but it was locked She was sitting alone on the thc cold front st steps ps when a tall figure fIure came can from the brilliantly lighted entrance of the apartment hotel next door hesitated and walked across the thc lawn up to the front porch I beg your our pardon parrion but can I be beof beof beof of any assistance At the sound of that low amused voice electric thrills shot through Sandras Sandra's whole body No thank you jou ou she replied feebly Have you been locked out Im not sure yet ct she grinned My y cousin has the key and I cant can't decide whether she's home yet et or not Why dont don't you rou rin ring the bell beIl And wake m my aunt I should sa say not nat But you OU shouldn't be sitting here alone he objected Its n almo almost t 2 o'clock Sandra wrapped her thin cloak more closely about her and moved on the step Wont you sit t here with me The Invitation was as trustful as achild's a 3 achild's childs child's but he did not accept It QUIET CHARM 1 ChARMI I 1 W was S calling on a friend in the apartment house next explained ex cx- unnecessarily How lIow long have you been wailing waiting She turned her wrist until she could see the face of at her watch Almost an hour now Well WeIl you'd better ring and an an- yourself Even in the semidarkness she could sec see that the corners of his eyes crinkled delightfully He was wu not handsome but a quiet charm lurked about his mouth He was was Sandra decided de de- de- de at least nine years older than herself She saw aw also signs of a awell awell I well developed sense of humor a sunny serenity of temper Integrity and will power written on his youthful youth youth- ful face What he was what he had mat mat- to her no noat at all Fate had brought him into her life as she had always known J. It Mid we and hadi she he would do everything in her jv ver er to keep him But if he s shared ared this thi feel feel- ing big he gave no sIgn of or it itHe He leaned against the porch railing saying My name is Merrick David Merrick It sounds familiar to me she admitted ad ad- mUted shyly I 1 feel teel as 33 if I 1 had heard It before Merrick Brick and Tile company he volunteered Oh of course That's right next door to the Underwood Insurance office of ot fice flee where my cousin and I work NO THRILL Sh She confided further that Jefferson Jefferson Jeffer Jeffer- son Long one of the rick MerrIck tile salesmen was an old friend of hers But if he were pleased at this coincidence dence he managed to conceal itI It ItI I wish you'd oud ring the bell and ask someone to 0 let you OU In he insisted ted Your cousin probably went in before belore y you ou came But it had been three the last time Barry and Christine had been to to- g gether ether Its really ridiculous he ne said asSandra as ao asSandra Sandra began to shiver Youre getting get t ting ing cold Before she hc could stop slop him he had c crossed the porch and pressed an nn i insistent finger upon the bell beIl Sandra c could hear it reverberating up the stairs three Once The s times damage was vas done now A light had f on in Aunt Mins Min's room up now Dont Don't wait walt any l longer I want to be sure she lets you OU In But Sandra was afraid for Aunt Mm Min to see sec him Please go and come back some other time she pleaded Aunt Min's Mins ponderous tread was on the stairs You will come back wont won't you begged Sandra shamelessly If you want me to he answered It was a definite promise but before be be- fore tore she had time to be thrilled by it Aunt Mm Min was unbolting the door UNGRATEFUL So this Is the way you OU obey me You go to the dance while Im I'm sick i in n bed and then traipse in hours after i its it's over Is Christine home Christine came in long a ago o She said shed she'd wait for me Sandra Sandra San San- dra explained I wouldn't let her Why didn't you ou ring when you OU came Because you were ashamed to face me that's the reason I told you all the time I was go JO J Ing ng Sandra reminded herAnd her I And I said you ou But Aunt Mm Min Id I'd promised I That makes no difference So long longas as JS youre you're living in my hou house e you are arc going to have to obey me Then I wont won't live In your house d defied fu d Sandra But tt a feeling of remorse smote her Iter herat herat at the sight of oC the in Aunt Min's Mins c blue eyes Poor Aunt Mini MiniA UnlA A lot 8 she tot sot ot out of life liCe Working like Uke a slave to on the little money Uncle Ben made as a bookkeeper Shed She'd miss t th 40 a month Sandra paid from her awn wn small salary Its for your our town good Aunt Mm Min was repeating for or orbe the be hundredth time Youve no idea ot oh the dangers besetting besetting be be- setting a girl like y you J. J Now Christine Chris Chris- tine Is different She listens l to what we tell her but youre you're he headstrong just like your our mother Im sorry Aunt Min MinI I r t really ally am sorry if youve you've been worried Youre Your a 11 hard ungrateful girl sirl accused ac DC ne- ne Aunt Mm Min rebelling i the door and md preceding her up the stairs And Aud when you ou get into trouble as you undoubtedly undoubtedly un will dont don't expect me mc to tc help you ou out of it I wont won't promised Sandra grimly io To Be Continued |