Show YOUTH understands ab by jay burns 0 by mcclure newsy newspaper syndicate SC service r v af cr OUR eyes rather warily watched FOUR athe mary boyd as she lay relaxed in the long garden chair under the trees on the beach country club lawn mary was unaware of their gaze that was a swell game of tennis tony she said yawning and stretching as she dropped her racquet to the ground beside her What ll we do now now how about a swim by chance are you speaking to me tonys resonant voice held a hint of amusement my dear girl im finished for the day such tennis as yours Is as much exercise as I 1 need in twenty four hours A book a long cold drink and a comfortable chair in the shade and all I 1 ask of life mary laughed joyously showing sparkling white teeth and a little crinkle of wrinkles about her round gray eyes tony darling she said did I 1 kill you im sorry but be at the dance tonight if I 1 can dance mostly with you and stop early remember ive got to go back to town tomorrow on the seven fifty six 11 tony lawton was forty five mary wits was twenty als deep brown eyes a trifle grave as t they hey watched the lovely girl before him lighted with a smile as she laughed at him here give me a hand she pulled herself with his help U up p from her low chair with a light rp spring ring come on bob lets have a swim bob eldridges blue eyes lighted to their normal color from the somber darkness that had veiled them as he listened to the banter between the other two good he said im your man for a swim those doubles just warmed me up for the day ne ile grinned at tony quite quit without malice but tonys eyes became grave again and as for tonight ill be ready to dance till morning but say lawton why dont you get into your swimming suit and come along just sun yourself old man if youre too tired for d a swim its a swell day tony considered then he jumped briskly to his feet all right he said and the three started across the grass toward the clubhouse that stood out white against the blue sea beyond tony was forty five bob was awen ty two both men were in love with mary and at the moment mary was in love only with life a gay and happy and safe life as she found it at Br adleys beach until bobs coming tony had loved life at Br adleys as much as mary had ile he had been spending a three weeks vacation there at the hotel spending it there because he had met mary hary fallen head over heels in love with her and followed her to her summer home he had found it hard to bridge the gap in their abes ages in the city where they both lived a rather prominent life socially ills his work as an important lawyer was engrossing he was just old enough to find ohp th c busy modern young whirl a little baffling but here at Br adleys it been so hard tony was good looking always fit physically motoring walking swimming tennis dancing r all he realized now in moderation had given hlin film and mary a common meeting ground where both were at hone home and she hall had seemed as unconscious of the years that separated them as he was he eie had cad said nothing to mary of his feeling for her he had planned to ask her to marry him just before he went vent back to town and then whether she accepted or refused him he would have the unspoiled memory of their happy holiday together but five days before time for tonys vacation to end bob bad appeared at Dr Br adleys ue he was it seemed a childhood friend of marys and their cottages clot adjoined this alone gave bob nn fin advantage tony was staying at the hotel and he and mary had a common background of only afew a few months bob lived next door to mary find and the two had known ench each other forever now after nn an hour on the tennis courts there had been another girl bobs partner but she had faded from the picture tire to keep another date tony suddenly realized that bob was in enve with alary too and something in flip way mary lo 10 looked at bob some exchange of youthful life and understanding riding mane mace tony feel old and out of step youth louth belonged to youth he argued to himself and mary belonged to bob he was just another old tool fool to have dreamed she might care for him As aa the three walked across the silvery sands after getting into their bathing things at the clubhouse tony said mary ive decided id better go back to town this afternoon instead of waiting until morning ill be better for a hard day if I 1 get back to my own apartment tonight and get a good rest got into you tony she asked you act a hund hundred 1 well my child he be said lightly iso so binm I 1 am nearly and he smiled as gaily as he could at the flushed young face beside him at ai I 1 now you youngsters run along ill sun myself here and perhaps not wait for you but ill drop around for a goodby good by before I 1 go 1 I was going to ask you to come over to our place for lunch both of you but perhaps rather not well said tony still with an ef e fort at lightness perhaps id better not ive some things to get together before I 1 go bob looked searchingly at the older man then he put out his hand if you get away before I 1 see you again I 1 want to say goodby good by now the two men shook hands its been great knowing you rin arru all right said tony looking smilingly into bobs troubled young eyes youre a good fellow bob all kinds of luck and he turned and walked slowly down the beach mary took bobs hand come on she said running into the breakers whose funeral was it anyway what on earth were you and tony talking about bob answer darned fine fellow tony was bobs pulses raced as he felt marys hand in his he afraid of anybody else aed win mary surely now fine man tony they dove into the oncoming breakers swam hardly for a few minutes and then floated and paddled along until they reached the float there they were alone alone in a world of blue sky and sparkling water mary flung fixing herself down in the sun shine bob sat beside her then it happened one of those quick treacherous storms that sometimes seem to come out of a brooding summer sky it rose behind the two on the float mary looking shoreward bob looking at mary and before they knew it the float was rocking and lumping jumping with the chopping waves come on said mary lets swim in we cant said bob quietly its too rough too latel intel blackness and thunder and lightning and a rocking swaying world and then out of the gloom a voice tonys here you two jump off the float and climb aboard I 1 dont dare bring it any closer lie ile maneuvered his commandeered motor boat as near them as he could bob lumped jumped in the water first mary followed him and that was all mary knew that afternoon she and bob were sitting on the terrace of her cottage that overlooked the sea a sea again sparkling and calm under tinder a blue sky but I 1 cant see why tony come to say goodby good by bi she said ile he told us he be would she was still a little wan and weak from her mornings experience for a moment bob was silent then mary he said he be told me not to tell you yon but ive got to you passed out you know when you struck the water and I 1 get you in so I 1 climbed in his boat and held it while he went in for you and when he was getting back in the boat with you he gave his leg an awful whack against t the side aide of the boat lies iles laid up at the hotel cant go bach to town for a couple of days mary jumped to her feet 1 I must so 00 to him this minute bob rob took her roughly by the shoulders why mary why mary stood there pale and shaking utterly lovely and desirable in bobs eyes suddenly she smiled at him a brave smile bob she whispered 1 I love him but hell never know 1 I just realized myself bob turned miserable eyes away from mary he patted her shoulder gently mary ill take you over it if youre sure but tell him mary lies hes crazy about you too guess he thought ho he was too old but that matter does it r mary cright a glimpse of bobs mis ery oh bob she said im sorry take me to tony 4 |