| OCR Text |
Show 7 Kliwl Si'.yry of (!) Wek A Tale About Two Snobs Who Found Themselves in Love . . . By BARBARA ANN BENEDICT was weak from the strain. But she rallied nobly. Now was her chance. "Hello Gilbert," she said sweetly. sweet-ly. "Hello," said Gilbert matter-of-factly. "Nice dance." "Beginning now it is," said Miriam. Miri-am. Gilbert grinned. "You women are certainly gluttons for punishment I'm about dead." Miriam was furious. He hadn't caught her meaning at all. Why, he acted as though they'd never even quarreled. A terrible thought struck her. Could he have forgotten? Lord! Was that all the impression she'd made? "You weren't so agreeable the last time we were together." He looked surprised. "No? When was that?" Miriam's eyes blazed. "When was it? It was a week ago last night. We were out sailing. You called me a snob!" "Oh, that?" Gilbert grinned. "Say, you've got a memory! I'd forgotten." Tears were on the verge of brimming brim-ming in Miriam's eyes. She could have died. She could have killed Gilbert Sales. He hadn't even remembered! re-membered! The music suddenly stopped, and Gilbert said: "Let's step outside. I'm boiling hot." He seemed to take her acceptance of the suggestion for granted because be-cause he stepped through the french doors, and there was nothing for Miriam to do except follow. Gilbert Gil-bert leaned aeainst the rail and lit IT WAS startling and unbelievable, unbeliev-able, but quite true. Miriam had fallen in love after meeting meet-ing the man only two weeks ago. Silly, yes. But a fact. She knew it was a fact because they had had their first quarrel, and you don't quarrel with a man unless Miriam tried to give her attention to Carlton Masters, who sat beside her at the wheel of the roadster. But this was hard, because a picture pic-ture of Gilbert Sales, the man-with whom she'd quarreled, kept projecting project-ing Itself in her mind. This was annoying. Carlton had asked her to go to the country club dance and she had accepted. She ought at least to try to act civil toward him. Accepting Carlton's Invitation was the first step in putting Gilbert Sales in his proper place. Gilbert would be at the country club dance, too, and when he saw her there with Carlton he'd realize that he couldn't call her a little snob and get away with it. He"d ask her to dance, or cut in anyway, and Miriam knew exactly how she'd act when this happened. hap-pened. Of course she was going to let him make up. Even though she hated the man. Because if she didn't, how could she ever expect to teach him the lesson he deserved? Miriam squirmed in her seat, recalling re-calling for the hundredth time that awful moment when Gilbert Sales had called her a .snob and a flirt. Whom did he think he was talking to like that, anyway? Oh, she'd bring him to his knees with a vengeance! ven-geance! The country club was crowded when Miriam and Carlton arrived. a cigarette. "What a night," he said, looking at the moon. "Gilbert, why have you avoided me all evening?" "Avoided you? Why, my dear, I " He paused, looking down at her, and suddenly his Lips set grimly. grim-ly. "Because," he finished, "you're a snob!" "I know it, Gilbert. I am. But I'm going to try and change." Gilbert choked over some cigarette ciga-rette smoke, coughed and fought for air. Presently he retrieved his voice. "Good lord! You. Miriam Van Allen, admitting you're a snob! Saying you're going to change!" He shook his head. "No. It isn't true. It's too preposterous!" "But it is true, Gilbert. I am a snob. And I am going to change." There was no doubting the genuineness genuine-ness of her statement. Gilbert knew she meant it. He looked down, and saw only a meek and wholly submissive little girl. Something caught in his throat. He reached out and took her in his arms. She yielded. His lips found hers. He crushed her to him, held her securely secure-ly for long moments. At length he drew away. "Miriam I I love you!" "And I love you, Gilbert Oh, so very much. I I've known it all the time, but I was too much of a snob to admit it. You must believe me. It's the first time in my life I've ever humbled myself. I I had to, when you said you'd forgotten about our quarrel. I was conceited enough to think I'd made more of an impression impres-sion than that." "But you did, darling. A whole lot more. I didn't forget. I lied. It was pride, I guess. If I let you know how I felt I thought you'd gloat over it I I'm too much of a snob. I can't stand being humiliated." humili-ated." And Miriam drew his face down to hers. "Neither can I, darling. Ever again." (Associated Newspapers WNU Service.) Gilbert, why have you avoided me all evening?" They were late, which was Miriam's idea, as she liked to arrive places after everyone else was there. She liked to stand in the doorway for a moment, looking around sort of casually, seemingly oblivious but wholly aware that most everybody had turned to stare at her admiringly. admir-ingly. Oh, Miriam knew she was pretty about the prettiest girl who had ever come to Rocky Point. Miriam stood in the doorway, as per her custom, and looked around, but she didn't see Gilbert Sales. This was annoying, because she had expected that Gilbert would be there waiting for her, even standing near the entrance with a dull, hopeless look in his eyes. But Gilbert wasn't near the entrance en-trance or on the floor, and it wasn't until a half hour later that Miriam saw him, and then it was she who was watching the entrance and Gilbert, Gil-bert, who arrived and stood looking casully around. Gilbert was waiting wait-ing for Anne Raleigh, who had left the room, but joined him presently and stood looking around casually, too. Miriam was furious. It hadn't occurred oc-curred to her that Gilbert would take someone else to the dance, above all, Anne Raleigh. Anne was a brunette and had black eyes and knew how to wear her clothes. It was maddening. Just wait until un-til Gilbert asked her to dance, or cut in! She had it all planned. She'd let him make up first. Oh, she'd be very sweet about that. Then equally equal-ly as sweetly she'd lead him on, and then when all of Rocky Point was just about ready to expect an announcement an-nouncement - of the engagement she'd throw him over. Flat. Drop him like a hot potato. Make him the laughing stock of the resort. Oh, it would be a delicious revenge. When Miriam was in a position to see the door again, Gilbert and Anne were gone. She saw them dancing together. Anne's black head tucked under Gilbert's chin, and this made her blood boiL She waited, black vengeance in her heart. There was nothing of appeal or misery in his eyas. He seemed perfectly content And he didn't ask her to dance, either, or cut in. The evening wore on, and Miriam began to experience little sensations of panic. Perhaps when she glanced at him she hadn't injected the old "Come hither" look in her eyes that had always been her main support. Perhaps she had let too much of her true feelings reflect re-flect themselves. And so the next time she passed Anne and Gilbert she smiled in a manner that should have proved devastating. But Gilbert only grinned back in that maddening, amiable fashion he had. It was next to the last dance before be-fore Gilbert finally cut in. Miriam |
