That morning Calvin took Phinney aside andhad a
straightforward talk with him.
No, I just came out, as I said, to see why it was
so quiet all atonce.
To get along smoothly you must pretend not to see
somethings.
And I didnt need to hear; your face wasenough. She
had notreplied to his recent one, but that should make no difference. Wallie, said
Calvin, you go on patrol as soon as Bearse comesoff.
And I guess thatis about all there is to say, Miss
Bartlett. You heard me say that about actin square, didnt you? His daughter again
put her hand on his shoulder. Now he blessed the luckwhich had prompted the
action.
Maybe that aintthe main question, Wallie, he
said.
Youare worse, because you know more than they
do.
The dinner ended without any untoward happenings,
but within anhour the trouble came. Homer led the way to the back doorand the others
followed. If I were you, Hez, he observed, Iwouldnt stand too close to her just now.
Im not playing up to anybody and you know it,Ed, he said. The first symptoms of
these developments appeared before theforenoon was over.
Wallie Oaks was themost interesting
study.
You have all beenvery nice to me and I shant forget
it.
The mangers, under the horses noses, were empty
except for therations of hay which should be there.
Only, anxiously, dont let em know I give the
thingaway, will you? To get rid of those things you must use reason, not
force.
To get along smoothly you must pretend not to see
somethings. Oaks turned toward the door of the station.
His fingers, burrowing amid the grain,encountered a
smooth, rounded surface.
In his eagerness he clutched his companions
arm.
It was she who broke the little tableau of
reconciliation. Nothing that could happen to himwas worth
consideration.
All he had to do was to watch the way youfellows
acted, and get near enough to you. No, I just came out, as I said, to see why it was
so quiet all atonce.
I said I wouldnt have rum around this station. Shes
a mighty smart, nice girl, declared Seleucus.
Calvin, too, was on ahunt, and he must locate his
prey quickly, if he hoped to do sounobserved.
Already the sea air and breeze had replaced the
city pallor with alight coat of tan.