'THOU SHALT NOT LOVE'

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 172, 24 July 1939, Page 10

'THOU SHALT NOT LOVE '

(By Alma Sioux Scarberry)

| Instalment 7. i ♦ «

Synopsis of Preceding Instalments: Jocelyn (Josh; Kelvin, a year out college, has been, substituting for Mary Lou Temple who for 40 years conducted a column of advice to the lovelorn, for a New York newspaper syndicate. When Mrs. Temple, now 70, writes from Europe that she can no longer do the work, Harlow Buell, the editor, asks Josh whether she has a boy friend. When she says no, he says he will give her a permanent chance at the column, adding that the most useless thing in tho world is a woman in her love. Since the death of her once wealthy father, Panning Kelv-in, well-known lawyer, Josh has supported the family, consisting of her mother Maida, society beauty in her youth; her twin sister Jacqueline (Jake), blonde, beautiful and impractical like her mother, and 10-year-old Suzie (Jinx), her tom boyish sister. Maida is always waiting for her pay envelope. When Jinx is hurt by a hit and run driver, Dr. Kelcy Lowell, who has just moved in across the street, carries her into her home and attends her. Josh likes the young Texan at once and cooks a late dinner for him. She accepts his invitation to dine the next evening. They drive to a quiet Long Island inn sue knows and after dinner they sing as she plays the piano. He stops the car overlooking a beach bathed in April moonlight and as they chat he impulsively puts his arm around her, draws her close and kisses her. Jocelyn’s first reaction was surprise. Kel’s lips brushed hers so lightly, it was scarcely like a kiss at all. No mau had ever -wanted to kiss her before, at least no one had made it known to her if he had. She was so stunned with the suddenness of it all that she did not move. Kel, drawing his arm a little more tightly around her, kissed her again. Josh scarcely realised she was answering his Idas with her own lips. But she was. The third kiss was almost violent. Then Kel released Jier, and moved away. Josh was no more surprised than he at what had happened. IShe leaned back, her round little face a blank of incredulity in the moonlight, and looked up at him wonderingly. Kel smiled slowly. “That—was not with malico aforethought, Josh. It^—just sort of happened. ’ ’ &he nodded understanding!)’, without speaking. “You—didn ; t mindhe asked huskily. ‘‘ I guess it was tho moon. And April. And you’re a very sweet child, and I guess I’ve been'a little lonesomb. But must a man really try to think up so many excuses for kissing a girl?” “I—l guess it’s being done,” Josh found her tongue, making a gallant effort to appear nonchalant. What would he say,' she wondered, if she suddenly gathered the courage to tell him no man had ever kissed her lips before. He started the car immediately. Jocelyn found, all of a sudden, she wanted to cry. They drove up the little hill and through the entrance to the beach before Kel spoke again. Ho was looking straight before him thoughtfully. “It won’t happen again, Josh,” he told her earnestly. * ‘ That sort of thing spoils a friendship like ours. I don’t want it to be a parking and kissing sort of thing. Do you?” “Oh, no,” she agreed miserably, and was surprised at the sharp ache in her heart. “ We—must forget it ever happened. ft doesn’t matter, at all. She was nonplussed when he threw back his head and laughed.

about whether it was the proper thing to do or not. But in the same breath they’d say their boy friends wouldn’t go out with them if they didn’t get a good-night kiss. And she had been kissed—at last. Why hadn’t she pushed him away and told him it wasn’t the proper thing to do? Instead, she had kissed Kel Lowell back, and assured him it was all right when he apologised. She thought of Mr. Buell, and her conference with him. Mr. Buell had said he had known she was different from the other little addle-brained hat-racks about the Crampson Syndicate. But was she? Josh did her best, then, to laugh it off. Even Kel had laughed about it. The very idea of apologising in this day and age for kissing a girl, he had said! It was old-fashioned, and they were funny people. April. Moonlight, Romance. The magic of the night had woven its spell around Miss Mary Lou Temple, herself. The girl who was able to give other people sensible, sane, unbiased advice because she was different. Because she was a well balanced, old-fashioned type who would never know what it meant to have love problems of her own. Well, it wouldn’t happen again. Because Kel Lowell wouldn’t try to kiss lier—ever. He had said so. They were going to forget it—and that was that! She had given Mr. Buell her promise not to fall in love, or not to become involved! And a couple of days later sho had been kissed for the first time. Funny, really. A rare coincidence. Dawn was streaking the sky before she fell into a troubled sleep, to live over again, , ?n a strange nightmare, the feel of Kel Lowell’s arms around her, his lips on hers. She dreamed they were married, and Mr. Buell had fired her from her job. The next morning it all seemed like a dream. It was some time before she could make up her rnind for certain that Kel Lowell had made love to her in the flesh. Maida and Jake were off somewhere on a week-end party, and Josh and Suzie were alone except for Mrs. Tell. Jinx seemed strangely willing to lie in bed and let Josh read to her, but she didn’t seem at all ill. The wound in the head was healing rapidly, and except for a few bruises she seemed almost none the worse for her experience. Just tired from the shock of being hit with the car, perhaps, Jocelyn decided. It was late in the afternoon when Mrs, Tell admitted Dr. Lowell. Josh half rose in alarm when she heard him coming up the stairs. A slow flush stained her neck and spread to her forehead, Buzie caught the unmistakable sign of panic in her usually calm sister. She looked from Josh to Kel as they confronted each other in the doorway, and a sudden burst of intuition sent a grin to her wise big green eyes. Sho said nothing, for once in her lifo. But she didn’t need to be told that her sistet was flustered in the presence of Dr. Lowell, and that the doctor himself was ill at ease. Kel was painstakingly cordial, but quite matter of fact. He gave Jinx a brief going over, told her she could get up whenever sho liked, and that the next day she could go to school. His very haste made Suzie more positive that the doctor and Josh, for some reason, were bothered about something. When he left, Jocelyn, still flushed, picked up the book and resumed her reading aloud. But suddenly, Jinx kicked up her heels like a colt and laughed raspingly. “Ha, ha, ha! I guess I know something. Yah! yah! yah!” “For instance?” Josh laid down her book patiently, wondering what

“What funny people we are, Josh!” He touched the hands she had gripped in her lap, fleetingly. ‘ ‘ In this modern day and age when a girl is supposed to think she has something the matter with her if she doesn’t get kissed by every man who takes her out, I’m apologising to you for having become a little moonstruck! ’ ’ “But, Dr. Lowell, are you forgetting I am Mary Lou Temple? Disapproving of promiscuous kissing is my bread and butter. But in this instance I guess I’ll have to forgive you. You must have been thinking of someone else.” He smiled half-heartedly. “Of a couple of blondes, perhaps. Well, let’s talk about the weather. But it was fun while it lasted. So, how are all your folks?” “Ma’s rheumatiz is fair to middlin’,” sho came back with an effort. At the door lie held out his hand. She gave him her own in a quick little selfconscious clasp. Towering above her, ho was all gravity and dignity as ho said: “Good-night, Josh. I’ll probably see you to-morrow when I run in to see Suzie. I didn’t think it was necessary to come in agaiu, but she seems to think sho may have a relapse.” ‘ ‘ She likes you for some reason, ’ ’ Jocelyn smiled. “I guess it’s your suave, bedside manner that gets ’em. Well, I hope none of your patients need you to-night.” “I'm not tired any more.” He stepped backward down the steps. ‘ ‘ Thanks to your prescription. Bo scein ’ you. ’ ’ Inside the door she looked through the curtain and watched him enter his house. Upstairs in her own room she sat down and stared into space a long time before she undressed. Once in bed she found it impossible to sleep. The amazing events of the last twenty-four hours raced through her mind. Sho had met a -wonderful man, led him supper—they had become like old friends in a few short minutes. And the first time he had taken her out he hud kissed her in the moonlight. Then she thougt of Jacqueline. Jake would think no more of a. kiss in tho moonlight than she did of taking a walk. She knew, because without spying she had seen Jake kissed by a dozen boys. It seemed everybody wanted to kiss her blonde sister. From the letters that poured into lier le.sk daily, she’d made up her mind kissag was just about the great national idoar and outdoor sport. Lots of girls .netended they wanted to be advised

was coming next. “I guess I know you’re in love with Dr. Lowell. Ha, ha, ha. You’re in love with Dr. Lowell! Anyways, you got all red as a lobster when he came in, and you stuttered around here like a couple of goofs. Yes, Miss Kelvin! Yes, Dr. Lowell! Ha, ha, ha! ” “You’re crazy,” Josh said shortly. “I’vg known him less than two days—and I’m in love with him and he’s in love with me! ” “Well,” Suzie wrinkled her freckled little nose in another satanic grin, “there’s more to this business than meets the eye. I’m goin’ to keep my eyes open. ’ ’ “I’ll bet you are.” Josh could not help smiling. ‘‘ If you ever do miss anything it won’t because you didn’t nose around trying to solvo the mystery. Suzie, you’re a born snoop! I’m surprised you take the time to sleep nights. ’ ’ Suzie shrugged elegantly. “Well, it’s about time you a got a beau! Only don’t let Jake get her hooks into him. I’ll get her out of the way if lie comes back again, if you want me to. I guess if he ever saw her you wouldn’t have much of a chance.” Josh looked pained. “Sue, you’re frank if nothing else. Why don’t you stop saying everything that comes into your mind? I don’t give a darn, you know that. But some people are sensitive. You'll have to learn tact.” “Oh, phooey! ” Jinx fell back on the expression she always used when she was stumped for words. The ’phone rang and Josh answered it on the extension in her room, leaving the door slightly ajar. It was Kei Lowell. And she was astonished when the doctor asked her to have dinner with him again that, night. For a few seconds she debated telling him she had another engagement. But sho was afraid ho would think sho was offended over his kissing her. .So she told him she’d be ready at seven o’clock. When she hung up there was a sudden movement on the other side of the door. Sho tiptoed over and pushed it hurriedly. Suzie scampered back into bed, yelling gleefully: “Yes, Kel, seven o’clock. All right, I think I can make it. Kel! Kel! She called him Kel. Ha, ha, ha! Oh, boy, have I got the dirt on youse guys? Yah! Yah! Yah!” (To be Continued.)