Page 73 - tender-is-the-night
P. 73

Juan  les  Pins,  where  the  skeleton  of  the  new  Casino  was
         rising. It was past four and under a blue-gray sky the first
         fishing boats were creaking out into a glaucous sea. Then
         they turned off the main road and into the back country.
            ‘It’s the golf course,’ cried Campion, ‘I’m sure that’s where
         it’s going to be.’
            He was right. When Abe’s car pulled up ahead of them
         the east was crayoned red and yellow, promising a sultry
         day. Ordering the hotel car into a grove of pines Rosemary
         and Campion kept in the shadow of a wood and skirted the
         bleached  fairway  where  Abe  and  McKisco  were  walking
         up and down, the latter raising his head at intervals like a
         rabbit scenting. Presently there were moving figures over
         by a farther tee and the watchers made out Barban and his
         French second—the latter carried the box of pistols under
         his arm.
            Somewhat  appalled,  McKisco  slipped  behind  Abe  and
         took a long swallow of brandy. He walked on choking and
         would have marched directly up into the other party, but
         Abe stopped him and went forward to talk to the French-
         man. The sun was over the horizon.
            Campion grabbed Rosemary’s arm.
            ‘I can’t stand it,’ he squeaked, almost voiceless. ‘It’s too
         much. This will cost me—‘
            ‘Let  go,’  Rosemary  said  peremptorily.  She  breathed  a
         frantic prayer in French.
            The principals faced each other, Barban with the sleeve
         rolled up from his arm. His eyes gleamed restlessly in the
         sun, but his motion was deliberate as he wiped his palm on

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