"It's a little early for a pitch," she said, "though you do give it a warming amateur earnestness. Or wasn't it going to be a pitch?" He looked at her steadily. "What else?" "A warning maybe?" a break in the light tone. "What kind of warning?" It was her turn to look at the water--and to color? It seemed so, faintly, under the tan. She said, "To warn me that you're married or poor or uninterested." She looked up, smiling. "I'm such a simple country girl." "Yes," he said. "Sure." He looked over at the watchers. "Are they friends of yours?" "Yes." Her eyes wide and searching, her face and body taut. "Why?" "Wondered. Am I being played for a patsy?" Silence while she studied him. Silence while the raft gently rocked, and the world. "Patsy?" she asked. "Forget it. You have a great charm and an unholy animal attraction for me, Martha Klein, and maybe we'd better get back to shore and have a quiet cigarette." They had a cigarette and a hot dog with a skin on it, the first Doak had ever seen. They had grape pop and a few laughs. Fun in the sun at Dubbinville, U.S.A. Wouldn't the gang at home get a belt out of this? And where was June's bright metallic laughter being heard this golden afternoon? They walked back to town quietly, exertion-spent, sun-calmed. They came up onto the porch, and Mrs. Klein looked from Martha's face to Doak's and frowned--and sighed. "Fun?" she asked. "Wonderful," Doak said. "And Martha surprised me by being able to swim. None of my other girls can swim a lick." "Martha's no girl," Mrs. Klein said. "She's twenty-seven." Martha laughed. "Why, mother, you'll never get rid of me that way." Mrs. Klein said, "I almost forgot. Mr. Arnold called. Wants to see you, Mr. Parker, tonight." "Well, maybe he is sold. Wonder how he knew I was here." "There isn't much he doesn't know about what's going on in town," Mrs. Klein said. "I'd wager there isn't _anything_." She looked at Martha as she said that last. Martha's face was blank. "Maybe I can put it off until tomorrow," Doak said. "It's been a pretty good day up to now." He called the Senator from the drug store in town. He told him, "Nothing definite, yet, Senator." "Don't give me that," Arnold said raspingly. "Get up here right away, Parker." Doak stopped at the house on the way back. He told Mrs. Klein, "I might be a little late for supper. I think I'll run up and see the Senator now and get it over with." "We'll hold it," she said. She looked around to see if Martha was within hearing. Then, "You're not trifling with my girl, Mr. Parker?" "Not for a second," Doak assured her. "Though I have an uncomfortable feeling she's trifling with me, but good." Mrs. Klein shook her dark head. "Not with that sick-calf look on her face. The girl's smitten. You watch your step, Mr. Parker." "I promise," he said. "I'll be back as soon as possible."