OCR Text |
Show The TheSILVERFLUTE SILVER FLUT FLUTE By Larrimore ' @ . , , Mocroc Mocrae MClCr .C C . Smith OompanWNU CompanyWNU OomplU11 Oompan OomplU11WNU WNU Sen Ben Sers Ice . . . CHAPTER I1 IThe I IThe -1- 1 - 1Tbe - The Tbe town to\vn to vn \ hall haU clock cloeh struck struch briskly.ee\en briskly.eeen briskly.ee brisklyee en brIckly briskly ; . , fle\ fle fleen sewn \ en ringing notes Barbara drowsily drowsilyopened drowsilyopened drowsilyopened opened her eyes She knew kncw , wIthout wIthoutrememberJng withoutremembering withoutremembering rememberJng remembering " why "hy hy , that It was a happy happyday happyday happyday day What was It ? And then tben she sheremembered sheremembered sheremembered remembered This Tbls was her bIrthday bIrthdayToday birthdayToday birthdayToday Today she was eighteen years oldLyIng oldLying old oldLying Lying there , her brown hair tumbled tumbledagainst tumbledagainst tumbledagainst against the pillow , her brown br brown wn eyes eyesbrIght eyesbright eyesbright brIght with pleasure pleacnre ; she saw the thehappy thehappy thehappy happy day unfold At breakfast breahfast therewould therewould there would be presents { from rom Father and andtbe andthe andthe tbe the children They neer never ne\ ne ne \ cr er could be'1r be1r bear be'1rto bearto bearto ' to wait walt until later In the dayMr dayMr day dayMr Mr . Tubbs , the postman poctman ; , , would wouldbring wouldbring wouldbring bring her ber godfather s gift Th'lt Thlt Tliat Thiteicry ' , e\ e es eery \ ery birthday , was w\s w s ' \ excitIng-a excitIng a exciting - a gift giftfrom giftfrom [ ft ftfrom from someone she hadn badn t t seen elnce since elnceshe sinceshe ; sinceshe she shevas was \vas vas \ a baby being christened and andwhom andwhom andwhom whom of ot course , , she couldn t remem remember remember rcmember ber at all aU Stephen Drahc- Drahc Drahc'Uncle Drake-'Uncle Drake 'Uncle Uncle Drake'UncleStephen Drake - - 'Uncle Uncle 'UncleStephen ' 'UncleStephen UncleStephen ' Stephen " His firs taste t'lste tlste ' In gifts was wascharming wascharming wascharming charming But he be wasn t exactly nfriendly a afriendly afriendly friendly person lie ne He ne\ ne nes neer nc \ cr er answered answeredher answeredher answeredher her heru u " "lhankyou lhankyou 1 ' 'hank hank hank you " notes or the cnrd cards cardsshe cardsshe she sent him at nt Christmis Chrlstm'lc Chrlstmlc Christmas ChristmisAnd ChristmasAnd ' ; And she was ; going folng on a picnic a avery avery avery very e clush clushe e picnic pICDlC , just juct ; she and andBruce andBruce andBruce Bruce and a basket bachet ; of lunch in Brucesrattle BrU Bruce < .e e . s srattle srattle rattle trap car Barbara B\rb'1Ta B rb'1Ta rb1Ta ' \ ' smiled , , a g'lv glv gay g'lvlittle gaylittle givlittle ' little smile that woke wole , n a sleeping sleepmg dim dimpIe dimpie dimpie pIe . . . She knew hnew why Bruce hid h'ld hld had ' suggestcd sug suggested sugBested gested Bested a picnic for her birthday blrthd'lY blrthdlY blrththy ' lie lb liewas lbwas liewas was con conspiring qlrlng < ) with Father rather and the thecluldren thechildren thechildren cluldren children . . , They wanted wnnted her parti p'lrtJ plrtJ party ' tonight to tonIg'ht tonight nIg'ht nIght ' to be a complete surprisePresents surprisePresents surprise surprisePresents Presents , . a picnic , a party p'lrty plrty partyi ' I If only onlyMother onlyMother onlyMother Mother were here . . A shadow sbadow dimmed , for fort ' a moment momentthe , , the happv happy prospects of or the day d'lY dlY ' . . Moth Mother Mother Mother er had bad lo\ed lo ed 10ed losed 10\ 10 \ ed parties and secrets andsurprises and andsurprises andsurprises surprises Barbara B1.rbara B1rbara . felt a lump In her herthroat herthroat herthroat throat and her lashes misted with withtears withtears withtears tears She hoped Mother knew hnew they theywere they'were were 'were ' all tosether tozether toxether again In the gr1Y grey gr1YshIngled greyshingled grayshingled shIngled Pro\lncetown Pro lncetown Pro\Incetown Incetown Prosincetown \ house that Fa Father Father Father ther hadn t married anybody anybod anybod3 as ns Aunt AuntJosephIne AuntJosephine AuntJosephine JosephIne said he would , . that Kit"asn't titwasn't Kit tit wasn't wasnt "asn't asnt " ' ' as lame as he used llsed to be , and andGay andGay andGay Gay was a beauty , , and nnd Jamie J'lmle Jlmle ' was a ade'lr adear adear de'lr delr dear ' little boy with freckles frechles all aU o-ver o ver over overhis overhis overhis - his face Mother had lo\cd lo cd 10ed losed 10\ 10 \ ed them aU all aUso allso allso so much She hoped that 1other Mother Motherknew ' Motherknew 1otherhne hne knew " . , , . . The Tbe house was coming to life Down Downstairs Downstairs Downstairs stairs In the kitchen kItcbln kltchcn Martha was bang bangtng banging bangIng tng ing stove sto"e stoe store , " lids and noisily noIslly clattering clatteringpans clatteringpans clatteringpans pans There were sounds overhead In Inthe inthe inthe the attic where there Kit tit hid h'ld hld had ' quarters of hIs hisown hisown 0\\ 0 0n own \ n Barbara popped out of bedWe bed bedWe " We 'e e ' sail tho ocean blue blueWe blueWe blueWe We catch a da plenty a fish- fish fishshe fishshe fish - - she hummed as , fresh from a shower showershe , she brushed her soft brown hair Per Perhaps Perhaps Perhays haps hays she should ' 'do do ' it up " now tbat that thatshowas sha sho shawas showas was eighteen But the pins pIDS wouldn't wouldnt wouldn'thold \ wouldn'thold wouldnthold ouldn.t ouldnt ouldn.thold ' ' . hold and the curly ends kept hept slipping slippingout slippingout slippingout out of ot the knot She tied a ribbon ribbonaround ribbonaround ribbonaround around her head bead and let the tbe shoulder shoulderlength shoulderlength shoulderlength length mop swing SW1Dg freeTlunklng freeThinking free freeThinking Thinking Tlunklng of ot Bruce , , she bent toward towardthe towardthe towardthe the mirror He sild s'ld sld said ' [ ber her face wis W'1S W1S was ' theshipe the thesh'1pe theshape sh'1pe sh1pe shape ' of a heart Itns It \ was \\ns ns she dlscov discos- discos dlscovered discosered discovered - ered with a feeling feellng of pleased surprlce surprise surprise.And surpriseAnd ; . . . And be he slid s'lld slld said ' her eyea eyes eye eyeere were \\-ere ere \ \ - like pansies pan panSICS panlies SICS lies sometimes soft and andelvetybrown elvety selvety selvetybrowa \elvetybrown elvetybrown \ , elvetybro bro\\ bro bron browa \ n , but that , . sometimes . , , thev they thevturned theyturned thevturned turned Into shining shlDlng dirk d'lrk dlrk dark ' stars that tbat didsomething did didsomething didsomething something queer qneer to his breath The Thegirl Thegirl Thegirl girl In the mirror Oushed Gusbed flushed and Bar Barbarn's Barbara's Barbaras Barbarn's barn's barns ' ' checks cheels cheeks , felt wiim warm W'll Wll ' m Silly SillyI I ' BIUCCwas Bt Bruce Brucewas uee ueeas \\as as was \ tensing te'1slng te1slng teasing ' , , of course He Be said the thesame thesame thesame same sort of things tlungs to G'1VBarbarn GayBarbara Gav G'1V G1V Gay GavBarbara ' Barbara Barbarn was nc\er nc er neer ne\ ne nes \ \ er "a a " beauty " like liIe liIeGav likeGay , e Gav Gay Iler Her nose tilted up nnd and her mouth \ wis ss'ts ssts 1.S 1S . ' too s " wide side Ide But llut , nt at Ie le leist l tst t , , she she"as shewas shwas "as as was " pretty today tod1Y Her lIer tier cheeks cheeks"ere venflushed \"ere "ere ere rere "ereflushed rereflushed \ " flushed and her lips Ups were red and ancI her here hereyes hee e eyes es were dirk d'lrl dlrl dark ' , and shining Only her herslln herskin he ; skin slln , was too fair to tan nicely , am and andal andalssa3s al always alssa3s " a3 s , , In the summer , there were werefrechles werefreckles weri werifreckles freckles frechles across her nose noce ; Bruce saId- saId - saIdGr'1c1ous saidGraciousWhy said - Gracious Gr'1c1ous Gr1c1ous Gr'1c1ousWhy Gracious-Why Gracious Why ' - ' ' -Why Why - Why couldn't couldnt ' Bruce Mac Mae MacLain MaeLain Lain keep heep out of her ber private privatethoughts privatethoughts thoughts ? . " " ' ' " "Happy Happy birthday blrtlJday , nab Bab Barbara turned from the mIrror mIrrorGay mirrorGay Gay stood in the open doorway , polsei poIsed poIsed11he poisedlike polseilike . like 11he a buttcrny butterfly about to light . . Gavas Gaswas Gav Gas- Gas - \ was \\as as fourteen She had brIght brIghtbrown brightbrown brown curls foaming all 0\ 0 o\er o er 0er oser \ er her herhead herhead ' head , and ha7el hazel eves , " with "lth lth wlth long curled curledlashes curledlashes curle < lashes , and her skin \ was a the tawny tawnypInk tawnypink tawn ; pink and gold of ot an apricot In the thesun thi thisun , sun She knew she was Io\eh Io eh 10\Ch 10 Ch losels \ \ , , . B'lr Blr Bar Barbara B'lrI B'lrbara ' I bara thought . But that was Aunt AuntLola's AuntLola's Lola's Lolas ' ' fault . . , . , . . , . "Aren't Arent " ' you ou excited1 excited ? ' ' ' ' Gay asked In Inher inher li liher I I"Aren't her fluty tluty voIce"l'ernbly voice"terribly voice " 'Terribly Terribly "l'ernbly lernbly "terribly ' ' ; , " Barbara llarbara answered fin&Wered finWered & . . . , . . I IWlmt What Wlmt should she s wear sear ear ? Clothes Clotbes for ipicnic a aI apicnIc apicnic picnIc . Sandals and socks socls , . . . Tlie The old oldbm oldbrown olbroil ( I bm\\ bm bmn brown \ n skirt shIrt . . Gracious Gracfous Gracfousl 1 I There was a adrc'tdful adreadful ( 1 drcidful drc'tdful drctdful dreadful ' rip In her ber favorite yellow yellowjerse yellowjersey yellowjcrsc 7 jerse jersey ) . . . . . "What What " do you suppose Dncle Uncle Stephel Stephen Stephenw11l Stephenwill Stephelwill will w11l send ? ' ' I can t even Imagine " Barbara Barbarabuchled Barbarabuckled buckled buchled her ber sancIa sandals Is , , smiling becius bec1.use bec1use because bec1.useG'l becauseGay . < Gay Gi G'l Gl ' ; , } called her godfather ' ' Uncle UncleStephen Uncl UncleStephen < 1 Stephen " In that familiar sort of wayThe wayThe way wayThe The children all called him ' Uncle UncleStephen UncleStephen Uncl 2 Stephen " The Tbe story of her ber christen christenIng christenlag christenIng Ing lag never lost Its chirm ch'lrm chlrm ch'irm ' ' They Thpy llkccFather llhed liked llhedFather likedFather 1 Father to tell tlicro tllOm them about the l11age sillage sillagein ' \ l11ageIn Hlag < 2 in southern ' France f'rance Prance , . the tbe church churcb with withIts withits 1 Its bright brlgbt robed saints , the strang strange strangeyoung strangeyoung < ? young American \ whom wliom hom Father bad had insited In Initcd \itcd itcd sited \ Ited to be her ber godfather . , . But be he bewasn hewasn h < wasn t a " "young young " ' American Amulcan Amcrlcan now , . Hi He Hemnst Hemust must mnst be e as old as ae ; Father . , . , , . ' Something nice . , I suppose Unch Uncle UncleStephen UncleStephen 2 Stephen sends lovely gifts . . . " " "Beautiful Beautiful " cnutIful , . " Barbara n agreed areed . ; , reed , , searcb search searcbIng searchlag searchIng Ing lag for a needle and thread to menel mend menelthe mendthe men menthe < 1 the rip In her ber jersey . , A present cverjbirthday c\ c ccry esery eserybirthday \ cry crybirthday r birthday "Uncle Uncle " Stephen . " . ne\ ne ne\cr ne cr neer never \ er for forgot forgot got the fifteenth of October He lie had hadremembered hadremembered hac 1 remembered , too , , that babies grow Into Intolittle intolittle ( little girls and little girls grossup grow gross- gross - upThe upThe up The gift . . . each icar year . } ear , \ was as approprIate approprIateto to the bTrthday btrtbday birthday . , . , . . , . "I I " ' 1 1 wish wJsh I was elgbteen eighteen " "What What 9Vhat " would you youdo do ? ' Barban Barbara sat sat , , , tailor fa fashion < ; hon [ on the sea chest chestbene'1th chestbeneath chestbencith bene'1th bene1th beneath ' the \ window indO\v indO v \ , mending the ripIn rIp rIpn ripin in [ n her jersey with long une\ une unes uneven uneen \ en stitches stitches"What stitches"What stitches"What stitchesWhat "What What " would you do GasThorne Gav Gnv Gas- Gas - Thorne , If Ifyou ifyou Ifyou you \ were ere eighteen cIhteen . ; icirs years e'lrs elrs ' oW oIl olds ] ? I ' ' I d marry somebody very "erv erv , " rich ricb . , " Gay Gaynns Gaynnsw Gayanswered nns nnsw " ered erect dreamily ' ' I'd Id ' ha\e ha e hne hn\ hn has \ e a 81uir squir 81uirreI squirred squirrel } reI red coat and a limousine and a bell toring to torln toring rln ring for the mild m'lld mlld maid ' " "You'd Youd " ' better learn to spell first I ! ' That was "as as " Kit . . . Barbara glincedtoward gl'lnced gllnced glanced gl'lncedtovard glancedtoward ' to\vard to vard toward \ the door Kit lilt was wns \ as pulling pulllnr : on a aswc'1ter aswelter aswelter swc'1ter swc1ter swelter ' and his held he'1d he1d head ' when It popped poppedthroufh poppedthrough poppedthrough throufh through ; the sweater's sweaters ' neck . , was adark a adarh adark darh dark tousled mop darker than Gay'c Gayc Gay's Gays Gay'sor Gay'sor Gaysor ' ' ; I Ior or her 0\\ 0 own 0n \ n , , . dark darh like Fathers f'ather father Lathers ' sand sandwavy and andwavy andwavy wavy , . too All the Thornes Thames , Barbarathought Barbara Barbarathought Barbarathought thought with a certiln cert'lln certlln certain ' degree of or com corn complacence cornplacence cornplacence placence had naturally curly hairKftChrlstopbpr hairKitChristopher hair hairKit Kit Kft-Chrlstopbpr Kft Chrlstopbpr Kit-Christopher Kit Christopher - Christopher , . for Father f'ather-wltS f'ather father wltS rather-was rather was f'atherwltSs ratherwassixteen ' - wassixteen s sixteen [ teen and nnd tall for his bls age , . as 1artha lfartha lfarthasaid ' Marthasitd 1arthas'lld s'lld slld said ' , . no amount of fe'dln fedln feeding ( ' would ' put putany putany putnny any meat on his bones " His 8Is ills eyes eyeswere e ecswere ; es eswere were ha/el ha el hazel / , like lIhe Gav's Gavs Gay's Gays Ga v's vs ' and his lashes lasheswere lasheswere lasheswere were almost as long lonr : He lIe hated It Itwhen itwhen ( twhen when ladles ladies ; said cald "Whit Whit "Wh'1t Wh1t 11'h'tt 11htt " ' ' ' a sensitive sensitiveface sensitiveface sensitiveface face ' and nnd he tried to mike m'1ke m1ke make ' hlmcclf himself hlmcclfhe1thy himselfhealthy himselfheilthy ; he\1thy he 1thy healthy ' \ nnd and strong e exercising escrcising trclsm with withdumb withdumb withdumb dumb bells swimming ' rowing a bo'1t bo1t boat bo'1tHe boatlie boitHe ' He lie could dr'l drl dnw draw ' " ' , . but hes he wis was " \s s ' \ shy and andemb andenibsrracsed andembirnssed emb enibsrracsed rr'lcsed rrlcsed ' ; about nbout the things thing'S ' he dId"A did"A did did"A "A A " child like IIhe you I ; ' ' Kit lit frowned frownedseverel frownedseverely frownedsevere severel severely ! ; at Giy G'1Y G1Y Gay ' "You You " d better betttr learn learnsomething learnsomething learnsomething something before you tilk t'll1 tll1 talk ' , about get getting getting et ettlng tlng ting mirrled m\rrled m rrled married ' \ 11 \ Whit h\t h t hat ' \ do you ou thlnl think thinkBabsshe thinkBabs7 ( Dabs-shc Dabs shc Babs-she Babs she ? ' - she ; spells cpeUs stomach \ with Ith a 'k'l kl 'h'l hl 'k k ' ' ' 1 ' ' ' I guess gues9 that tbat doesn t matter , , " Gay Gaysaid Gaysaid Gaysaid said alrll airili airily 'I I ' I guess If I married marriedsomebody marriedsomebody marriedsomebody somebody rich I never ivould would hive h\\"e h "e e ' \ \ " to tocpen tospell tospell cpen spell ; " . But she looked loohed embirrassed emb'lrrassed emblrrassed embarrassed ' Bar Barbara Barbara Barbarn bara barn thought She bhe hated Kit Klt fit to thinkshe thInk thInkshe thinkshe she wis W'1e W1e was ' : ; les less thin th'ln thln than ' perfect perfect'Happ ' 'Happ Happ |