Show ff ff I 1 so Is P BY evelyn campbell service copyright by eiyu Q campbelll SWANN CHAPTER 11 II continued 6 they talked about everything but the wea weather tiler which proved nt at once that they were unusual people linda discovered at once that tier her companion was vas from oregon that lie was gom 1 to washington and would be there tor for a month almonth or two she discovered other things cli charming arming things about him that lie liked aled dogs better than automobiles and the mopping before seven that he fie preferred simple flowers and the mountains to the sea it began to grow cold in tile the coach outside was a dense wall of whiteness and by straining necks bechs dim glimpses of shapeless things might bo be had bad a 0 house burled buried under snow or the twisted form of a tree grotesquely burgeoning passengers huddled in wraps and rugs and their grain grumbles lel grew louder as the alp air became st staler ler would you iou like to walk valk a litt little e B rinn asked and linda asse assented led e eagerly nut but as they were starting lie he made her return to her section you cant go into snow dressed like that chat lie ile w wa looking so sternly at tier her slim suede clad feet that linda brahe lulu into gay laughter lie ile laughed with etli tier her arid and tills this put them on an informal basis lla ile turned to ills his own fiction faction and un buckled a hag bog returning presently with a of dark red morocco nio rocco slippers lind anil a couple of sen linda put out tier her little feet find and allowed him to fasten the moc upon them with a few effle efficient feut swirls of the scarves you tie he beautiful knots she said but bat it Is a shame to spoil your nice that blue one especially she was surprised at tier her own onn doell docility A cup of hot tea and two or three pillows would have been more to tier her taste hut but there site she was stunt bling along through the snow with her feet done up tip like bundles if we keep heep to the beaten path it N III be easier I 1 think he said rind and she followed halt laughing halt nn all 1101 imbed ed nt at tier lier own clumsy progress the prospect outside was not very ery good people were running about help essly giving advice that nobody heard but the train crew v was as taking it very easily they knew that human power could do little against the tremendous force of mature that opposed them the snow banked higher than the engine resil resisted sted every effort to penetrate it there was something aloofly contemptuous about that impassivity the great black bulk of machinery so devastating in its flights stood ap maled like a shiny beetle drawing in its hi claws brian anstey talked to the train men they answered courteously not ignoring him tin ns as they had some of the others other 1 linda heard all that was said the train could not move moe until the snow plows lime come and tint that mt might lit not aft lb until the following follow ing day for tile the storm lind bad been worse farther alono along the line find and there were w ore other tie ups lindas teeth were already chattering find the terrible cold found find and seized upon her body beneath tier her furs at that moment tier her spirit hiis as low indeed the delay would disarrange tier her plans hopelessly tile ohp chances of n R month nt at minnil delightfully cored for by the Greg 0 reasons sons was gone glimmering she tried to adjust tier her mind to tills tl Is misfortune but tier her thoughts refused to coagulate physical discomfort dwarfed all her mental processes s 1 low how I stupid I 1 nm am she thought angrily ive been tn in worse pr fredica edica ments than tills some way will he be found kilt but still she felt like a desolated desolate child the strange young men man with tb the kind eyes was speaking to her iv ive secured a place for you on oa the sledge ho said we must go back bach andret and get your hand luggage Us he spoke in the same quiet sure way that had accomplished the morocco slippers and again she yielded to his suggestion cut but when she was settled in the ungainly conveyance with half a dozen women all whimpering she found that brian anstey was going too lie ile stood on the stop step and talked to the driver occasionally jumping off to help shovel snow when the horres into deeper deeder drifts linda found watching him irresistible tie ile actually seemed to enjoy the effort ot of dragging tile the great horses about site she had always hated snow it reminded lier ber of a particularly disagreeable period of her life but this snow biti was different there was some tiling thing crude and pristine about it it was not a theatrical snow where one ona may break ones lieck on a neatly constructed slide it was hom homelike ellke making one think of niarra warm fires and pipes and fleecy blankets not that linda knew anhof any of these things from personal experience but they had their nook in tier her imagination with other fan fancies cles As lie fie helped her from her seat she asked him film why ile he had come and its his answer brought swift unexpected color to tier her face to took look otter after you sou ot of course lie ile spoke so simply that she was nos a ashamed ba med of her subterfuge the hie hotel was vas as crude as the nebraska snowfall you have hae iiren been so und you ou will dine with me she murmured at the foot oftie of tie stairs lie laughed id love loe to only it will ile bo supper in this place there will ile he harn ham and eggs and tour four kinds of brend bread and I 1 hope you sou wont be III from the experience slie site felt a litile little shock ile he was laughing at her I 1 in a second she ved how she must look to him exotic erotic superfluous too flue fine for rude contacts she managed to make her mouth look tremulous ulous and sweet as she answered gally gaily anything an thing so that it Is carml the other hornen did not like linda they eyed e ed tier her fur coat and tier her ankles with equal disapproval and when she found that she was to share a room with one of them she protested in such a way that the proprietor at once gave her another nn other naturally want to be with your husband sold said the discarded dooin ate with embittered sweetness an and d linda off on guard repeated blankly sly aly husband the other simulated contusion confusion oh lie he I 1 thought i As linda sol sat beside brian at their corner of the long table she said to him film indifferently gossiping already al rendi so you ou must not be so nice inice to tile me if gossip annoys you ou the women crowded together fit at tile the 0 ther end of the table as it if they ther with other diners wen all of the kind that are to he be seen in put 1 I 1 cars car and 11 I 1 nowhere else comfortably fort ably dressed but you iou wondered where they hought bought their clothes clot lies in every big department store in the tha country hundreds hun dieda like them milled like cattle from nine to four every day the year around yet it was only at a time like tills this that such faces stood out ont such inch personalities became obvious tim they wore were nit fill terribly frightened at tile the publicity suddenly thrust upon them they objected while they secretly swelled with importance but they were determined to remain completely virtuous liti ious and upright in the tha face of unconventionality brian anstey ansley glanced at them and then smiled fit at linda its their chance to air their opinions and be listened to he said and she added 11 in a n drawling cold voice that did nut not suit stilt tier her glowing girlish face and their opportunity to make a show of their morality moralle mor allt dont be sevare jseeie they are till all home women bound to be a little narrow in ili a simple life tills must be na an adventure dose close quarters with unknown neighbors tint Is why you ou cannot really admire simplicity or naturalness it la is all so hateful linte ful just st under the surface sui face do you ou think so lie he frowned ile he looked much older when lie he was seri seil ous she decided site she did not really care chrit these women thought she would neier see one of them again but she meant to tense tease hint him it a little more you must not ilot confuse silly women with simplicity find and naturalness lie said sternly storn ly and glanced again a aln at the group who became conse conscious lons that they were under discussion and were n ere scandalized scandalised ed you will find their sort everywhere but much worse tn in simple little towns tow ns 1 I will not adrift that thai it Is because cities ar lire e more india ere t site she shook her head you are wrong cities are not mot indifferent they judge with manners and morals but the city cares finly for appearances it Is much easier to live up to you can always buy appearances and have them delivered to your door in it a box TO BE |