Show C er tre C N RAN A L 4 ra R SYNOPSIS the loss of their family fortune Is accepted stoically by the bristol family amaly including professor bristol invalid ar che his bis daughter rosemary and simmons a family fixture the only property salvaged Is peppertree Pep inu inn and the move to california to operate it rosemary experiences the turmoil of an Inn keepers existence and Is grateful tor for the aid of bob elliot kent standish Stand successfully manages the inn then envisages a string of hotels while he Is away on a survey trip the inn Is robbed rosemary breaks off her engagement ga to kent bob saves mrs bandish from serious injury in an acci dent CHAPTER kent snorted 1 I should say sol elliots elliote Elli idea anyhow the modest hero disdaining his laurels kent his mother exclaimed 1 I know madre I 1 know he did save you from a bad fall at the very least of course im grateful ill tell him so ill thank him but why in the name of all reasonable did it have to be bob elliot what were you doing out at his place anyhow she closed her eyes and he saw her look of white exhaustion 1 I wanted to see him about something cant we forget the accident now kent of course he told her contritely rosemary said the doctor want you to talk and here ive been wagging my tongue like a dogs tall tail yes come in he called in answer to a knock it was rosemary bringing a supper tray tor for mrs standish sh 1 I wanted to bring it up myself to see if kents been upsetting you he has she went on severely go down and have dinner kent and ill stay with your mother till ashes eaten hers youre not to be trusted alone with her until after ashes had a nights sleep mrs standish seemed quite herself the next day though she kept her bed at the doctors orders kent was at his best with his mother this morning rosemary thought in the afternoon he drove out to see bob elliot and greatly to rose marys surprise brought him back to the inn for dinner since he come himself to inquire for madre kent explained pla ined these californians Californian sl all he did today was to tb telephone to ask about her and send her a basket of fruit and half a green houseful of roses I 1 had to go out and bring him in bodily to see her ring reveals ellens secret bob smiled but did not answer kents mood of gayety gaiety had been donned as the two men entered the inn before that they had been talking in a matter of fact way on impersonal subjects euen ellen carter and the new man were asked to join them at dinner and the meal passed off with apparent cordiality between kent and elliot rosemary was puzz puzzled leda a little at the situation however she was not surprised when mrs elliot called on kents mother a few days later it was like her thoughtfulness to wish to see for herself that rosemaryy Rose marys friend suffered fio po ill effects from what had happened mrs standish received her caller in her own sitting room that evening she told her surprised son that she had accepted mrs elliots elliote Elli invitation to spend a few days at the elliot home how come madre its not like you to put yourself under obliga eions to a woman you hardly know im already under obligations to her son was the quiet answer 1 I like mrs elliot I 1 want to know her better kent shook his head but said no more he was a little sorry that madre chose to accept elliot hospi bality but whatever she chose to do was all right with her son since the Stan dishes return to peppertree Pep inn ellen carter had save on special cial occasions occupied a table by herself kent and rosemary had dined tete a tete during mrs visit to the elliots elliote this evening however ellen asked it if she might join them for a few minutes she made great play with her hands fluttering them over the bowl of roses in the center of the table touching her hair altogether behaving so unlike her usual poised self that rosemaryy Rose marys attention was attracted suddenly a smile curved the younger girls lips and she touched kents toot foot beneath the table when he caught her eye she shook her head almost bibly soup gave way to roast salad plates were removed the dessert eaten and still no comment was made on ellens enormous diamond over her coffee cup she burst out are both of you blind or arent you even interested in me rosemaryy Rose marys soft hand was laid over the one which wore the ring my dear of course we are I 1 saw it the minute you sat down but I 1 thought it would be fun to pretend we tell us at once its jim harkless of course of course her astonished voice implied that anyone else was unthinkable it was love at first sight with both of us he hes pretty fine rosemary 1 I know he is she answered warmly im so happy for you both len darling I 1 suppose its too early to ask if there are any plans ellen blushed furiously could can peppertree Pep inn stage a wedding soon the owner of the inn gave an ecstatic little bounce in half an hour if you say sol so not quite that sooil soon I 1 insist on being engaged for at least a week though jim says its very unreasonable of me it will be very quiet you know jims people will come his father and mother and a married sister id like to ask the el kliots and mrs standish of course but where can we have it rosemary the lobbes too public and your sitting room is too small leave all that to mel me just teu tell me the day and the hour and ill do the rest oh how wonderful to have a wedding here I 1 promise you it will be the prettiest the most charming you ever attended lets go to my room right now and plan we must make out the guest list the first thing and P kent laughed and rose to his feet 1 I can see im going to be the superfluous male from now on before you go ellen give me a hint of what like for a wedding present her starry eyes dwelt on him brief lly oh anything it matter I 1 mean we know what you mean rosemary laughed run along kent Us gals have work to do everybody in the inn knew the secret next day and everybody it was at once apparent expected to be invited to the ceremony oh let them come said the warmhearted warm hearted bride all the family I 1 have even if most of em are temporary that is she added it if we have room for so many ive got that all worked out rosemary announced the dining room is the largest room the wedding is at four right after lunch the chairs and tables will be taken out and the decorators will move in not professional decorators either ellen I 1 thought like your wedding to be as as personal as possible bob and his mother kent and mrs standish simmons and I 1 well work like lightning and everything will be ready by three that will leave us an hour to dress she threw herself into the plans with furious enthusiasm she meant av A n nl I 1 5 r run along kent Us gals have work to do to make up to ellen as much as possible for the fact that her wedding must be held in an inn hetty bunce was in charge of the refreshments which were to be a sort of glorified high tea at that hour mrs standish volunteered to help with the selection of the trousseau and wedding gown rosemary was to be ellens only attendant wearing a frock and hat of her favorite powder blue and carrying an armful of rapture roses by wednesday night the eve of the wedding day a surprising amount of work had been accomplished shed ellens new trunks banded with blue and white and bearing the important new initials were packed and locked her suitcase was all ready to be closed the soft white satin gown hung from its hanger on an electric light fixture fix tufe its train protected by a sheet spread beneath its long folds in rosemaryy Rose marys room the two girls were having a last talk inn Is setting for wedding youre all being so heavenly kind to me ellen said biting her lip to still its trembling jim wanted me just to drive to td a justice of the peace and get it over with but somehow I 1 bear that I 1 thought even a quiet affair with just you and his parents would be something I 1 could at least have to remember always and now thanks to you im having a real wedding with a veil and music and everything and im so happy rose maryl I 1 feel so desperately sorry tor for all the girls who can never marry jim jims a prince but hes none too good for you said rosemary severely if he beats you or fusses busses about the money you spend on hats bats always remember you can go home to mother right here what about bob elliot now my dear ellen looked at her vaguely bob what about him oh you mean she laughed gaily bob never meant anything to me I 1 remember now that I 1 talked a lot of nonsense to you about him when you first came here B bobs abs girl shy or girl proof I 1 dont know which not that it matters As long as he can pl plant ant or bud or graft avocado trees hes happy I 1 suspect his home life is too satisfactory nothing to make his thoughts turn longingly to matrimony she hesitated then said forgive me dear for what im going to say try to say maybe for ill probably lose my courage its about you and kent dont bother len theres nothing to say about kent and me rosemary dont put me off im so fond of you I 1 so want you to be happy youve done so much for me stop crying goose or your eyes will be red and jim will think the wedding is off I 1 cant talk to you about kent because theres simply nothing to say when there is if there is you shall know it there were no loiterers loiter ers at the luncheon table next day everybody knew that it was imperative to clear the room as quickly as possible everybody was equally convinced that his or her services would be welcomed in the work of decoration kent locked the door in their very faces saying gaily look here we want you to be impressed we want you to murmur admiringly when you come back here for the wedding those left in charge of the work brought swift hands to their task everything had been planned to the last bit of ivy which trailed over the window arches in less than an hour the room was transformed to the stately music pt of the wedding march ellen came in walking alone but preceded by rosemary the two girls made a lovely picture one in blue her face serious beneath the wide hat the other radiant in her misty veil and robes motherless both of them thought edith standish and swallowed a sob one of them was about to trust her happiness to a man she had known little longer than a month the other hesitated to put her iia hand into that of her childhood playmate A few minutes later ellen receiving the good wishes of the guests had a moment to speak of the setting for her wedding its all too lovely for words Rose rosemary maryl I 1 never dreamed you could work such magic and magic is just the word for what youve done late that evening when the inn still happily thrilled over the afternoons ceremony had settled down tor for its nights rest a small figure stole out to the peppertree pep and sank down on one of the seats rosemary sat there a long time her chin propped on her hand thinking thinking when at last she rose she said in a soft whisper its all settled tor for me now ellens wedding has shown me what I 1 must do rosemary was ill whether she had tired herself too much in the preparations for ellen carters wedding or whether she had sat too long under the peppertree pep in the cool california night she did not mow all she was conscious was as aching bones and a sore throat A few days in bed would cure her she was sure of that she sent tor for simmons and explained matters to him dont bring the professor any farther than the door she commanded it do for him to catch my cold dont fuss simmons no of course I 1 dont want a doctor you ought to know that im never ill she dozed feverishly most of the day mrs standish came in to see her in the afternoon despite the girls protests doctor prescribes rest and quiet nonsense I 1 wont catch your cold you picked up this jrr because youre run down my myta if you arent better in the morning im going to send for a doctor in the morning she was neither better nor worse all she wanted in the world she said crossly to simmons was plenty of cool water to drink and to be let alone when her bedroom door was opened just before noon she lifted her head in quick irritation then dropped it on the pillow again when she saw who were her visitors mrs elliot how good of you to come but truly you ought not I 1 have a horrid sore throat as I 1 told mrs standish she finished with a reproachful glance at kents mother yes im here to look at that throat said another voice cooly before she could answer a tongue depressor was slipped into her mouth say ah pl please easel who called you doctor pearson she asked a few minutes later never mind who called me young lady you should have done it yourself you know now take a deep breath another another he thumped and listened in a businesslike manner for a while A touch of flu nothing to worry about but youre going to need quiet and rest for a week or so youre pretty tired out you see what have you been doing to yourself she gave him a taint faint grin being maid of honor at a wedding all I 1 expect the excitement too much for me U S hm well im sending you to the hospital for a little while this is no place for sickness A hospital ho she could not have been more horrified if hed said a but I 1 wont go to a hospital if im as contagious as all that ill get a nurse IU ill get two nurses youre not contagious that throat is clearing up very nicely but I 1 told you you need quiet A nurse or even half a dozen nurses nurse keep out the noise of this place radios going doors opening and closing voices in the halls it wont do be sensible now and let me move you to a comfortable room where you can sleep and sleep TO BE CONTINUED I 1 k 0 |