Show r f. r Ti j 1 i b t r ia i s t Y lW u i 1 1 iwo o to o a aBY am amBY I. I I BY B Y LIDA LID L IDA A L LARRIMORE A R O 0 MACRAE SMITH CO SERVICE ERV r. r THE STORY STO THUS HUS FAR Charming wealthy Gay Cay for short Graham Gr ham engaged to Todd Janeway returns J to a cabin in ta the Maine Blaine woods accompanied by a friend Kate The Idea of 5 a stay at the cabin occurred to her when she received a key to It following the death of her ber godfather Uncle John Lawrence The two girls ls notice that someone Is ls living to In the thc cabin Kate suspects that Gay knows the Identity of the mysterious occupant The Thc mystery man returns He Is John Houghton a young 8 doctor r whom Gay had known In previous years Immediately aggressive t Gay V Vif if asks vi hIm Wm by y what hat right he Is ls In ln the thc cabin Ills rl right ht- ht she finds finds- Is greater than her ber own He lie He too possesses a key but more than that Is heir to It from his Uncle John Gays Gay's s godfather Gay Is high handed with him and he states courteously that he will L leave Looking at him In the doorway her old feelings return She knows that he Is more necessary to her than Is Todd Jane Jane- way the man she is 1 to marry marry- Gay asks John to reconsider consider his decision to leave The next morning brings a different feeling and John decides to remain for his one vacation more week The Thc night before Gay and Kate are afe to return home to New York John r hn gets an urgent rc request to call at a nearby farm Gay accompanies 1 him while he cares for the patient Returning to the cabin at a late hour bour John n. n stops f the car lie He tells teUs Gay that he loves her and I she admits that he Is necessary 5 4 to her happiness s- s Meanwhile worried by their absence Kate has called 11 Todd In New Janeway york She knows that Gay Gny and John feel i a strong attachment for each other and wants Todd to come to Maine i where e he can to talk to Gay Car Todd arrives while Kate Is alone She breaks the news to him Todd warmhearted and generous Is heartsick but refuses to become melodramatic Gay and John Wb who have bave been canoeing return t to the cabin there to find Todd f CHAPTER VI Continued VI-Continued Continued 9 9 Yes Todd was attractive He wore his well cut clothes with a non non- nonchalant nonchalant air and his manner even evenin 9 in this difficult situation was poised considerate assured In compari compari- comparison son zon John seemed a little clumsy diffident unsure What was it in him that aroused a more devastating devastating devastatIng ing emotion than in all the years of knowing mowing him she had ever felt for Todd Her eyes moved along the back of his leather jacket to his crisp dark hair One lock blatant blatant- blatantly ly waving stood erect at the crown of his head Looking at it her brief resentment melted and in the emo emo- emotion emotion emotion tion which swept through her fur fur- further further ther Cher comparison was impossible John I she called silently Johnl John He turned as though she had bad spoken spoken spoken ken his name aloud His expression softened His mouth quivered His thin dark face brightened at what what- whatever whatever whatever ever it was he read in her eyes Their long glance asked and an an- answered answered before he turned again to Todd If U you'll excuse me he said saidi i very courteously Ill go out and get in some wood Can I help you Todd asked thank No you John picked up the wood basket and went out of the room Silence followed Gay tossed her cigarette into the fire Todd walked to the hearth stood looking at Gay through the lamplight Her eyes rested on her hands clasped tightly in her lap Its pleasant here he said pres pres- I to Yes isn't it l L Have Hae you rested Oh Ob yes yes yes- You look very well Im feeling feeling- She glanced up at him Todd she said and was wast t J- J f silent I know all about it Gay he said 7 steadily You love him You want L to be free She nodded then cried softly Todd dear Im I'm so sorry His composure was shaken An expression of pain darkened his bright hazel eyes What is it he asked in a low strained voice What y j have I done or not done Nothing Come sit here she sher r said gently You look so tired He sat beside her on the couch His head dropped back against the cushions His eyes closed She took his hand ran her fingers across the smooth tanned skin the slender fingers angers Presently he opened his eyes t Dont think I came to interfere he be said Kate called me was me-was was it last night I feel as though Id I'd lived a full tun time lifetime since then and died and been and been buried burled I supposed Kate had She's looked so guilty all day I dont don't care except for you I we I-we we had in In- intended intended tended tended La to leave for home today but butt butr t r there were re repairs to be done on the car We i Kate and I. I He sat forward I. I Then you arent aren't arentIm arentIm Im going home You dont don't sup sup- suppose suppose pose do you that Id I'd let you face t. t the cataclysm the cataclysm alone Besides a t. t promise Is a promise and if 11 you you you- Nol Not His quick protest brought her to a stop God no nol I dont don't want you to marry me from a sense h of duty or pity or kindness He Hek k bent forward his face in his hands But Gay dear why couldn't you have have have- k Did It does It-does docs It mean so much to tot t you she asked wonderingly He sat erect stared at her as t. t though she were a stranger Donl Dont you know know know-haven't haven't you known what its it's meant to me r But It was all so so casual I thought you wanted It that way Youve You've always ridiculed sentiment I 1 was glad that you wanted a church wedding Not that Ive I've enjoyed the clatter and fuss But I wanted you to want all the old enchantments Something old and something new new new- Isn't that the way it goes And Andl l choir boys and maids brides and confetti I wanted us to do all the silly things people used to before romance and sentiment went out of style I thought that after we were married married- How little Ive I've known you she marveled And how little Ive I've known you Youve You've never spoken of this place of John I had no Idea that when he came to your debutante party I you he Kate he-Kate Kate told me you didn't expect him to be here when you came How came How long have you known him Gay Since I was fifteen Since the summer I spent here with Uncle John Then that's the answer Ive I've known all along that you weren't as certain as I was I tried Forgive me me Oh Oh what must you think of me He took her hands in his looked at her steadily very seriously Ive always thought you were the loveli loveli- loveliest loveliest loveliest est person Ive I've ever known Its It's the habit labit of a lifetime I cant can't break it t now Tears streamed down over her cheeks She made no attempt to check them themI themI I want you to know w she said said that I feel toward you now at athis this his moment just as Ive I've always felt This This This-this this thing that has hap happened hasn't changed it I love you as my best and my dearest dearest- friend But you love John more She nodded Im so sorry she cried pityingly Im too fond of you to tell you less than the truth He laid her hands gently in her lap ap rose walked to the place fire stood with his back to her lighting a cigarette When he be turned his face was peaceful I like him you know He smiled wearily through the smoke from the cigarette That put me at a dis dis- dis- dis advantage I cant can't offer to knock his ils head oft off I couldn't anyway Hes He's bigger than I am Its It's all allright allright allright right Gay Is It Her voice was wistful Im I'm so fond of you I think of rid rid- riding ridIng ing our ponies together and Miss Kittys Kitty's dancing class and your first sailboat sail t and tea-dances tea and foot foot- football football ball games and skiing and house parties at Princeton His smile wavered And it doesn't do any good Her eyes fell away from his face less peaceful now drawn with fa fatigue fa fa- fatigue tigue and pain It uIt It only makes me more certain she said scarcely audibly He drew a long shaken breath Well lOWell that's that Glancing up she saw the corners of his lips Ups lift lUt in a I difficult smile I should say now in a husky busky voice but with a smile that Ill I'll always love you little girl and if 11 you ever need me or want me me- me His voice altered I do say sayI I it It Gay Ive I've had considerable experience ex ex- experience experience getting you out of scrapes II U you ever need me me- me Youre a dear Todd I wish wish wish- He flung the cigarette into the fire went to the thc couch dropped down beside her drew her close in ina Ina a strong embrace Gay darling cant can't you his lips whispered against her cheek check She put aside his eager arms Her hands lifted to his face Her eyes met his bright now with a sort of despairing hope that moved her to pity gentleness poignant re re- re- re gret Todd Todd darling she said saidI I wish I could Gay opened the kitchen door stepped outside closed the door cau cau- Johns John's figure detached It Itself it it- itself self sell from shadows at ot the edge of the thc clearing She ran to meet him himI I coming to meet her ber His ills arms caught her lifted her set her feet feel on the ground I hoped you would come be said his lips against her cheek check checkI I shouldn't have Kate heard me I know though she pretended to be asleep And Todd feels 10 so badly I cant can't think of them 1 I cant can't think of anything except being with you Her eyes lifted above his shoulder The uThe moon she cried softly breathlessly Its UIt's so peaceful She sighed I cant can't imagine being in the city Will you be I dont don't know Mother and Rob Robert ert my step father are arc are still in Southampton I suppose They'll be moving into the city though now that there isn't to be a wedding Dad and Aunt Flora may not open the town house this winter They're thinking of staying on at Dunedin I 1 want to be where time will pass quickly I dont don't know know- When you talk of your family family- John paused What she asked quickly You sound sound- I lose you he said diffidently Here we are so close When you go away away I I cant can't even imagine what your life is there If I could say every hour during the day now Gay is waiting for the postman post now she's playing tennis now she's having hav hav- having having ing lunch now she's walking down downtown downtown downtown town to get a soda at the drug drug- drugstore drugstore drugstore store I would feel closer to you But I cant can't Imagine your life It is t I r rr I r How Dow little Ive I've known you she marveled wouldn't be more difficult if 11 you were a Chinese princess Its It's just justIve just just- justIve justIve Ive I've nothing to go by he finished lamely You still resent me dont don't you she asked Not you as you are here with me My life then I saw It tonight when Todd and I talked of mutual acquaintances of things that were happening in New York But I was afraid Seeing afraid Seeing him here with you you you-He's He's Hes known you al al- al- al ways You have things in common And he is attractive I was jealous and I despised myself for being jeal jeal- ous He gave a short mirthless laugh 1 was was stuffy stuffy wasn't I You were and it was silly of you I know Im I'm sorry and ashamed I cant can't discard the years be be- before before fore now all at once as a snake sheds its skin Of course you cant can't Im I'm un un- un- un reasonable But when Ive I've nothing to go by by- by Ill give you something Every hour of every day were we're apart you youcan youcan youcan can say Wherever Gay Is she's lov lov- loving loving loving ing me and thinking of me and wanting time to pass quickly Sweet His Ilis voice trembled I Ilove Ilove love you so And I love you Remember that and nothing can spoil it Nothing CHAPTER VII Gay roused at a touch on her shoulder She opened her eyes and blinked up into the thc pleasant placid face of Mathilde her mothers mother's mid mid- aged dle-aged dle aged maid For an Instant she lay drowsily smiling not fully awake then her eyes widened she sat erect What time is It she asked Half past seven Miss Gay the thc woman said smiling You asked to tobe tobe tobe be wakened have been murder done if I 1 hadn't been Gay tossed back the covers and swung herself Into a sitting position on the side of the thc bed Its uIt's snowing Mathilde held a blue silk negligee embroidered with daisies knelt knell with blue satin mules for Gays Gay's feet Grand A white Christmas Gay drew the negligee around her wrig wrig- wriggled wriggled wriggled her feet into the thc mules That makes everything practically per per- perfect Your bath Is ready Mathilde smiled at Gays Gay's excitement Will you have a breakfast tray Orange Juice and coffee Gay disappeared into the bathroom I wont won't have time for anything else On the thc walls of the thc bathroom wild orchids grew lush among tropical trees The Thc alcove In which the tub was set was paneled with mirrors Gay splashing vigorously made none of her customary mental ob ob- observations observations upon the results achieved by the young interior decorator who was her mothers mother's latest All of her attention was centered upon the fact incredible but excitingly excitingly excitingly true that John was arriving In New York on this the morning of Christmas Eve for a holiday visit Noel Noel she sang rubbing herself with a soft warmed toweL For an instant the song recalled the Christmas Eve shed she'd spent at school in Switzerland Shed She'd like to go into a Catholic church this evening at twilight a French Catholic church where light candle would shine on brightly painted figures in inthe inthe inthe the manger scene and a choir boy with the voice of an angel would sing the carol running now through her mind That symbolized Christ Christ- Christmas Christmas mas for her had as far tar back as she could remember before the school in Switzerland since Made Made- Mademoiselle Mademoiselle moiselle Dupin the governess of whom shed she'd been fondest had taken her as a child chUd to her church on succeeding Christmas Eves Back into the bedroom again Ma Ma- Mathilde Mathilde Mathilde thilde had laid out her Noel Noel Noel Noel Noel Noel- she sang dealing hurriedly with chit chit- chiffon fon and silk She stood before the therow therow therow row of hangers in the wardrobe So uSo the keynote is simplicity How long ago that seemed She selected a wool dress 4 sJ the e silver Jray of a kit kittens kitten's kittens kit kit- kittens kitten's tens ten's fur the the darker gray fur coat the fur cap to match it which made her look like a Russian princess As she sat at the table dressing pin pin- pinning pinning ning red brown curls in at the nape of her neck Mathilde came in with the tray Would you like me to o ring for Carl she asked placing the tray trayon on a low table beside the windows looking out over the river No Ill I'll use a taxi She didn't want her first moments with John to be spent under the discreet but interested scrutiny of Carls Carl's lively blue eyes behind Carls Carl's attentive whip cord cord back The servants both here and at Dunedin were curl curio curious ous about John No wonder after what they'd heard and seen when she and Kate returned from Maine Not that she cared especially but if it could be avoided avoided- Its eight o'clock Miss Gay Mathilde hovering said It is Good Heavens I must fly She slipped into the coat Ma Mathilde I thilde held tilted the thc fur cap over one eye caught up purse and gloves paused for an instant to admire her reflection in the mirror and went hurrying out of the room Lights glowed in the hall of the apartment Her stepfather step called to her through the open door of the dining Good Good morning she said stand stand- |