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Show The TheSILVER TheSILVEI SILVER SILVEI S7OA&aV d S7 OA&aV OAaV & OA&aVBy SILVERFLUTE SILVEIFLUTE FLUTE FLUTEBy By Lida r.ida rida f.ida fida . Larnmore Larrimore LarrimoreQ eo Q , ilftcrao MlLCrao ESacrno Smith Sith Oomp CompanywNB Company CompanyOn .nT nT . .nTWNU WNU wNB SorvlcoSYNOPSIS sorvlco SYNOPSIS SYNOPSISOn On her eighteenth elshteenlh birthday , Bar Bar- Barbara Barbara Barbara - bara , , motherless motherloss daiiBhter daughter of ot Christopher Christ Christ- Christopher Christopher - opher Thorne , 10 lovable losable ' nble but Impracllc\l Impracllc l impractictl impractictlartfat ImpracllclarUst Impractlcilftrtlat ' \ arUst artfat , , & dwalcos &wnltes wnltes awakes Vilth v.lth vlth with . lively anticipationo anticipationor antlctpatlonof anticipation antlctpatlon or of ( tho the Joys of ot the tho day She rocclvci receive rocelves ' , .moas moas among . other presents prosents prosonta a II . birthday tinsfrom ring ringfrom ringfrom from Bruco MacLaIn MacLaln MacIattn young nrtlst artist nrtlstfriend artistfriend artistfriend friend of ot the family , but rnore more than thanfriend thanfriend thanfriend friend to Barbara Bnrbara Barbara and Brucego Brucego Bruce BruceCHAPTER go pleknlcklng picknicking on the sands at Prov- Prov ProvJoe.town Provlncetown - Joe.town Joetown lncetown . lncetownCHAPTER CHAPTER IIContinued4 II-Continued II Continued II - Continued Continued"It's --4- 4 --4-- - - 4'It's - 4"It's - - . "It's Its 'It's " ' ' like the stormInnuel storm : \ Manuel \Innuel Innuel tens tells tensabout tellsabout tellsabout about ! . " ' Barbara's Barbaras ' ' voice was tinged tingedwith tingedwith tingedfrith with awe . "You You " remember , Bruce- Bruce Brucewhen Brucewhen Bruce Brucewhen - - when seventeen men were drowned drownedThat drownedThat drownedThat That Btorm storm came on a beautiful day : . " ' Thinking of ot Manuel a s story made madeher madeher madeher her suddenly afraid Why ? She didn't didnt didn'tknow didn'tknow didn'tknow didntknow ' know . , It was like something seen seenthrougb seenthrough seenthrough througb through a tog fog , a dim " white "hlte hlte ghost gbost of offear offear offear fear She shivered and pressed closerto closerto closer Ito to Bruce nruce ' "Frightened Frightened 'FrIghtened Bruce"Frightened " ' r ? " ' he be asked asl.ed asled . , conscious consciousof of the shiver shlyer . She nodded , seeing it still sUll , the dImwhite dimwhite dim white ghost of fear"Why fear"Why fear fear"Why "Why Why " ? " ? " "I I UI " don't dont ' know . Sing to me , Bruce . , " . "m m "I'll Ill " ' 1'11 111 ' ' tell you a story In Instead < : ; tead " . "That That 'Tbat Tbat " ' will wlU be niceto nice to " toShe She nestled nestledagainst nestledagainst nestledagainst against him Mm , sighed "A A " happy story storyplease , please . . " Child Chlld , Bruce thought , feeling feeHng still stillthe stillthe stillthe the hurt of her unconcerned , 'I I ' ! hope hopeyou'll hopeyou'll hopeyou'll hopeyoull you'll youll ' havp have a nice trip " lie fie He saw her herfingers herfingers herfingers fingers curling around his hind h'lnd hlnd hand ' and all allother allother allother other emotions " were "ere ere lost In tender tenderness tenderness tenderness ness She was a frightened chhI child childclinging [ , clinging to him . , wanting to be com corn comtorted cornforted cornforted torted forted . . . . . , 'Once Once ' Once upon a time , " he began , Ws his Wslips hislips hislips lips close to her ear , 'theie theie 'there there ' thel e was a agypsy agypsy agypsy gypsy boy who loved very dearly a aUttle alittle alittle Uttle little gypsy girl Her face was the theshape theshape theshape shape of or a heart The boy thought It Itwas itwas Itwas was a beautiful beautlrul face He Be ' : saw law It t [ e\ery- e ery every eerywhere e \ cry-where cry where - . where , In the clouds , In the forest forestpools forestpools forestpools pools , . In 1n the flames of the gypsy gypsyfire gypsyfire gypsyfire fire . . . . . .n n . .nBarbara " Barbara , listening , almost held her herbrea.th herbreath herbreath brea.th breath . . Was It only a story ? She Sheforgot Sheforgot Sheforgot forgot the storm , forgot to be fnght fright fnghtened frightened fnghtened ened Was Bruce talking taU.lng taUlng . to her her7 her7"They ? ' "They They " played In the tl1E woodland together together to | gether , " he continued , , 'the the ' the g\ g gvpsy gpsy gypsy \ psy boy boyand boyand boyand and the gypsy girl whoce whose vvho : < = e face was "as as " the theshape theshape theshape shape of a heart The boy didn dldn t dare dareto dareto dareto to tell her he 10 loved hosed ' ed her because she shewas shewas shewas was a little girl , no higher than his hisheart hisheart hisheart heart , and he "asn asn wasp " wasnt t sure that she sheknew sheknew sheknew knew about being In 10 love lose ' e . . , : . " ' Barbara's Barbaras ' heart beat fast A ring ringof ringof ringof of twisted gold I ' She pressed It against againsther againsther againsther her cheek"The cheek cheek"The ' "The The 'The " ' boy had a silver flute fiute , " Bruce Brucecontinued Brucecontinued Brucecontinued continued . . . "He He " played It onlv only for forher forher forher her At night whne the moon 'as as was wassluning , wassluning 'asslunlng " ' slunlng sluning he played for her on bis his slh stlser stlserflute silverflute er erflute flute . . . The flute knew only one songI song- song song'I song - 1 'I I ' I love you , little gypsy girl glrl \ with Ith the theroscs theroses theroses roscs roses in your hair ' He hoped she shewould shewould shewould would understand the song of the thesilver thesilver theallvcr silver flute . . . He lie hoped she would love lovehim lovehim lovehim him , too . . . , . , . " She heard It singing slngmg In her heart heartthe , the song of the slh stls silver er flute It was wasamasing \ wasamazing as asamazing amazing amasing but It was true arbara Barbara Barbaralifted Barbaralifted arbarallfted llfted lifted her head , . saw sn.w snw the expression In InBruce's inBruce's InBruce's InBruces Bruce's Bruces ' eyes , siw S'lW SlW saw ' and under.tood undertood understood understood.The understoodThe : . . . . The emile smne smile that was close to tears tearstouched tearstouched tearstouched touched her lips again ' She understands " she sild s'lld slld slid ' softl softly softly"She softiv"She softivShe "She She " hno knows " 8 about being In love " The storm had blo blown " n [ Itself teelf ; out outThe outThe outThe The wind was quiet , now , and sunset sunsetcolors sunsetcolors sunsetcolors colors deepening Into night Dlght , strcahed streaked strcahedthe streakedthe streakedthe the sky In the west nest . . The storm was wasno , wasno \ as asno no longer a menace'Happy menace mcnace menace'Happy 'Happy Happy ' , ? ' ' Bruce asked RsI"ed RsIed " , above abo\'e abo 'e e \ " ' the thenoise thenoise thenoise noise of the engine . . "Mmm Mmm " I ! " Barbara . nestled nestlcd closer Into Intothe intothe intothe the curve of his arm It wasn't wasnt ' all allbeing allbeing allbeing being happy , she thought . She felt feltdIfferent feltdfferent feltdifferent dIfferent dfferent [ , older , quite grown up tip It Itdidn't Itdidn't Itdidn't Itdidnt didn't didnt ' seem possible poscIbIe ; that onlv on1v only this thismornIng thismorning thismorning happybecause mornIng she had been perfectly perfedlv happy because It was her birthday and there therewere therewere therewere were going to be presents and a party "Bruce Bruce party"Bruce " , " she said sald . , thinking thlnklng aloud"Hmm aloud"Hmm aloud aloud"Hmm "Hmm Hmm " ? " 'I11 I11 ' I 111 1l never nerer net er be perfectly happy agiin ag'lln aglln again ' " "Why Why " not not7 not ' ? ' ' he asked , surprised and anda a little hurt . . Because 'Because ' , , " she gra\ gra gral gravely grasel3 \ ( l explained "Ill Ill explained"Ill " " thotaxis thetads thetarts ' 111 alvvavs al\va\s al va s alwass \ \ be thlnhn thinking [ about all the tads tarts that could run 0\1 0 1 osrr ov \ ( ' r ' 3'OU 3OU Sou ' ou , , and andgerms andgerms andgerms germs and bombs and tilings tlllns things : { " . ' D Dirllngi nllng nllngI irling I ' " The anxiety an\lety an lety \ : in her voice voiceamused voiceamused voiceamused amused and touched touch.d touchd ( . him 'Go Go ' with withme " withme Ith Ithme me tomorrohe tomorrow tomorro\\ tomorro \ \ , , " he said softly . 'Don Don ' Don t let's lets ' ' wait walt.h walth . . " ' "I I " 1 ' couldn't couldnt ' , Bruce " she slid s\ld s ld s'ild sild ' \ firmly . , firmly.although firmlyalthough although her heart beat faster ' it 'It th the I'llhave Illhave thought drought thethought thedrought ' It If I ( w \ HO \ e put In a heater hcater , , I'll Ill ' ' have to be here because an bod anybody anbod3 ) } , } could couldcheat couldcheat couldcheat cheat Father And 111 Ill have to see Miss secMiss seeMiss Abble Abbie about making dressesfor some dressee dresses ; for histonsils Gay , and Jamie Jamle ought to have hie his ; tonsils out and- and and"ran and"Tall and - " " Tall "ran ran "Tall " house cleaning , I " " suppose . , he heteased teased teased"Don't heteased"Don't "Don't Dont " ' tease tenee ; , Bruce " Her leer hand on understand"You understandYou his ouhis onhis arm asked ashed liiro him to understand "You You " know how " l"ithcr lithcr I'lther Ilther rather " ' Is De lies flea B a darling adarling but he just doesn doesnt t kno\ kno know knoab knowabout knowabout , \ ab about t dresses and tonsils and things 1- 1 I- I 1Her IHer thingsI dontknow - - " ' Her voice trembled "I I " don t know mnnleBruce man'ibeBruce how bow the tliei the3 . } 11 mnn\le- mnn le man'ibe- man'ibe manibe mam ' \ : , e - " Bruce heard a stifled stltled stilled sob nib IIis ru arm tightened armtightened around ber"They her"They her ber Martba 'farthl1 "liartha They "They " 11 II 1l manage , " " he sa said III "liar liar " ' 'far far ' thl1 tha Is efficient And 11 be you here h.re hre ( . in Inthesumrnei inthe the twowe 0Voe twovie summCI summer Perhaps In a n yeir ye'lr yelr year ' or h two . 0 Voe vie NewYork can ghe gise up tho the job Joh In New York . , . , . , At Christmas , navvle- navvle Babble- Babble Babble " - his lips Ups were against her hair-ioU hair ioU hair-"If "If If hair - "If If " you youwon't youwon't ; youwon't youwont won't wont ' goJth go \ - Tilth \\-Jth Jth with me tomorrow tomorro , " ? ' "Yes Yes " , " she ehe promised gravely . . "Ifrather Ifrather " 'If If 'Ifrather ' If Ifrather rather doesn't doesnt ' mindIt mind It " ' Darling Darllnl : I ! I love you yon so much "Tliere Tliere " There w v . ere lights In the gray shingledhouse shingledhouse shingled shingledhouse house Together they unlatched thegate thegate the thegate gate and walked up the path to thesteps thesteps the thestops"What steps . , stops"What stopsWhat "Wbat Wbat "What What " will your father faUr } ( ! sny1 say ? ' ' Bruceasked Bruceasked Bruce Bruceasked asked , holding ho1dlnJ ; tight to her hand band band"rther hand"rather Tithcr "rather rather "r\ther "r r ther " ' \ low 10 loved ' ed Mother very much much"she muchshe , , " SllC she answered softly . , "I I " think he ,111 111 will ,111understand willunderstand , Rillunderstand understand " . She stood on the 10c lov 10\ 10 \ ' c est t step stq ) and the thelIght thelight thelight lIght from the fanlight fnnllgl1t fell feU on her hercurly hercurly hercurly curly brown hair Bruce ruce saw sa\v sa v \ , . in the thedeepening thedeepening thedeepening deepening dusk , her shining dark darl . eyes eyesthe , the grave little smile that curved cuned cursed b hiisoft 50ft soft red Ups'Babble lips Ups 'Babble Babble ' , " lips'Babble Babbie 'Babble Babble ' , " he asked nshed , "do do " you heir he'1r he1r ' It Itnowthe Itnowthe Itnow now-the now the - the song Bong of ot tl1 the ( ' silver sIher llute2 flute flute"I'll fluteIll ? ' uI'Il uIIl "I'll Ill " ' ' always hear It . " , " she said said"Alwavs said"Alwavs7"Foiever saidAlwavs7Foiever "Alwavs Alwavs Alwavss ' " : ? ' urOl "roreser roreser " e\ e eer \ er and e ever ewer ' er . , " ' Darling , darling I ! I love you so somuch somuch somuch much " . ' The 'fhe fhe front door opened and KIt rat KItstood ratstood Kitstood stood In the tlle rectangle of light'Is light 'Is Is , ' l3 Is that you Babs7 Baus Babs ? " " Ills His voIce voIcesounded voicesounded voicesounded sounded strained and ho\ ho hoe hoarse hoarse"What hont ' \ > e e"What . " "What What " Is It ? ' she ash asked ed , her heart heartthumpIng heartthumping heartthumping thumpIng wildly wlIllly with fright"Iwe fright fright"I ' "I-we-to "I I we to "I-we- "Iwerat "I I " - we-- we weJ - - - - " J Kit rat lt paused and gulpedIIiMr'r gulped gulped'Father's IIiMr'r IIiMrr ' ! ( IIiMr'rt t ri 114 114r 1 l r 114'Father's 'Father's Fathers ' ' Drownedn Drowned ! " ' Barbara . knew I.new Inew he " was "as as trying trymg not h ti hcry ticry t tcry cry ' * What Is It 2 ? ' she asked agam again agam"ItIt again"Itit again"It againIt "It-It "It It " - Its s rather ratber , " Kit answered ansered ans\\ ans answ \ ered erect , , no notrying notrying * . trying , now , to choke chol.e chole . back unmanl unmanly unmanlytears unmanlytears , . tears "He He " went sailing " with "Ith Ith Mr MrLOIIng MrLoiing MrLoiing LOIIng and find the wind broke brol.e brole . the rlggmg rigging rlggmgant riggingand riggingand ant and ; ' the boom must have hit rather be be- because because because - - cause " when hen they got blm- blm him- him blm"rather him"Father him - " " "rather rather "ratherI "Father Father " I ' ' The word was a heart heartbroken heartbroken heartbroken " broken bob boh All An of the color ebbed ebbedout ebbedout ebbedout out of her cheeks Her eyes cyes were weretraglcalI weretragicall3 weretragically traglcalI tragicall3 large 'Ob Ob 'Oh Oh ' Ob no , Kitt Kit I No I ' ' ' Tears 'lears lears splashed o\er o er oer oser \ , Kit's Kits hit's hits ' ' tblfi thin tblficheeL.s thincheeks thischeeks cheeL.s cheeLs cheeks . His chin quivered like m.e me . a achIld achild achild chIld s"Babs s"Babs s s"Babs "Babs Babs " I t ' " * ' ' ' ' he sobbed rather's rathers l'ather's lathers rather'sdrowned l'ather'sdrowned Father'sdrowned Fathersdrowned drowned I ' " " CHAPTER IIIPeople III IIIPeople People " were "ere ere . kind I.l'ld I.lld Illd ki'id kiid ' ' All diy d\y d y ' \ the they theycame theycame $ came to the gray shingled h\ugled h ugled \ house houseEserybody houseEverybody , Eserybody \ erybody was sorry and kind hind and andanxious andanxious I helpI am.lous amlous anxious . to helpI helpCousin helpCousin help helpCousin I Cousin nvie Dvle Evie arrived from Pro Prosldence Prosldenceand Providenceand . Idence Idenceand I roomI and " was "as as [ Installed nst ilIed < in 111 Gi's Gis G's Ga3's Ga3s G\ G ' \ ; , } 's s ' ' room roomAunt roomAunt roomAunt Aunt Josephine she reported , , " vas "as as was just justgetting justgetting justgetting getting over ' one of her spells spel1s " " and andwould andwould andwould would come as soon ' PS f'S fS ns the doctor ga\"e ga "e e gave ga"eher gaveher gaveher \ " her permission permlcslon ; to tras tra travel \ el Cousin D Ev Es , Ie he hewas Iewas was , , as tall and thin tbln " with "Ith Ith cilmped cllmped ciimped yellow- yellow yellowgray yellow-gray yellow gray - . gray hair and a long pink nose In InPro InPros InProvidence Pro Pros , [ ! dence dense she wis W'lS WlS ' merely Aunt Jo Josephlne Josephines Josephlnes sephlne sephines s cclio echo , a n 'poor poor ' poor rcl-itlon rcl itlon rehtlon relation - " . often oftenenough oftenenough oftenenough enough snubbed and disregirded dIsreg'lrded dIsreglrded disregarded ' In Inthe Inthe Inthe the gray shingled hou house < : ; e she fdt fclt felt 1m lm 1mportant lmportant Important ImportantCousin portant portantCousin AugustaMaine Cousin Julia Julin came from froni |