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Show S5 DOUBLE MISTAKE CORNER By Richard Hill Wilkinson IT was convenient thought Martha Sidney that Larry had money. "You see," she confided to Dorlce Merton, who was to be maid of honor hon-or at the wedding, "Larry could hardly expect me to accompany him on these ex- 3UI.... cursions into the MinUie wuderness. After Fiction all he has enough I I money so that this forestry business he's interested in could be classed as a hobby." Dorlce was dubious. "I sometimes wonder, Mart, whether or not you're wise in marrying Larry. Somehow I feel that he expects you'll be eager to follow him Into the woods." I "Asburdi How could he expect me to get a thrill out of trees. Besides, there's that little summer home of his just outside of town. I'd much prefer to live there where I can entertain en-tertain my friends and make some good use of his money." It was rather an elaborate wedding. wed-ding. Martha's mother, who called her daughter extremely fortunate at making such a catch, went the limit. She didn't want Larry to think Martha was hopelessly poor. The couple rpent a two weeks' "Larry, darling," she said, "please let me stay." Larry looked at her in bewilderment. bewilder-ment. He saw the whiteness about her lips, and knew suddenly that she had never intended to go with him. There was a quality in his voice when he replied that frightened her. "So that's how it is 7 I'm the season's sea-son's outstanding sucker, eh?" He shrugged. 'Tomorrow I'm leaving for the woods and you're going with honeymoon on Long Island and returned re-turned to Larry's summer home in Albany in late September. All during dur-ing the boat ride up the Hudson, Larry talked of the woods rnd their glory in autumn. That night he said: "Butter get your packing done, honey. We're leaving early." Martha arched her brows In surprise. "My packing! Why, Larry, dear, you don't expect me to accompany yon Into the wilderness! " me wnetner you nice u or not." They departed by tram the next morning. At Saranac they shifted to a power boat, and for hours drove steadily in the wilderness. At the head of the last chain of lakes they disembarked. The power boat sung away. Martha and Larry were left alone, standing on a narrow strip of wilderness that projected out into the lake. There was a log cabin, a canoe and nothing else. Martha felt afraid and very much alone. Larry had been painfully formal for-mal during the entire trip. The mountains, the stillness, the vast solitude awed and frightened her. She stood quite still until the last faint put-put-put of the power launch had faded. Then she turned and entered the cabin .hat was to be her home. IN spite of herself Martha could not help enjoying her new existence. exist-ence. For the first time in her life she knew sheer joy at just being alive. The cabin was comfortable and home-like. There were books. There was work to be done. Larry made no effort to assist her about the cabin. His eyes still held the same cold glint that bad frightened fright-ened her on the night before their departure. He seldom spoke, was away from the cabin a good deal and spent his evenings bent over drawings and reports. It was a month before Larry let down the barrier. Ha came up from behind Martha as she stood alone on a bluff overlooking the lake. She turned at his step and looked into his eyes. The cold glint was gone. "The power launch is due back tomorrow," be said. "Yon may go back with the driver if you like. I guess I made a mistake." mis-take." Martha felt a lump in her throat and swallowed hard. "Larry, darling, please let me stay. I I've been selfish. Can't you forgive me?" Larry's head jerked up. For one brief moment he stared. "Martha, Martha, I hoped, I wanted you to love the woods as I do. I brought you here for that purpose, pur-pose, and thought I'd failed." Martha pulled his face down and kissed lt, "Let's forget the past, Larry, sweetheart and start all over again. I really don't feel as if I've had a real honeymoon. Let's begin 1 over again. Nowt Here!" |