Show THE marshbanks 00 NORRIS 0 f lN OttRIS 1 Y SO an orphan since olga of be of 0 seven charlotte cherry has been attending saint unto for or girls she knows know almost hoi about aboul her early history but has holly illy come to reallie that she has hai usel ally h ly when she he Is awen twenty ty J judge u dge somes to arrange f to quit the hie convent lie ile is I 1 her co with ru emma haskell Ilat kell cherry adt a as a tier lir mother the and the hendro audro tel telli her that tha I 1 han has gotten her a secretariat secretarial post lul lui the wealthy mrs Potte ous por 1 san francisco where emma Is ean ou cherry hopes that i will wl tell her mote moie about hersel lir cel es ei first to the Mirah banks mansion ties nea alone with the he judge as fran ran ties lint arife and tits his niece amy are a baut out kelly coates an artist drops li Is evident to cherry that fran fra shelly are interested in each other lutr balls easily into tier her job with mrs itan tar who Is III old and semi invalid she apus when site she sees kelly and fran party given by mrs mra porter and ae tops stops to talk with tier her she says dukti lenver I 1 never think anything of her tie be X she on la Is a saint Dorot dorothea heals girl tells cherry that her sister elsler char ras chernys cherrys Cherr Cher yi rys mother kelly with in his old car picks up cherry she h ls is hiking ed and takes her to studio continue with the story CHAPTER VII I 1 ter lunch lie begged them hem to le tho table dl disorder border just as as because he could not another moment to show i hiti his paintings they went to the big barn and while kelly drugged dragged id dusted canvas after canvas 7 and fran were looking and hitrik Idt lenting neither one assumed m of his art but he no ac their criticisms gratefully lt mb pointed out details of technique lo 10 thought that he might be byg ag yg his audience somewhat be wilm enal en j fran drifted to the north window that had been wn to td the floor and stood look ablo iAly b between long home curtains at the now steadily lofb went over to stand ll 11 nit her and after a moment ive my y returned returned to the house thrilled lan meri mere nearness of their emo ad reil realizing izing what this moment might mean to them for she ot it ein been blind and deaf to the antle t casual phrases and Is that had been sprinkled ill the luncheon talk she was arthello Rt laware aware that judge marshbanks hello she had even heard iati a moment when she sup tl he herself out of hearing in the n answer some remark of kele tuh tk a patient because he igind out about it and be I 1 ahli say she was alonge at u llan ri aln another second no badlu I 1 promise kelly and I 1 im promise frari ry had heard no more and athae did hear had not surprised toi surmised from a I 1 1 pa f open remark or two made in tr astr that judge marshbanks had logi louhis his wife afe not to see kelly and d he aio two had met by cnance pere risking a discovery that A I 1 I 1 havo been extremely buncom iiii foil fortham for them thern both ita i tn do when she found heiselt alone igi kitchen she began to feel a shame and discomfort in the lie was playing in their secret jt ashamed for them and for ft 1 th the kitchen clock said vt went back to the Fran jand kelly were still ilg atthe window looking out 11 rafiQ that was mingling now I 1 A I 1 e ty I 1 I 1 dusk I 1 is r ing steadily again when e iv it t to the open car fran fuse ellys suggestion that dephon t for a taxi she had we Wo kl galate late bowl now I 1 well be in twenty minutes lets make tor hi 4 aw ft were ere bundled into aina aln cote with bandannas ban dannas tied air leads s they packed them into tae wide seat and raised bielli close over them A r of t iiii adlle ille down the hill there idan and cherry felt the of wheels skid t and A instantly they were ditch with the engines auck infra 6 a dripping brink bank repeated efforts had proved le ie carI ca rould would not move with rood cherry and fran got out I 1 od a till still laughing philosophy d der umbrella W idt hurry im just as good aced d now frans voice with of laughter and sll au litake oi only take a minute kel for fully ten wrenching at the g J his face red lied damn ui muttered under his breath spun around uselessly groove of 0 soft wet lw 18 g d b etter better go back I 1 think and 0 4 a taxi fran said d im sorry about this the sid aid alio apologetically the old I 1 alet me down be before forel I 1 felito could supply no taxi but kial anci ico obligingly offered to Y e V f js A they waited cherry tele J V teania nina I 1 she had come with I 1 t S they were dei atho storm they would be I 1 hour tell mrs belshe a she was torry emma diat t the old lady had felt and was in bed dhe cherry try nee need d not hurry this A V 4 we A MT FA I 1 VW V W J f 7 after lunch lie he begged beeped licin them to leave the he table disorder just as it 11 was because lie could not wall waft another moment to show ills his paintings relieved cherrys chernys Cher rys mind fran was restless and uneasy and kelly miserably aware of it ills his happy day was having tho the worst possible conclusion he had long ex hausted apology and encouragement and could only settle down with his guests at the fire and make the best of a bad job it seemed a long long time be tore fore the honk ofa taxi was heard outside fran insisted that kelly should not come with them they said hurried good nights and were off cherry fran said there calling her by her name for the first time will you do me a great favor of course cherry said with a slightly quickened beat at her heart and a puzzled look 1 I want you to come home with me its perfectly obvious fran explained that weve been caught in the rain together I 1 want my husband to know that you were with me cherry was strangely stirred fran the remote and proud had made her the recipient of her confidence or at least part of it she said that she would gladly go home with fran before going on to her own destination fran did not pursue the subject further and at six they entered the front door of tho the marsh banks house molly and martin maid and butler came forward immediately and fran asked anxious ly it if judge marshbanks was at home no not yet cherry felt the relief in her voice where was rous seau right here madame the chauff chauffeur eur appeared and fran drew him aside for a moments talk rousseau says jud had to go to son san joso jose to court this afternoon she then said as she and cherry went upstairs and hes coming back late with mr trotter so au all righta you poor child youre shivering I 1 have to go out to dinner but why dont you stay and have some with amy the poor mou mouse se Is in bed with a boldt yes do yes dol do called amy from her room and her first gesture of friendliness so warmed cher rys heart that she could go to the room door and look in upon its pinkness and warmth and coziness as she explained im all wet and take a bath in my room here im dying of loneliness all my friends are afraid amy sold said eagerly youve just been taking care of flu so youre in no danger stay and have supper and talk ill lend you a hostess dress id love it cherry said gladly she was about to enter when an unexpected and unfamiliar voice behind her made her turn and find herself facing fran and also facing a magnificently impressive older woman a woman bof perhaps seventy who was staring at her with a surprised and unfriendly eye fran had been welcoming this stranger commenting upon tier her arrival a few days earlier than she had bad been expected from florida explaining pla ining her own plight now she introduced cherry miss bawling naw ling gran cherry this Is mrs mar marsh banks the judges mother miss who demanded the old lady sharply following fran after a perfunctory nod to cherry cherry heard fran murmuring in answer the words were indistinct but her tone was conciliatory and apologetic suddenly the other worn wom ans voice sounded clearly just be tore fore frans frana bedroom door closed of course I 1 know who she Is I 1 knew the minute I 1 saw herl and I 1 wont have amy know her I 1 wont have her in this housel house 1 cherry stood still for a moment idly reflecting upon the bad temper of this proud handsome old lady at the moment it did not inot occur to her to attempt to give these words significance still less to connect them in any way with her insignificant self but they remained indelibly imprinted upon her memory and the day came when they found their rightful place in her story judge marshbanks came into the room while amy and cherry were talking and seemed pleased to find them so cozy and friendly he was tired after a long day in the san jose court and regretted frankly that he could not have supper with his niece and her companion but fran and I 1 are going out to dinner and I 1 must go and dress he sold said so you got caught in the rain did you cherry oh wo we were drowned drow cherry said over at coates place eh things going pretty well over at the porter house both been sick you know mrs porter and and emma she flushed brightly on the last word it seemed disloyal still to call her no more than that but evidently he saw nothing amiss ile he told her that she looked very nice in that thing of amys and that rousseau was taking arar and him to the dinner and would then come back and wait for ch cherry or oh I 1 can falkl only two blocks and its stopped raining she protested tested d but ho he would not hear of it rousseau was to call for them after their dinner party at half past ten he would be on service anyway well be good come and see u us s again cherry the judge said and when he was gone the girls feli tell to aag eager er talk agni again n there was a light in emmas room when she quietly climbed the stairs cherry went in sat down near the bed and poured out the story of the d day a y emma listened in the consales cents mood of weary content until cherry came to the request from fran that cherry on the return trip come first to the marshbanks house why on earth she drop you here tt if you were dripping wet well we quite dripping wed sort of dried out over fit mr coates place but she was worried for tear fear judge marshbanks at for going to have lunch with mr coates got an awful crush on each other aunt emma the title slipped out cherrys chernys Cher rys face turning red as she heard her voice saying it and emmas slow flush burning in her thin cheeks in answer 1 I cant help it I 1 think of you as aunt emma now cherry said laughing but a little frightened you can call me anything you like emma conceded briefly so mrs marshbanks thinks ashes in love with this painter she asked hes certainly in love with her cherry answered ive never met judge marshbanks second wife emma said reflectively but ive seen her and she looks like one of the women who live for that sort of thing always the ones with good husbands too he seem very angry he came in ino to amys room and he was awfully nice alyd had flu and since wed had it here there seem to be much danger of my bringing it back and soi had supper with her we had it on trays and it was 1 lets ts of funt 1 I thought you like amy emma said quietly watchful 1 I d cherry had a swift moment of surprise that emma knew it she was extremely snobbish when we had the dance here for dorothy she said but she was lovely tonight oh and aunt emmat emmal her grandmother Is back she got back today she come into amys room because of ithe the flu but she brought her all sorts of things youre sick aga again iril no just a little taint faint I 1 dont believe ill ever get my strength back again emma whispered in the morning old mrs porter had a serious setback and was dangerously gerou sly ill A few strange days a week went by doctors came and went lawyers came and went judge marshbanks had a long talk with emma the telephone and the doorbell both muffled were constantly in action all the world wanted to know how old dovey porter was faring just two weeks from the rainy day when cherry and fran had come home truants from Top cote the old lady quietly passed away the judge and amy and fran came to the funeral in the cathe dral with hundreds of other black clad folks cherry and emma with the entire domestic staff were modestly placed at the side eide of the church TO BE CONTINUED |