| Show The i ue SILVER FLUTE By gy Lida Lids Larrimore Q eo Macrae Oom Compass 8 lenlee CHAPTER X Continued 19 19 Sometimes I 1 think he will B Bari Oar Bar i wrote to Bruce Druce that lovely BU Out But sometimes I dont don't ow Jt It ifs s a very dl distracting feeling being eing In a lion lions lion's 1 cage coge and not to ke t will chew lion sowing whether the bead off or not But Dut I 1 think he hem hem m our oat more than 1 J think he wont won't Only m tp he would decide I Id I'd feel the theme theme theme wish about the lion Hon me way decided Stephen And then It was evening looking tired me bOlD home borne I one pleased and a little uneasy as aselL nd ad dL elL He had bad presents for the children very Important new news d 4 some Borne Josephine he said I I saw aw Aunt boisterous welcome had sub sub- hen ben ea the ded and ald the presents present had hl been ad ad- red tred Our Aunt Mint Josephine The color tolor led from Barbaras Barbara's face U lire eyes ere wide and startled Is II Is she be a crotchety old lady asked pretending to be led ell Barbara nodded Does she wear diamond ear drops d 4 black silk dresses and white net netis llara Ilan is with points that stick Uck up uner un un- ler er her ber ears r Barb Barbara Barbera ra nodded again Does she live In a house with urns id d elm trees on the lawn and carets carets car- car ets with roses Insider Again Agate Barbara Barb nodded Then I I gu guess ss It wa was y your your ur Aunt Josephine Stephen said with a smile What That did she say the children ionised and then were very stilt still She said youre you're been badly brought Po p Stephen looked at Barbara at atIt atIt It and Gay and Jamie She said you youad youad ad id no DO Idea of ot gratitude She said I 1 Is s I either very brave or utterly a ail oat ooL il But Bat why Uncle Stephen Barara's Bar Bar- aras arai hands clasped each ench other Because Stephen told them I 1 ted ked ber her If It I 1 might keep you You mean i ean were we're to live with you SJ ey 7 asked ready to bounce on the fa a springs Yes les he be answered rumpling her right ht brown curls All of us That was Kit a flush his bis thin dark cheeks hl his hazel eyes Jery err ery bright tAll t. t All of you yon i Chips ChIps too 1 Jamie asked preto pre- pre snag to let out a whoop What would we do without without The whoop was worthy of ot a feath- feath red ed brave on the warpath It broke I e breathless suspense The children ell Ml upon Stephen with joyous shouts shoats I e springs of at the old red sofa creaked a I threatening way The windows flied The coals seemed to dance ance In Ine Inie e ie pate grate Aunt Josephine was right Stephen ild Id when he had emerged somewhat from the lusty strangling em- em races wees Youre a tribe of little sav sav- gsa es You tou have no proper respect or your elders Do you ou want us as to be respectful tiara bara asked watching the perform perform- nee with a happy shine ID in her eyes I 1 like Uke little s savages Vage Stephen had surrendered himself to toe e charms of the four tour CHAPTER XI Aunt Edith did not button her lips lipston hen ton Stephen told her he had bad decided o 0 keep the children He III was accepting pave trave rave responsibility she said Rear Rear- J g e children was waa not an obligation to toM toe e M so lightly assumed It was neither ire lse se nor necessary ry The childrens children's rel- rel wea were able and willing to care or of them Had he considered the pos pos- W ble complications Complications Stephen asked I Ithe 1 ant the children They want to stay t I all 11 seems fairly simple Or Ot course they want to stay Has lias t 1 occurred to you that Barbara Darbara ml might ht ve re e known In n advance that you could PT re e them every luxury and ad- ad I Stephen halted midway between the bed and a chaise longue up up- ered In mauve brocade broade You Yon mean Bean he asked J. J has It octo oc- oc I ed to me that she might have ked eked l up my financial rating Exactly Exactly Stephen laughed She doesn't know there are such lus Inge be le said Mid Tm Im not so t sure ure The laugh augh did It t improve e the state of ot Aunt Edith's IndI lad Ind I 1 am am Stephen phen said curtly e ICs L possible that she might have be needn't he be so M 0 touch touchy she thought Was Quid thInkIng only of ot him It Ith be o n have bave disturbing for tor her ot of urse h be the children here But Dut It it Worse for tor tk Stephen Wily Why he aTe are marrIed Emily She would e. e been Willing to tn endure lure the little That l would have mIlled ed been a arrangement 11 at least Poor v Wh ve 7 couldn't the children stayed where here they tIlEY belonged ot rabble a Impulsive Stephen ephen said Eald she She's hes he's child u She came to me meu meo Use e there o was waa no one else She Se n on only of ot r keeping the children She Stephen Isn't Ii a child The q e-q egression eyes alarmed Aunt Edith I I we 1181 married she said with grew dignity when I 1 was Just juat pear eight ten een She very girl rih y Stephen Stephen- She Me sees Pe people pe 8 M so clearly Stephen sal said MM d thinking of ot B Barbara t to defend her ber Sh She kno knows know It 1 is best beat for tor the children to let them g grow up together She's right Shout It J t too Dabble Babble Babble trusts me I 1 cant can't let he hw her down Shell She's 8 so 80 small mal and plucky and helpless Ills voice was Aunt Edith looked up Youre In love with her her her- Stephen Stephen- to i n she said She had not m meant ant to p put t the thought Into words But Stephen exasperated her beyond endurance beIng being be- be Ing so foolish about the girL j i absurd I Stephen frowned frowne Crowned his brows drawn down over his hla angry eyes It has hns happened before It was true t she he thought Stephen had not escaped Forty she he had hall heard was wasa a very ry d dangerous ageDo ageDo age Do you think that he asked looking at her from under darkly scowling brows I do Indeed No use contradict contradict- ing lag herself Aunt Edith thought There must be some reason wh why you should want to keep these children a reason other than kindness and a desire to make them happy You Vou haven't a high opinion of ot me have hae you Aunt Edith 1 Stephen asked quietly You make me feel tell as though I had taken advantage of ot the confidence confidence dence of ot child a A child Well ell really Stephen tO Do you think that Aunt J Edith I have ha known you for tor some time my dear Aunt Edith Ellith said I cant can't think that you would completely disorganize disorganize your life lite unless s there was a reason reason There was a reason of ot course lie He might have told Aunt Edith that he ha had loved loved Barbaras Barbara's mother nut lent he did not want to tell her lie He was as tired of explanations He lie said Good Goodnight night and walked out of ot the r room lm Aunt Edith sat In the putty puffy armchair armchair arm arm- chair thinking rippling the cards card with witha a sound like a lingering sigh Then she pushed back the card table and walked walked- across the room to her desk When she returned to the chair she ahe spread out on the table a variety varlet of ot tourist catalogues and time tables and folders With a small gold pencil she ahe traced a leisurely journey across the continent She made notations and added rows of ot figures At Intervals she unbuttoned her lips to al sigh h. h Stephen told Natalie the story tb the next afternoon She sat beside the library fire when he be returned from tram the office He suspected that Aunt Edith had sent for tor Natalie and had hall told her the distressing news What did Natalie think about It all am Was he In for tor an another ther unpleasant interview Interview Inter Inter- view He III found to his hla great relief that he wasn't Natalie smiled at him lazily the smoke ke from her cigarette curling In tn rings rIngs' above e her sleek dark head Where are the children Stephen asked Bob nob took them to the zoo she an an- They ought to be back backI pretty soon I May I J have hae some tea teaT tear You look tired Stephen Was Aunt Edith very unpleasant Bather Rather he said returning her lazy smile mile There was an old woman who lived In a shoe Natalie teased affection Poor Ioor poor Stephen I 1 I Stephen relaxed In a soft deep chair He lle needed Deeded to talk to someone Natalie was Intelligent She saw W things clearly clear clear- ly Iy he thought He felt soothed and rested The fire the gathering twilight invited confidences con con- Aunt Edith thinks Im I'm In love with Barbara Stephen said breaking a comfortable silence Natalie looked at him an amused little smile curving the corners of ot her lips but she ahe said nothing She thinks Stephen continued that I 1 could have no DO other oter possible reason for wanting to keep the chil chil- dren It makes me feel teel as though I have taken advantage of ot a child A child Stephen Barbara arbara Is eighteen Natalie Natall remembered that at eighteen she hadn't considered herself herself her her- self a child chilli Of Ot course In some ways wa she Isn't his bla troubled Stephen admitted eyes eyE'S and grave never neEr had time to tobe tobe tobe be really young oung Aunt Edith t shouldn't leap to conclusions though Babble thinks Im I'm a nice old man I 1 think she's a dear little girt girL Anything else Is absurd Are you yon In love with her Stephen Natalie asked quietly He lIe told her the story then He III told her about the Barbara he had loved a avery avery avery very long time ago So you see he said when hEn he had finished If it you and anti Aunt Edith must have on one there Is a reason why I J cant can't let the children go A very good reason rEnson reason Natalie said gently It was stran strange e to think that Stephen always so quiet and reserved should have been capable ft of romance It Isn't only that Stephen added a little embarrassed at having told the story Its It the children themselves They're nice youngsters They'll keep me from getting too stodgy I J lIke Ilka although It is dIstracting distracting distracting dis dIs- ha having a family at times crossed Natalie Poor Stephen n his bis chair rumpled his bis hair swiftly to fished In a lazy caress caresa lightly kissed hit hll for tor you and the chI t cheek Im dren dren she he said I 1 hue have Just disco SCOY ered that you YIu are rather a dear TO BE nS CONTINUED |
