OCR Text |
Show Outer tbfe I Martha Banning ' Thomas 3T WAS very annoying. Very annoying an-noying indeed! Marcia gave an irritated flip to the pages of her magazine, and set her pretty back more firmly in her chair in the ctr. j The exceedingly fine looking man opposite was buried In his newspaper. Ii Marcia could have seen the corners of his mouth, she might have been even- more upset. That pleasant mouth with the humorous twist. That mouth which opened wide with shouts of ringing laughter. That mouth she had so adored ... a few months ago. That mouth now twitching with ill-concealed pleasure behind the curtain cur-tain of the paper. Well, accidents will happen I If two persons who have quarreled choose the same train on the day before be-fore Christmas to go home, what can be done about It? Nothing! Marcia read the first page of a story fourteen times, and could not have told on a bet, a single sentence that passed before her eyes. She gave up Marcia and Philip Stood Just Where They Were. the attempt and glued a pensive gaze on the passing landscape. If her heart fluttered in uneven Jumps . . . no one was the wiser. Marcia bristled' brist-led' with Independence. She would carry this emergency through with a high hand. Besides, Philip got off at a station before hers. The snowy fields whirled by. Even from the train she could see the fluffy bunches of white on the pine trees. There was a holiday feeling of excitement excite-ment even in the stuffy car. The porter por-ter was gay with a sprig of holly In his buttonhole. In spite of her resentment re-sentment she could not prevent a thrill of happiness running through her veins. Home ugaln after many months of hard work in New York ! Home to the Jolly fireplace, the absurd and lovable lov-able dog, and best of all, home with the rollicking family of younger brothers broth-ers and sisters. And, mother! They had planned, Philip and she, to have this Christmas together at her mother's. Philip had always lived in New York, Of course he hud known about the country and small country towns, but not as Marcia had. They hod spent many delightful hours I talking over the good times they would have sliding down hill, going about singing carols on Christmas eve, stullinc the stockings for the children, tramping through the woods. All the country' entertainments which go so perfectly with the holiday season. And Philip had loved It all. He had an aunt, an elderly creature crea-ture who lived in the next town. Philip talked of her and sakl he had almost promised to spend Christmas day with her, but now he couldn't think of it. He must go home with Marcia, and Aunt Caroline could go hang! (if course, reflected Miin-ia, that was where tie was bound for now. Too nm:oyi!i 'hat Lis seat 1. upper.. -d : ro be iie;ir hers. The (ruin r.in -m'H:i)i'y on poii-hed i 'ails. A s..-,thi:i'' li.ll.'.l.y ieiUi-l to Kek fr-.i i the Kl- vis. Murelu s'-M-' :.J 'd ino. di."p re oty. |