Show the affie SILVER SILVE As FLUTE by lida LaiT larrimore imore ak S 0 mccrae service CHAPTER XIV continued 23 not cot gee babs I 1 kits voice held a note cote of distress you fou dont want to tie be an old maldi maid 1 I wont be she said smiling faintly not for a year or two it if she keep thinking of bruce it if there always an aching lump in her throat they were quiet after that barbara lay with her arms crossed under her lead her eyes dreaming up into the shining blue of the sky where was eruce bruce bruce had gone nothing mattered nothing mattered at all kits voice broke the lazy silence nere comes uncle stephen he said springing up from the sand iles hes early today I 1 guess because were going home going homel home but home was the gray shingled house in she could never think of thorn hedge as home they were going tack back tomorrow when the summer is over uncle stephen had said barbara saw uncle stephen stephe walk walking ang toward them down the beach tall and erect in his bathing suit tanned by weekends week ends with them at the shore she saw oay gay leave the chattering group and run to meet him she saw jamie camle racing toward him she saw kit his face shining with shy excited pleasure crowding gay and jamie aside the children loved uncle stephen she loved win him too but she wanted to run away Il flows lows my girl stephen asked dropping down on the anil beside her fine she answered rawling inside the secret shell of herself she like to hade from uncle stephen but she had to soni somehow chow it was something she help the children clustered about him there were many things to diR discuss di cuss kits boat had a broken rudder hut but there was no use having it mended since they were leaving tomorrow sally barrish had invited gay to visit her in new york did uncle stephen think she might go the weekend week end after next jamie camle had cut his toot foot on a piece of broken glass but it anything much though sarah predicted jock ock jaw now how were henry and katle katie a he kittens grown into cats did jamies pet frog still live in id his loafed castle beside the lily illy pond barbara saw and loved his patience with the children it was lovely to see them together healthy and happy and brown and carefree they be here ot of course if it for uncle stephen she could biever never be grateful enough but he want her to be grate ful lie ile wanted her to be happy would she be happy after a while would she forget about bruce would the ache in her throat Ilig disappear appear perhaps perit it if slid tried very hard run along stephen said presently 1 I want to talk to babbara Ba barbara jbara cant we hear too gay asked come on kit said with a scowl for gay If avent you any manners at all they scattered in various directions barbara sat very still what would uncle stephen say when the summer Is over it was about the house to in province town 1 I had a letter arom from the fehl estate agent stephen said I 1 someone soffiee wants to buy it oh uncle stephen barbara felt it a strange lonely ache in her heart she bear the thought of selling the gray shingled louse loum dp do you mind so much stephen asked askea seeing a shadow slip across her face heeln seeing her hands clasping each other tightly 1 I loved it she said with a little catch in lier her voice she had liked to think it was aas waiting there waiting for bruce and for her but aou ou wont need it probably stephen said what was she thinking he wondered ile he knew so little about her the summer had bad made no difference she seemed more distant from him than she had in the spring what could he be do no she agreed with a little sigh we wont eor need it again its rather a good offer stephen continued what do you want to do sell it I 1 giless it would be hers no longer ra shingled house site she had loved she live there with bruce it might inight just as well be sold therell be ni money oney she added 1 I can pay for the clothes must you stephen asked liking 3 independence but a little hurt as vell rell id feel better belter she said that was the agreement ou know yes I 1 I 1 know but im your guardian now you ihen then she smiled faintly 1 I think that malesra mak esra espa difference was nas abbe he happy stephen wondered what lay behind the smile behind the sadness in her eyes S she lie was dear to him so BO very dear should lie he have waited should he be have asked her to marry him that night beside the illy pond she had seemed so small and so 0 o very was it her mother lie he had eissed the barbara he had loved a very long time ago ile he had wanted to b be sure suk ue he sure even now would you like to go to province towns he asked there ate are some things I 1 would like to have the dark lashes lifted the bed father made for me his paintings my chest yes I 1 think id like to go co we can go nit week all of us the question hurt stephen a little she want to be aa lone alone i with hirn all summer she had bid clung to the children why if you like he agreed Is it a good idea sho she nodded slowly avoiding his eyes then settled he said suddenly she bear the thought of losing the gray shingled house she felto felt her eyes fill with tears cut but site she let uncle stephen know she pulled herself up from the sand lets go in swimming she said forcing her voice to sound gay ill race you uncle stephen she ran down the beach to the edge of the curving waves ile he caught up o 0 ve the tears show through the water that streaked hereace her face with her as she dove through a foaming in breaker 1 I won she cried breathless sall sal ing ans the tears show through the water that streaked her face 0 0 0 0 the moon rose put gut of the ocean making a path of silver across the waves it shone on the cottage veranda where stephen sat with barbara the summer Is over he said break a long uneasy silence have you been happy yes she said slowly ive liked it here its been splendid for the children do you always think first of them I 1 want you to think of yourself now stephen said gravely dont consider the children there was aas something in his voice what was he going to say she sat very still almost holding her breath would you like to go to europe he asked wishing that he could see her eyes all of us just you and I 1 and kit perhaps oh the exclamation was a soft little sound startled frightened dappy stephen could riot not tell do I 1 seem very old to you he asked 1 I dont think about your age she said afraid he be might be hurt she slipped her hand into his to tell him that she loved him 1 I just think youre very nice stephen held her hand tightly if only he might be sure would you like to go with me just you and I 1 and kit she knew what he meant she did not answer at once it would be splendid for kit and uncle stephen was nice bruce had gone nothing else mattered at all yes she said softly yes I 1 would like to go you know what I 1 mean he be asked yes uncle stephen I 1 know will that make you happy he persisted lie ile know she sat so quietly beside him her hand held fast in his she too quiet too reasonable what lay behind the soft notes in her olce yes site she said she left her own chair and sat on the arm of his wanting to feel closer to him afraid of the dueer lonely pain in her heart are you really happy he asked cross my ay heart she made the sign on the bodice of her frock the tha childe li h touched hiro him and troubled him too was she old enough ile he thought that she was lie he would be very gentle well stay until spring he said 1 I had a real vacation tor for years lie ile had bad thought of it constantly during the summer it would be easier he had decided to make the necessary adjustments away from home aunt edith would come back to live at Thorn hedge gay and jamie could be there for vacations aunt edith was fond of the younger children when they returned from europe aunt edith would have become accustomed to the idea it seemed a sensible plan do you want to take kit she asked if you would like ille him to go lie ile thought that slie she might be un unhappy lift without the hie children lie ile wanted her to be happy she was dearer to him film than any anything in the world tto TO BE CONTINUED |