Show Z aa I 1 wo evs 0 a canin B Y L I 1 D A L A R R I 1 M 0 R E 0 MACRAE SMITH CO SERVICE CHAPTER XI continued 17 johns smile thanked gay he eyed the check and took a biu bill from ids his wallet gay rose as he pulled back her chair he cupped his hand beneath beneath her elbow and they walked circling tables where people dining glanced up as they passed toward the arched doorway door way into the lobby i are your things ready he asked do you need to go up to leour our room send a boy ill check out 1 ill take care of that j no john let me I 1 i youre my guest I 1 but darling her eyes fell from his face AU all right she said slowly from the divan on which she sat she watched him cross the lobby to the desk holding himself stiffly his shoulders erect though she saw only his back in the dark tweed suit she knew how his face looked la a little grim the jaw aw line pronounced noun ced his dark eyes brooding how silly of him but how thoughtless of her perhaps she must be careful she must remember when he came back to her a bellboy bell boy followed with her luggage jjohn took her loose fur coat from the boy held it apologized for hurrying tying her but avoided her glance I 1 they went out through a revolving door cold wind struck them with unanticipated force she was blown in a staggering half circle he caught her they stood on the pavement in the light washing out I 1 from rom the hotel their eyes met j im sorry she said 1 I i thought i i you were right his eyes were penitent his slow smile self re 1 I was showing off forgive me 1 gay laughed as john approached the open door of the second floor sitting room in dr sergeants Sarge ants home nary mary adams voice continued then broke off as john called in from the hall 1 the last patient gone she asked glancing up from n needles that ahat flashed through scarlet wool ive padlocked the office door me went to gay settled comforte obly in a corner of the davenport and dropped down beside her mary do you think that professional ethics would permit me to cut the telephone wires 1 I hesitate she replied briskly and stabbed an amber needle through the rolled length of knit wool mary folded her knitting and stabbed a needle through the bundle of wool therell be a greater possibility lity of miss grahams liking me if I 1 disappear tactfully now dont run away mary her small brown face twinkled twinkle 91 you arent very convincing john she rose from the chair beneath the lamp you can have breakfast anytime you like she said smiling at gay john has his pretty early ill have breakfast with john will you call me the children will probably attend to that youve made a terrific jim impression on my son nat hes a susceptible young man goodnight good night 90 goodnight good night mrs adams and thank you 1 I do like her gay said when 0 amary adams lied had gone out and the door marys very fine john dropped down on the davenport again she tells me that her husband is tn in manila yes for two years mary had a bad case of typhoid last summer and dr sargeant thought it unwise tor for her to go with him ashes not very strong and the tropics are enervating erva ting those two kids are a handful darlings I 1 helped her put them to bed I 1 want two boys and two girls do you his dark eyes were amused and tender do you want children gay ive never thought of it especially but now after seeing skippy and nat im sure I 1 do id be awfully jealous of them he drew her close to him 1 I have to touch you to be sure youre here downstairs in the office I 1 make myself believe it but you are arent you this is you darling johnl this afternoon he said after a m moment when I 1 came in and there a letter from you I 1 was I 1 thought what did you think what I 1 always think that forgotten me changed your mind idiot she laughed ly 1 I hold out any longer three days ago I 1 hew flew from palm beach to new york I 1 flew literally literally the matter the she asked in alarm you look you go flying around in the heavens gay that will be one more thing for me to worry about suppose something had happened but nothing did happen we reached new york safely and uneventfully 1 I like it here her eyes moved around the warm comfortably fur dished room 1 I like mrs adams and abbie and the children how long may I 1 stay As long as you like but he hesitated what john 1 I called mother tonight ashes expecting us in rockland tomorrow im free for the afternoon and evening but I 1 can come back here with you tomorrow night 1 I think mother will expect you to stay with her for a day or two you cant 1 I can run out at night after office hours and back early in the morning it far his eyes searched her face you dont mind gay youve never told me she said hesitantly what does your mother think of this of us she was surprised of course it he said guardedly but ashes gotten accustomed to the idea she loved your sending flowers for her birthday yes she wrote me I 1 remember the date because I 1 helped you buy a birthday present for her in new york it was sweet of you to remember ashes eager to meet you my sisters too and granny grannys grandys Gr annys all for romance 1 I dont think ill feel strange with her your mother I 1 mean ashes uncle johns sister he was silent Is she like uncle john was friendly and wise and amusing I 1 have imagined her being that way mother is rather reticent john said slowly ashes never gotten over my fathers death and then her life been easy my father died when I 1 was twelve years old he left very little she made a great many sacrifices to send me to college and medical school she worshiped my father we sarah and debby and I 1 have been her whole life since his death you wont be offended if she seems a lit tle reserved there was silence for a moment then gay said cant we spend tomorrow afternoon and evening with her and then come back here im afraid she would be offended but if you dont want to go 1 I want to do what is courteous but id rather be with you ill come at night if you were here I 1 be with you during the day but I 1 like it here its friendly and impersonal with your family she made a helpless gesture oh you know how it was in new york we quarreled people got in the way we happy unless we were alone his bright pleading glance darkened we cant ignore mother and my sisters she sat for a moment silent looking down at her hands then she lifted her head 1 I know its going to be all right dont look so despondent darling of course it is his face brightened youre more adaptable than I 1 am and the situation is less complicated im not timid about meeting people usually there much of the shrinking violet in my tempera I 1 ment how shall I 1 act to make the proper impression just be yourself gay with no modifications mischief glinted in blue sparkles between her thick dark lashes certainly not his voice was indignant di gnant youre so sweet and gay and generous really generous or perhaps I 1 mean tolerant more than I 1 arn am 1 I much character I 1 cant seem to get agitated about most of the things that people think are important por tant that a lack of character its poise self confidence knowing what you want and how to get it 1 I know what I 1 want but getting it so easy he dropped his head to kiss the soft hollow at the base of her throat mother will love you he said 1 I hope so with her hands on his face she lifted his head but if she it especially important por tant is it it matter does it does it john his head dropped against her breast her arms went around him holding him close no no darling he said nothing matters except that youre here CHAPTER XII gay roused opened her eyes sat up in the high posted bed A blast of air from the open window struck her like the stinging needles of a shower she slid back into the warm hollow her body had made and pulled the covers up under her chi chin n but the blast of air had wakened her as effectively as though literally it had been an ice cold shower her eyes were wide open her senses alert no hope of drowsing off into sleep again she lay looking up at the ceiling where bars of sunlight striped the dim ivory toned paper and miniature rainbows reflections from glass stoppers in scent bottles on the bureau moved the storm was over then the blizzard which john had predicted he would be here tonight if the roads were cleared but that would be how many hours away she glanced at her watch then plunged her arm under the blankets and quilts she should get up immediately mrs houghton had told her to sleep as long as she liked but there was no servant except the dour angular woman they called huldah and she want to make extra work she must get up the household was stirring she heard footsteps along the hall debbas lovely young voice voice raised in spirited discussion V V what did you think the scrape of a shovel on the pavement outside summoning all her courage she threw back the covers huddled her dressing gown about her shoulders slipped her feet into satin mules and dashed across the room to lower the window if john were here she mind gay assembled fresh underwear and toilet articles in preparation for a dash to the bathroom bath room she anticipated being marooned here three days without him she had anticipated none of the contingencies cies which had arisen nothing beyond seeing him being with hirn him again he would come tonight surely and take her back into portland there was only today to get through feeling more cheerful she opened the door made a quick survey of the situation then hurried along the hall and down two steps to the bathroom bath room when she returned to the bedroom partially clothed beneath her dressing gown she found debby there good morning debby turned from one of the front windows that overlooked over looked the street she was a vivid restless appealing young thing gay thought dark like john with dark eyes and crisply curling dark hair standing slender and straight in the dress of dull red wool her hands in the pockets of the jacket good morning gay said smiling you should have waited deb bys voice was lovely low with contralto cadences spirited alive 1 I meant to come in and lower the window she picked up gays dressing gown as it fell to the floor this is beautiful but you must be frozen and that nightgown nothing but satin and lace I 1 ive never been in maine in the winter before gay opened the door of the wardrobe obvious from the clothes I 1 brought it she asked laughing wear this gray one debby stood beside her interested in the contents of the wardrobe its angora it her slender olive skinned hand touched the soft material appreciatively the warmest gay took the dress from the hanger need it debby went to perch in the deep sill of the window you cant keep this old house warm its as draughty as a barn and there arent enough radiators its a marvelous house debby gays head emerged through the neckline of the gray angora dress 1 I should think be awfully proud of it debbas dark eyes flash flashed ed 1 I hate it she said when I 1 have a house of my own there going to be one old thing in it you like modern furnishings and decorations gay drew on gray woolen stockings laced gray suede oxfords ox fords crossed the lacings facings around her ankles do 1 I be interested in my mothers apartment in new york its modern john told me its a penthouse pent house it I 1 dont suppose ill ever get to new york she added gloomily 1 I cant persuade mother to go to boston even would you like to live in boston id like to live anywhere but here portland would do but you cant pry mother away this is her home gay said interested in johns younger sister sympathizing with her restlessness thinking how unlike john she was in temperament though physically there was a resemblance 1 I suppose it was fun to live here once debby went on sensing gay thought her sympathy and interest A long time ago I 1 mean when the men went on voyages and brought things back from china and india sometimes the women went too my great grandmother who I 1 was named for did id have liked that but debby continued regretfully as they say on the radio time marches on the place is a backwater back water now and no mistake theres no fun except in summer you cant make mother leave though ashes had plenty of chances to sell the house we could get enough for it even in the condition its in to live comfortably somewhere the summer people are all crazy about it heaven knows why john thinks she broke off with an apologetic laugh 1 I certainly am running on its fun to have someone to talk to youre even better looking than your pictures gay thank you gay turned from the mirror smiling 1 I used to watch for pictures 0 of f you after john went to your debutante party they have the swank magazines at the beauty shop and miss sophie let me cut them out to send to john I 1 thought he liked you pretty well then and uncle john told mother A clock in the hall struck a series of strangling notes debby slid down from the sill it struck nine it then its half past eight and ive got to scram I 1 wish I 1 could stay with you 1 I wish you could TO UE BE CONTINUED |