Show L 0 9 ff IV two wo keys to 0 a cabin 3 B Y L I 1 D A L A R R 0 I 1 SMITH M CO 0 R SERVICE E CHAPTER XVI continued 2 23 nat pulling skippy in an express wagon came up to the side of the car Hel dellol lol lie he said his smile widening with recognition displaying a missing tooth im not admiral byrd now that there any snow ot of course not how stupid of ime nae I 1 should have known this is my cousin miss oliver nat and skippy appy said gay hello nat kate said hello skippy hello nat grinned again and skippy ducked his head Is dr houghton in now gay asked feeling her heart leap and plunge no hes not here now you mean he here at the house louse he went away last week grand father ather came home he brought me a whole fleet beet of boats brought me a beati skippy piped up Is your mother here nat gay asked aya ashes here shell shellby be pleased to 0 see you I 1 expect did you come all the way from new york course I 1 like boats better on account of my others fathers an officer in the navy but some swell car drive them around a couple of blocks bocks will you kate gay opened the he door and stepped ou out t 1 I want to talk to their mother hop in kids kate slipped over under the wheel i whoopee ll 1 nat shouted and skippy echoed his brothers enthusiasm then ducked his head again the long tan roadster moved away from the curb gay walked up the steps of the house and sounded the knocker mary adams herself opened the door her brown face twinkled with pleasure when she recognized gay come in she said this is a surprise the wide hallway was familiar though now there were peonies and iris in the vases which in march had held bittersweet bitter sweet and feathery plumes of pine following mary through the living room to ito the porch which faced the lawn she remembered leered her last day here the day after john had brought her in from chis his mothers home been so distant she and john polite to each other unhappy remote mary must have noticed was she too remembering the end of gays visit here if she remembered she gave no sign are you alone slid she asked its jmar marvelous to be able to use the porch again you dont appreciate 1 this weather unless youve spent a winter kwinter in maine my cousin is with me kate oliver 11 i oh ive heard john speak of aher her mary darted up from her chair where is she why I 1 you bring her in ashes taking nat and skippy for la ti ride mary gay asked where is is john mary curled herself into a wick ier chair 1 I dont know exactly she said has he left here gays voice I 1 faltered for good I 1 mean yes he was in boston last week meek mary glanced at gay then down at her small brown hands 1 I know he wrote me from there that there is a chance of his getting in the research department con i necked with the general hospital mary asked eagerly father thinks its fairly certain john made a splendid eplen did impression when he interned there but since then gay persisted he in boston now weve been forwarding mail to his mothers I 1 re addressed a letter from you this morning ive learned to know your handwriting pretty well I 1 this morning A letter yes why mary asked quickly in surprise it was a letter which have been written gay said ive come to head it off or explain could he be at his mothers in rockland 1 I dont know why dont you she paused then said if you dont don t want t to 3 go there or call ill call tor for you will you I 1 dont there are i reasons id like to see debby but im sure it would be better if you 1 I will she rose smiled at gay C compassionately passionately om and went into the house gay sat on the porch looking out across the sunny lawn where peonies bloomed along the fence and the foliage of a maple tree shaded the childrens sand sandbox box and swing she was only absently aware of the objects her eyes rest rested d unon every nerve erve every sense in her body was caught up in a state of suspense had john gone away deliberately delibera toly v to avoid any move from her was he by his silence making a clean break as effectively as she had meant to make it when she had written the letter which mary this morning had redirected directed re she started dup up as mary returned to the porch he at home mary said his mother thinks that he may have gone to a cabin down east near mathias machias john is at the cabin gays voice was light and breathless they arent sure had no word holding his mail of course he has I 1 think gay glanced at her watch we can make it before night thank you mary I 1 must find kate youre going there mary asked doubtfully its a fairly long drive I 1 had expected that you would stay for lunch at least no were going wish me it luck ick mary ill need it mary adams smiled and pressed gays hand 1 I think carry your luck with you she said CHAPTER john placed a log on the fire went to the doorway stood looking out across the lake dusk was falling the last reflection of the sunset had faded from the still surface of the water across the lake a loon screeched mournfully through the silence john closed the door and returned to the fire he should prepare something for supper he thought standing irresolutely on the hearth with his back to the fire funny how he had come to dread getting supper when that had been accomplished the day was definitely over and night had begun he was able to get through the day fairly well while the sun shone he made fishing from the canoe or lying on the float an excuse for being out of doors but the nights were unbearably lonely he have returned to ane cabin he should have taken the walking trip through canada which he had half planned when dr sargeant had insisted that he take a two weeks vacation until the boston matter was settled one way or another he would be able to make the decision he must make more calmly and with less pain anywhere in the world except here the cabin was filled with ghosts of gay he saw her everywhere on the couch with the lamplight falling across her hair seated on the footstool beside the hearth in a characteristic position her arms hugging her knees coming out through the door of the bedroom she and kate had occupied her face fresh and smiling after a long night of sleep in a jersey and slacks a ribbon around her hair he expected to feel as he did he had thought that he would be able to make the decision here he had not questioned his ability abil ity to think clearly and lodica logically ily to discipline his emotions strange that he had not considered the pi gnant insistence of memories the ghosts on m but he must make a decision if he secured this post in boston he would hive have to decide whether he was willing to have her there with him using her own money to provide a place for them to live or whether it was wiser for her ultimate good and his own to make a definite break and follow alone the course he had charted for himself before he had declared his love to gay it was all or nothing there could be no compromise the next time they met but would they meet again lie he had sensed in her letters a change in her feeling for him since she had returned from her visit to maine ile he blame her it had been pretty awful for her as estranging as his visit to new york she loved him he did not question that he loved her but was love enough was it as fresh and as steadfast now as it had been here at the cabin last fall fail could any love survive the misunderstandings the quarrels the bickering to which their love had been exposed it be better he think of it now he would build a fire in the kitchen kitche n range and prepare supper making a long job of it to keep night from coming too soon he went out into the dusk filled a basket with chips and birch logs none of his senses was secure from ghosts of gay the smell of pine needles and freschl freshly Y chopped wood recalled the night she had slipped out of the cabin to meet him the night todd janeway had arrived his eyes lifted above the pile of chips they had sat there leaning above the logs shed worn a soft white dress fastened up under her chin and her hair had curled loosely against her shoulders hed loved her so then he loved her now IS if they might have stayed here he lit the lamps in the kitchen laid the fire carefully taking a great deal of time yellow flames curled around birch logs in the stove he collected ingredients for flap jacks butter milk flour eggs there were the fish he had caught this morning cleaned and salted ready for the pan cornmeal salt pork cut in strips he placed the fish in the pan through the sputtering sound they made he heard a car coming in the lane one of the acquaintances hed made at the store in the village perhaps young dr reynolds stopping in on his rounds any visitor would be welcome whoever it was would see the light and come in he leave the fish he heard the motor of the car race the then n die off into silence as an ignition key was turned that motor I 1 no one of his acquaintances here drove a car with such power his hand holding a fork over the fish was shaking he turned his heart thumping a singing sound in his ears the kitchen door stood open he saw her coming toward him through the dusk running across the clearing up the steps gay I 1 he cried and plunged forward to open the door she came into the kitchen hesitantly as though the sound of his voice had checked the impulse which had brought her swiftly to him through the dusk hello john she said the they y stood staring at each other like strangers where did you come from he asked at last how did you know I 1 was here 1 I wrote you a letter she said quietly telling you that I 1 was going to marry todd 1 I have not received it no its in rockland have you been there your mother for me she your mother thought you might be here the singing 0 in her ears dimmed her voice to a thread of sound but if you wrote me that he asked why are you here because I 1 mean it 1 I discovered after id mailed it that I 1 I 1 tried to get to you before the letter did I 1 drove last night to portland then on here today H her er eyes widened then closed she swayed reached out for the table john 11 he caught her held her she clung to him they kissed presently she drew away are you glad to see me she asked glad oh gay will you still be glad when I 1 tell you that im going to stay are you always as long as you want me he looked down into her lifted face weary but radiant her eyes shining softly through the tears that misted her lashes will you take a chance gay he asked gravely can we make a go of it will you be happy in spite of everything that has happened or will happen do you still want to marry me darlinge Dar lingl she smiled would I 1 have driven all these miles his lips against hers stilled her voice they had in that moment of reconciliation of faith and trust renewed no need for words his arms holding her were strong and secure and safe her vital young body pressing close to him was a promise and an assurance moments ticked away unconsidered in the secure realization of weeks months years stretching in a bright open vista ahead 1 I beg your pardon a voice said from the door they drew apart smiling kate came into the kitchen it may mean less than nothing to you she said but something is burning good lord john groaned its the fishl fish I 1 he glanced around with a dazed expression kate caught up a dishcloth and grasped the handle of the pan she turned to regard gay and john with an expression of studied derision which failed entirely to conceal the emotion in her eyes get out of here she said im hungry I 1 want something fit to eat still fuming she slapped the pan in in the sink gay and john looked at each other and broke into laughter then hands joined went out into the dusk THE END |