Show for tow A R W k 0 8 df ilk HE greg ahr I 1 i S U N S EF SYNOPSIS fielding one of thi the lost genera iwho aho vho had left college in the depres kid nd is unable to find a job arrive adale to visit his friends the mae mac ns ms mao mac had formerly been gar at his late uncles estate and arks arks for tor T H vaughn ol of mead ok 11 quip 13 tired of 0 being sup y aj f led sister kay while t ca rry lenore an attractive who la in love with him and ineasy easy life because of her wealth nd ind rebels stopping at the village tore store for a sandwich he meets en a pretty toda soda fountain girl when ul alres r es about the vau vaughna ahns she asks 3 a friend of 0 cecilya Cecily 1 she also As a a messa message geto to tommy yo young un 9 I 1 the family and tells him how to the vaughns estate ap approach preach lie mt house jim encounters a torn i little girl fishing she Is fit sa startled jails all in the brook incense Ince iid at first discovers li she likes zint jini and he s that she Is susan vaughn he vers cecily is her older sister he tommy a youth ol of eighteen who ines he ha is in love lov with dolly jim ins his impecunious position to the he dersons her rs one sons they tell him that mr hn is recovering from a nervous mrs macpherson suggests M mac ac give jim a job as hand handyman goes for a wa walk lk to think it over picks up a horse shoe choa cecily a y v young girl appears riding a ng horse jim scolds her when ace oa the animal has thrown a shoe e Is an angry scene jims ir ire ind and he is intrigued as he t thinks ther t her he tells the ons ants to stay and assumes his du as handyman he sees dolly again explains that she has been seeing my but regards him with amuse L t ile he writes a letter to lenore ex ieng ng about his new job when cec returns from a house bouse party she asks airily 1 I wonder how long you 11 7 soon jim gets a promotion and M mr L vaughns part time etar 4 OP opens e ras a letter for or vaughn nd ad learns it Is a love cecily from jeremy clyde a igi g actor at a neighboring summer I 1 jeri ter of 0 whom her father disapproves ly ily accuses jim of being hired to spy CHAPTER IV continued 7 heres al picture of that actress i i were talking about she said iding him the crisp brown sheets he actress was lynn fontanne when did I 1 speak of her jim ced frankly puzzled guzzled to macpherson supplied the in mation one day when I 1 was talking out miss cecily the ehe said ont you remember you said eald a 3 walked like this actress or wed ved her hands or something TIM he kemem red araa Bo 1 that he had observed that cecilya Cec ilys es were the tha color ot of benedictine ie e observation had been jokingly ade adem lin th the elight light ot of a great dis dig av ivery ery held hed thought they were erry colored but how could cecily have lown iowne his unspoken question was an vered at once for mrs in added susan asked me what be benedec ne was I 1 told her it was a kind t drink phe iv wanted anted to know what was was madi made of the questions that ald id can asal the matter was explained susan ad been at the cottage then shed een con sitting on the kitchen steps abing bread and jam she had related the conversation to cecily that was why cicily cecily had ap ro tro ached him bimla in the garden the on no doubt had been repeated in a highly flattering light he bie thought that he too was bras in actuated a willing slave to her harms harmi he was neither one nor he other she had bad misjudged him nair entirely nt irely ely shed find that out the time she asked a tavor favo of win him he ie did hot oili like keher her he did not ake ke her at all allf 1 t Z tor a time mur erous thoughts ot susan Su he had never ever considered 6 her er ame a menace n a c e in anion alth himself himi elf though agh he h im neilly y well that tai sus suan an too wa was ii observing and not indisposed i ed to tc r re 6 veal eal the results resul ot of her fier private iri id at embarrassing moments recalling the eveni evening hg that he e had spoken lightly jestingly to mrs irs macpherson macpherson MacPhe rion odthe of the color of ec ilys eyes he had a disturbing cental vision islan of bf susan untidy as usual sual bare footed and grubby c a imly almly munching bread and jam on the ie steps outside the kitchen little shed put him on the spot what could he do about it there was nothing that he could do 3 he wondered as the humorous side de ot of the situation appeared to him im whether the conversation which shia ie had overheard had anything to do 3 with susans altered attitude she 1 ha after fter his first few days at 1 A wb rook a attached itta bersell to him i with the tenacity ty ot of a bur dock II if he worked in the garden shew ie was asther there e turning cartwheels long along the p paths ath sitting beside hini him an a he pruned and weeded and dug when ahen he drove athi to tho village with the e marketing list hat shi she b aged to be taken iken along all ali day except tur aur the ie period he spent pent in ia the morning K a 6 with ath mr r vaughn wherever rever he was augen zvi hou there ta too W was S suaan usually bally silent allent but at times bursting with q questions aes ues tio fisi and observations her continued presence haddis had disi concerted him birri at first arst gradually however he became accustomed to the small tagging shadow ile he had surprisingly grown growth fond other of her and unconsciously sided with her in difficulties f with thel the family amily but Si susans isana attitude had changed during the week preceding jims inte interview with cecily in the garden she had bad avoided him hi he missed her and wondered it if he ha hij had in advertently advertent lj offended her he ha made mada friendly overtures she snubbed or ar dodged them repeatedly she wa was a constantly in hot water her im impish P perversity played h havoc adoo 1 with the household jim cami came jiboa upon the termination of a family disturbance one morning just before luncheon he walked around the the house equipped with clippers forthe tor the purpose pose i of trimming the low box hedge which bordered the terrace the terrace was thi tha 4 scene ceni of a disturbance tur bance I 1 susan the culprit lay sat flat on her stomach her bare toes kicking th the flag stones her he faie face buried in her arms mr va vaughn aughn miss parker and cecily idere were in the tha act of dispersing as jim appeared obviously routed by the small so sobbing figure anthe on the flag stones mr vau vaughn ahn looked annoyed and helpless miss misa parker was pink and distressed cecily coolly aloof in a frock of lettuce green linen wore a disdainful ex heres a picture of that actress you were talking about pres slon rose standing at the door had bad apparently just announced luncheon miss parker parke r glanced at jim and made an an attempt at composure she bent over susan yo you must stop this she said pleadingly Lun luncheon choon la is ready dear susan kicked rebelliously 1 I montt the she cried you let me alone yes let her hei alone 11 mr I 1 vaughn said sternly let her do without her lunch 1 I think youre right father cecily agreed ik reed flicking a cool amused glan glance i C e at jim susan is a feminist shell probably enjoy it starving arvini hers herself elf for foi the holy batise cause of fighting boys the adult dult mern members bers of f the family left the ter terrace ferraci raci jim ran ran tha clippers alth alib a clicking sound through the pungent dark green box boi susan continued to sob poor little rebell jim thought mhd she looked 8 so 0 forlorn alom lying face down on the tir ter race forlorn and yet undaunted susans fighting spirit was was endear ing he went ori on trimming the hedge presently susan raised herself slightly and looke looked d around aware that her audience had dispersed she sat up sniffling who won jim asked casually tha child looked at him questioningly looked away awak 1 I dont know 11 the elie said ca cecily calv stopped us who were you fighting 11 jim clipped aft sprigs of box giffred red ed he called roe me something what mat was it 1 11 I wont tell you 11 please jim smiled the smile accomplished its purpose susan flushed A wave of pink washed avei over her face he called me freckles she said in a barely audible voice have you trickles freckles lit let me see she lifted her face you have ha you 11 jim said 1 I like freckles do you the pink flush bush deepened thi the wide hazel haze leyes eyes brightened with interest do you really jim 1 I certainly do 10 jim was moved by the wistful note i in her voice lado do you dislike fi freckles eckles enough to fight about them he asked 1 I dont lika not being pretty she said cecilya Cec ilys a beauty and im m just plain 11 old grievances were in the words a lifetime life time of secret hum humiliation illatIon you think she sha li is I 1 do dont n t you you think cecily is i a beauty beit ity jim considered the phrasing of a carefully tactful reply susan rushed on Y you ou doll dol she insisted 1 I thought anyway you liked me better than cecily and then you told mrs macpherson that cecilya Cec ilys eyes were wera the color of that kind of wine and I 1 thought you me like them and I 1 told Cec cecily llyone one day when she was acting hateful and it wa was S a comp compliment U all the time cecily was as pleased as anything eny thing she knew it was a compliment 11 susans eyes were reproachful she said thank you susie an intriguing compliment ment what shirold she told me so I 1 knew you liked cecily better than me and I 1 hated you jim 1 I pa shu broke off abruptly then asked in a breathless voice you do think coolly cecily is a beauty dont you jim well jim said slowly 1 I think ches ashes veri very pretty everybody does susans chin trembled 1 I hate to be home homel lyl she cried 1 I hate I 1 hate iti you arent homely min jim took a handkerchief from his pockett pocket and wiped away the to tears ari that streaked her face you have a cute face n e she looked up at him gravely have I 1 honest jim but you ought ht to wear shoes and stockings why xouy rum ruin your leei u you dont he looked at her appraisingly pink would be a becoming color he said your hair cut given even one of those alice ln in wonder land combs people would laugh she said 1 I she looked up at him shyly youre nice she said 1 I like you she plunged toward the door and bumped bum pod into cecily coming ching out of the house jim returned to the hedge cecily addressed susan Is the hunger strike over she asked what susan asked vaguely what did you say oh nothing not hingl ill cecily shrugged her shoulders cheuse the use I 1 suppose youre going out to start another light fight susan appeared to be in a sort of gentle daze fight she repeated absently oh ob no she smiled dreamily 1 I guess ill 1111 just go upstairs and wash my face cecily stood watching susans dignified departure her expression was puzzled astonished after a time she glanced at jim have you ever been connected with i a circus she asked walking I 1 toward him across the terrace never neier until now he replied you wint she said amicably we are pretty awful arent we A private menagerie parker is a startled doe and susies a wild cat tommy is a donkey and fathers the big bad wolf I 1 she paused smiling down at jim from the arm of a wicker chair yes he asked neglecting the hedge in the menagerie what are you 1 I dont know A shadow clouded her gaiety id like to think of myself as ai something magnificent a white peacock a bird of paradise a mythical creature with wings and wisdom and glar glamour nour she smiled ruefully a little embarrassed a little sad really though she continued im afraid im just the tor tolse toise shell cat who thought she was a uon lion the words lightly spoken gave jim a new impression of cecily washer arrogance a defense under her surface manner of self assurance was she unhappy restless confused at the moment he felt drawn to her by something more intangible than her beauty A dangerous moment filled for or him with disturbing magic his heart beat with an accelerated rhythm there wasa was a singing sound in his ears the moment passed cecily laughed a clear gay sound unacquainted with sadness or regret can you tame donkeys she asted tea teasingly s angly and ambitious tortoiseshell tortoise shell cats cat father would give you a croix do da G guerre u erre A shining gold medal she added moving away from the arm of the chair think how magnificent it W would look with your six medals for swim swimmingly CHAPTER V jim partially dressed for the eve ning his blond head bead still damp from a shower sat beside an ope open window in bis big bedroom to in the cottage writing materials were arran arranged gid on the table before him A sheet of stationery bore the crisp saluta dear lenore he scowled at the paper laid down his pen and ut lit a fresh cigarette he vant want to return to ro roselyn celyn for lenores house party and he be was finding it difficult to decline her invitation he had promised of course that was the worst ot of it it lie he had promised soon after he came to meadowbrook Meadow brook when the party was still in the undetermined ter mined ried future and he had used any means athis command to placate lenore now that the time had arrived he found himself aimse af in a perplexing situation pleasant but perhaps he was wa afraid to go perhaps that was the truth ot of the matter he might find the old life too easy and agree able he might not want to return to meadowbrook Meadow brook after tha weekend week end why should he he getting anywhere ile he conceive of a life lifetime time of living with the ons and serving the vaughns hn s in the capacity of an extra man in id and about the house it was quixotic to stay perhaps ho he was a romantic fool though certainly there here was nothing romantic in using a typewriter clumsily and pulling weeds and buying groceries perhaps if 11 he accepted lenores invitation vIt vi someone would be there put him on ton to a decent job business conditions were improving the newspapers were optimistic perhaps but he liked being at meadow brook he ha glanced out of the window over the young apple trees to the visible portion of the grounds atthe at the rear of the tha house the sunset was fading into the tha clear still light of early evening jims eyes lingered thoughtfully upon the tranquil scene presently two figures came into view scattering his thoughts the first figure amazingly was susan a dainty almost unrecognizable susan in a pink dress artfully ruff ruffled ted slippers tied with bows an n alice ln in woon won derland comb restraining her taffy colored hair she walked toward the house along the drive wa with th coh consciously ly mincing steps her pointed chin lifted high behind her at a respectful distance followed wed wilfred the farmers boy jun jim laughed litle shed lost no time in acting upon his bin suggestions the pink dress and the suppers slippers tied with bows were wera probably the reason for the shop his attention returned to the sheet of stationery on the table ping trip to the city which she and bliss parker had made yesterday susan was testing the effect ot of her altered appearance and with ob success upon the only male person on the estate approximating her age jim was amused and touched susan too he be reflected had gotten under his skin ile he watched the small mincing figure until the pink ruffles had bad whisked out of sight feeling as he ha fancied pygmalion must have felt when his statue came to life he had inadvertent ly discovered an approach to susan not that he wanted her to be tamed entirely he was fond of the spunky little rebel his attention returned to the sheet of stationery on the table did he want to spend the approaching pro aching week end in roselyn hed have to make up his mind he was taking dolly to dance tonight and he ought to mail the letter to lenore while he ha was in the village |