| Show I 1 M 01 P IV I 1 IN UE mm M 0 or H SU N k MN Z M 8 MO M earu w 16 M C ir g N am M NUM 7 MR CHAPTER VII continued il 11 jim talked of himself it was in keeping with the felicity of the evening that cecily should be friendly and iha charming interested in him candidly admiring and sympathetic 1 I thinkie think thin kit tt was fine of you to have worked here for us she said warmly it must have been awfully difficult how have you endured us you are rather splendid jim the result ive been ing for jim laughed self mocking ly 1 I wanted to make myself sound splendid self importance conceit see what a fine fellow I 1 ami you are she said father thinks so too hes always holding you up as a shining example to tommy example 1 jim produced an exaggerated ag groan but ut why not she asked with the gentle gentle gravity more disturbing than banter and gaiety we feour ur generation think its smart to ridicule courage and honesty you do it and so BO do L I 1 I 1 think its because we realize how important they are and are terrified for fear gone out of the world jerry believe that she sat very quietly now her hands folded in her lap heji he JI jim moved restlessly the rosy glow dimmed a little must you talk about him he asked I 1 you dont mind mi nd really do you she glanced up at him quickly questioningly he had sounded surly jim hastened to make amends it complimentary Is it to sit in a summerhouse summer house with one young man and talk about another but it is a compliment she assured him 1 I never talk about jerry to anyone I 1 can to you since the other night strange it it when we started out loathing each other it means so much to me to have someone to talk to ive felt so alone please let me talk about jerry she was not dramatizing herself the te emotion she felt was sincere 1 11 I dont mind jim said talk I 1 away his voice was sympathetic but his thoughts were rebels marching with bayonets fixed this was his role he told himself through the soft cadences of cecilya Cec ilys voice confidante extra man guardian angel to the vaughns it was a role to which he was totally unaccustomed not that it mattered but it did matter he resented cecily talking with complete absorption of jerry clyde of his childhood and early youth in a small middle west city of his family so unappreciative of jerrys talent jerry perfect she said but his weaknesses are the fault of temperament and not of character women spoil him because he is beautiful yes beautiful full she said softly defiant def lant he has no illusions illusion s about life he says he believe in anything except me that makes me so proud I 1 could burst and humble too she added im not all that he thinks me im afraid that sometime ill disappoint him Ceci cecily lyl 1 her name pronounced with low vehemence by jim was a warning a caution she interpreted it as ridicule 1 I know you think rm lm young and idealistic she said again on a note of soft de defiance flance but I 1 dont love jerry blindly if that that will make you feel eel more comfortable anyway her voice was not quite steady id rather be desperately unhappy with jerry than happy with somebody els else e jim concluded not without mockery 1171 tats a popular song it I 1 was wag sure it had been said before there is truth in banalities though because they are the expression of universal emotions that original I 1 heard it oh ob dearl she sneezed youre catching a cold jim rose took hey her hands pulled her from the bench to bed with you young lady old bursiel nur guardian angel jim amended ll 11 he e put at on his coat they walked jn ju sf silence lenci through darkness through the heavy frai fragrance of night blooming stock toward the house anthe on the side ve veranda venanda ianda under ahe thereof roof of vines she held him for a forn moment ent her hand band touching his arm you w will ili ask father to let jerry come come for a visit wont you she asked with whispered intensity against my better judgment in the light coming out from the diax hal 1 her favi fare was vivid with feeling but how can you I 1 judge U d 7 sie she h saul aid you dont know bely jerry er F pa ther im asking for a fight ing chance all for a moment her hand increased its gentle pressure on his bis arm grant me that wont you she asked softly sh she left him standing on the veranda und under erthe the roof of vines he heard her footsteps advancing along the hall up the stairs the night was very still A door closed softly shingles mortar fence rails flooring white wash pine shavings moss green paint estimates figures carpenters masons scythes pruning shears a crew recruited from the village to cut down the tall grass and rioting weeds long hours aching muscles mistakes dissension small triumphs the work of rehabilitating the riding academy was under way jim was bewildered at first doubtful of his own judg judgment menk inexperienced often discouraged he realized his appalling ignorance in any one of a variety of matters vital to the project and the necessity for concealing that ignorance from the men who worked under his direction but he had a way way with him the older men the carpenters and the masons liked him the crew recruited from the village respected respect ea his physique his willingness to pitch into any sort of j job ob that the exigencies of the moment demanded and that was half the battle he had bad to do the job thoroughly and well mr vaughn kept a shrewd eye on his progress appearing at unexpected expected moments making suggestions advising encouraging cou cour raging Eging throwing a weight of responsibility on jim watching him with a calculating expression gradually as progress became apparent his anxiety lessened and his interest increased he ate heartily again slept soundly woke refreshed and eager to get back to the job the more pleasant aspects of the situation were ahead of him he would enjoy bai bargaining gaining for a string of horses buying saddles and equipment rounding up a couple of stable boys ile he had thought that the new job would terminate any close contact with the family at meadowbrook Meadow brook the farmers nephew a stocky young fellow named ralph had taken over jims former duties he was released from any work about the estate from marketing lists feminine bickering vegetables the mail the wheel of the sedan but he had not escaped the vaughns tommy thinks hed like to work here afternoons mr vaughn said to jim as they stood together one morning watching one of the carpenters as assistants sistan ts nail shingles on the roof of the stable jim thought that he could account tor for the change in tommy do you think its a good idea he be asked excellent Is there anything he can do oh yes jim smiled he can work with the weed cutting crew well start to whitewash white wash the fence to tomorrow morrow ill keep him busy the station wagon careened into the activities at the old riding academy the following afternoon tommy emerged from behind the wheel w wearing caring new dungarees dung arees and an earnest expression well here I 1 am he announced unnecessarily where shall I 1 begin I 1 do jim regarded his latest recruit with twinkling gravity do you really want to work ho he asked 1 I certainly do tommy replied with emphasis 1 I got sort of tired of loafing besides theres too many women around the house anyway I 1 need exercise got to get myself in shape for soccer this tall fall and I 1 could use a little extra jack why I 1 told dac I 1 wanted a job come clean fellow ellow tommy fidgeted looked down at his shoes working shoes unmistakable thick soled clumsy new well I 1 thought dad might like it he confessed hes always rubbing me about being lazy I 1 thought II if she it if dolly should raise a fuss it might help some with dad it I 1 was working jim produced a pail of whitewash and a brush start there in th the e shade he said briskly you arent used to the sun tommy looked with disfavor upon the pail and the brush 1 I dont suppose theres anything else I 1 could to 0 o he said hopefully 1 I mean slinging whitewash white wash is A mans job jim said decisively ci the whitewash white wash is tor for th the e fence he added not 0 to o decorate the landscape or those new overalls dont let it splatter tommy departed wearing the expression of a prisoner ioner a i I 1 exiled to siberia he worked industriously tor for an hour after that he dipped and splashed with enthusiasm thusia sm only when jim Jhn was near at hand jim amused and sympathetic raised his bis voice or called a direction when he be approached the new recruit it to be expected that tommy should overcome his natural dreamy indolence in a moment besides jim had bad tommy on his conscience he might have lifted the burden of anxiety from the suffering exiles mind susan too frequently visited the scene of the new operation she a arrived in the truck driven by wil fred freds father she coaxed jim to take her back with him in the small second hand roadster supplied by mr vaughn on those days when it was possible for jim to return to the farm for lunch why do you want to go there miss parker asked more than once trying to keep her at home its faunl susan would attach herself like a burdock to the small secondhand second hand roadster sue likes activity jim would remark she likes to tag after you miss parker said once exhibiting uncharacteristic penetration and very often but im afraid sheu shell get hurt she told me she was on the stable roof yesterday helping to nail on shingles alm jims stronger than anybody jim overheard her boast to a languid youth from the village indifferently swinging a scythe he could do that with one finger youre not very strong are you or maybe you arent feel ingwell 11 I 1 jim smiled and groaned she was bossy and always under foot and he was afraid she would break her neck no he be had not escaped the vaughns cecily came to the riding academy too the moment of elation which jim felt the first time he ha saw her ride in through the open gate on lady was followed by a feeling eeling of depression ile he had bad thought that the new job would remove him from any contact with cecily if he see her a dozen times a day he would stop thinking cf f her she was friendly and interested she wanted to see the stable and 6 V ari T ft the Is for the fence the lumps and the practice oval in the meadow jim called a man to hold the horse and went with her on a tour of investigation closely shadowed by susan you should cut another window ja the haless room cecily said making her way through shavings and old shingles saw horses dis carded beams a sea of litter and debris green blankets jim the shade you are going to paint the roof that nice moss green I 1 think whose lob job is this jim asked pretending to be injured pigeonholing the suggestions tor for further consideration yours ana youre doing it splendidly her amber eyes were admiring but im interested too binal susan called shrilly jim look at me walk on the beam biml walt wait for met mel I 1 want to go with you tool yes there were mor moments bents when jim deeply regretted his conquest ot of susan cecilya Cec ilys interest continued after her visit she came frequently riding lady or driving her car cecilya Cec ilys interest was pleasant but it was disturbing as well jim did not stop thinking of her he found himself watching for her actually going to the gate and looking up the road if she come he felt depressed and out of sorts if she did appear he felt depressed and out of sorts after she had gone one morning a shower came up while she was there they ran for shelter into the house the air was musty suggestive of spiders cobwebs mice jim raised windows and opened shutters subdued light replaced the gloom they explored the house exclaiming over the fireplace in the kitchen the stairway th chimney nook and the wainscoting in g in what kat might have been the dining room its nice it cecily said we should do it over for a clubhouse wel we jims heart leapt and sank again wel cecily and jim sitting in a deep window seat looking out at the rain they did over the house rough pine furniture cecily sall said handmade hand made and waxed things grilled to in the kitchen fireplace jim continued oysters and steaks and chops walters waiters in jockey costumes costumes I 1 hold on this a musical comedy 1 I like you jim all at once they were silent the gaiety splintered into crystals merged with the rain was lost cecily looked out through the window curtained with sliding beads of moisture jim looked at cecily her hands lying motionless in her lap the soft hollow at the base of her throat the lovely curve of her cheek turned against her shoulder if he should touch her hand it if he should press his ups lips against the soft hollow in her throat where a pulse stirred and fluttered the rain drummed a melody on the roof drummed in his ears drummed out reason and caution cecily she turned to him as though he had spoken her name aloud yes her voice was not quite steady her eyes met his in a long questioning look faintly startled for a moment something trembled between them an evanescent emotion fragile tenuous confusing con cecily stirred glanced away out through the window again look her laughter shook that child jims eyes moved reluctantly from her mobile face followed the direction of her glance susan in her fathers father fishing ashing boots and soul was sloshing slashing shing through puddles making her way toward the house she saw jim and cecily in the window waved broke into a stumbling run across the lawn cecily and jim exchanged a glance of amused exasperation the emotion had vanished before it could be held by a word or a gesture perhaps it had never existed but it had the moment had passed was gone no he had not escaped the vaughns the now new lob job did not terminate jims contacts with cecily she was at the riding academy the day that kay and lenore arrived it was an afternoon late in august with a suggestion of autumn in the air and the sunlight jim sat straddling the low limb of an oak tree at the upper edge of the drive he had been sawing oft off dead branches when cecily rode to in on lady and he dropped down on the low branch to talk to her she sat on the horse only a little below him suddenly lady began to make restive movements A car was turning in at the gate customers cecily said her voice interested and a little excited swank custo customers jim hitched himself along the limb tor for a clearer view ol of the drive the dark cherry colored phaeton shining with chromium and driven by an impressively uniformed chauffeur with a small waxed mustache was creating a stir among the workmen about the place jim shared the general excitement his first instinct was toward escape tor for on the back seat of the car closed in by a folding windshield like a rare exotic bloom in a florists display case between kay and a gentleman jim did not know sat lenore who Is it cecily asked looking up at him friends and relatives he said answering Ce clellys Cec ilys ellys question he heard her soft exclamation as he swung down from the limb of the tree im in for a dressing down what about a little moral support always obligingly gl cecily slipped down from the saddle and leading the horse by the loosened reins walked with jim down the drive CHAPTER VIII youre an idiot jimmel kay said with emphasis and a noticeably cross expression thank you jim said serenely the statement had become a tiresome reiteration kay had made it many times during the progress of 0 an early supper out of doors at dutcha it is a little idiotic jim lenore ignore said with a small laugh quickly stilled surely you can get away for three or four days I 1 should think you would need a vacation her enormous dark eyes eye s plead with him from under the shadowy 0 wy brim of her hat 1 I had a vacation for tour four years jim said a trifle grimly and then making an effort to appear po politely bitely regretful get thee behind me sa tant I 1 have |
