Show 12 v I 1 the I 1 1 r IT 16 amr IL LUTE FLUTE I 1 I 1 by lida larrimore 1 0 macrae arnith company service b 8 CHAPTER X 13 bruce brace was coming for christmas christinas barbara asked stephen if she might invite him as she sat facing him across a small table ina in a tearoom one afternoon a week before christmas who Is bruce stephen asked when she had shyly made the request and sat waiting for his answer her hands clasped tightly under the edge of tie the table hes a friend of ours she answered wanting to tell him all about bruce wondering why she found it a difficult thing to do father liked him an AD artist he will be some time her voice was warm with enthusiasm father said he has a great deal of talent Yo young younger or old about twenty five I 1 guess she said twenty five as though it were not so very young stephen felt an odd sort of pang there were times when it did not please him to be reminded of his age this was one of the times they had been shopping all day presents for the children a fur neckpiece tor for martha in provincetown Province town gifts for the relatives he had enjoyed shopping with barbara he enjoyed looking at her across the small intimate table he saw admiring glances directed at their table heard admiring comments ile he was very proud of his little fillette he had long ago given up any attempt to fit her into one of the pigeonholes in his orderly clear thinking mind A child A woman he know he thought of her merely as barbara she had come to be very dear to him gay and amusing grave sometimes finding adventure in commonplace mon place things the gift of laughter it gives him a jolt at times like that to realize that she was just past eighteen years old you would like bruce to come he asked knowing that he be could deny her nothing oh lob yes uncle stephen she assured him you see his family lives in the west and he have time to go home the children ilk like e bruce he just about lived at our house in provincetown Province town 11 and you like him babble she looked down at the hand which wore his ring dark lashes curtained her eyes ob lob yes uncle stephen she said the pink in her cheeks deepening to rose why she tell him all about bruce he understood things so nicely some time she would when the visit was over she now there would have to be explanations it was nicer to keep beep it a secret what was she thinking stephen wondered watching the curve of her lashes against her cheeks was she in love with this boy invite him for christmas it you like he said theres always plenty of room the dark lashes lifted youre nice uncle stephen she said giving ills his hand band an affectionate squeeze so are you stephen returned the affectionate squeeze was she in love with the boy would you like something else madame the waitress asked hovering near the table barbara hesitated between fudge cake and coffee when the waitress had gone she smiled at him across the table did you hear bear what she called me she asked amused maybe she thinks im your wife stephen bad thought that too it gave him a feeling of pride he look tike like a nice old man if the waitress had fancied that barbara was his wife there was more than pride in the feeling there was tenderness der ness too and a wistful sort of longing perhaps he said and his eyes under brows that frowned a little were grave find and vaguely troubled perhaps what she thought barbaras eyes danced with mis chief that fl funny inny slie she said with a my gy little wounding latigo bruve brine amne in n christ christmas runs eve bar harn iia if I 1 ami wn with Tho thomas thomasco masto to mee meet t him at the station lie he look quite the same ho be had bad lost some of his tan his eyes brightened when he staw saw her ne he smiled and looked a little more like bruce did you have n nice trip barbara asked as they walked through the station that what she wanted to say she had a feeling of strangeness she quite know what to do the train was crowded bruce meant to say that what had they done to her this pretty young lady so BO smartly dressed might have been his babbles elder sister they are at christmas I 1 guess barbara felt a lump in her throat he acted so stiff find and so very polite yes bruce agreed holidays are bad times to travel ile he resented the soft fur jacket she wore the muff the smart little frock of honey boney colored wool ile he resented thomas in uniform the big closed car the air with which barbara entered it as though already she was accustomed to luxury she wont want to live in my studio after this he thought miserably loving her feeling that he had lost her it was easier in the car when thomas had turned his back find and they drove out the parkway in the clear frosty twilight bruce kissed her and held her in his bis firms arms are you glad to see me he asked oh lob brucel bruce I 1 he thought that she was ile he felt her small left hand no longer tucked in the muff its there she said knowing the thought that prompted the gesture gest pre to parre he was very proud of his little fillette r she pulled off of a soft suede glove and showed him the ring with the small gold heart that makes me feel better he said relaxing against the upholstery ill have to get you another he added after a moment that gorgeous enough for an elegant young lady brucel bruce I 1 her eler voice reproached him bim 1 I love it she said nestling close against him 1 I dont want any other ill wear it as long as I 1 live darling I 1 he said feeling as though he be had found her again I 1 and darling she answered feeling the strangeness vanish she changed he thought holding her very close he gave her the gift he had brought a bracelet with a golden heart to match the birthday ring they were happy together during the short ride out from town but he felt that he had lost her again when the car turned through the stone gateway and followed the winding drive the house was a vast dark shape against the deepening twilight he had not thought it would be so grand im frightened he said when the car stopped at the entrance find and thomas sprang down to open thedoor the door silly Si llyl 1 she whispered holding fast to his hand the touch of her hand band banish the feeling that he had bad lost her again it persisted through the chi drens noisy welcome through a din ner eer which seemed endless to bruce in spite of stephens efforts to make him feel at home ile he resented stephen who looked younger than he had hoped and very much more attractive he lovely barbara asked as they left the dining room who bruce asked though he knew very well whom she meant uncle stephen bruce was jealous of the shine in her wide dark eyes it was kind of him to let you invite me he said stiffly knowing that he had hurt hurl her wanting to hurt her bo be cause he be himself was hurt he was sorry a moment later but then it was too late ile he could not find her again though she was there beside him small and very lovely tin in a frock of goldon brown velvet bruce hated himself for his jealousy he could do nothing about it it was an unhappy evening for them both they trimmed a tree for the children in the schoolroom talking gayly avoiding each ti others eyes it if they vaught be alone bruce thought wanting to apologize wanting to find her again stephen watched them and wondered bruce was a nice looking boy he thought and seemed to be on antl intimate terms with the but barbara in love with him lie he felt that tant he would know it if she loved this nice looking boy with the charming manners find and somewhat shabby clothes stephen as aunt edith observed had much to learn about domed women when the treo tree was trimmed barbara stephen and bruce sat around the library fire stephen was charming to barbaras guest if he would leave them alone bruce thought looking at barbara curled in an armchair beside the fire wanting to klas the dimple that woke with her gay little smile there was no opportunity to be alone tomorrow bruce thought saying good night to barbara being polite to stephen tomorrow barbara thought saying good night to them both but tomorrow was just as bad there was no do opportunity to be alone the children claimed the early part of the day there was company for dinner an elaborate one which lasted a very long time when it was over barbara and bruce escaped to the conservatory atory are you sure there Is no one hero here bruce asked pretending to look behind the ferns and under the orange trees no one but the love birds and us barbara dimpled and smiled she loved bruce when he tensed teased must you go today she asked a wistful expression in her eyes the eight train he said already it was growing dark they had so little time he held her close trying to find her again if only for a j moment come with me babble he said she was so small and very dear lying against his heart A bird nestles in your hand yours to keep for always open your hand and the bi bird rd Is lost in the sky you babble dear 1 I cant bruce her eyes were e wistful but her chin was very firm 1 I cant while the children are here she sighed and lifted her head from his shoulder bruce heard the sigh felt her drawing away from him dont you want to he asked frightened and hurt by the soft quivering sigh have you changed your mind dont you want to marry me babble 1 I I 1 do she assured him ile he felt that the words lacked conviction vic tion 1 I cant give you things like this it would be a comedown come down to live with me over the fruit store up four flights of dingy stairs you know its not for me she said very close to tears its because of the children bruce ile he know ile he be sure are you sure he asked wanting to hurt her because he be was being so terribly hurt bruce saw her tremble he heard a choked little sob tenderness conquered the bitter thoughts she was so small so very dear too small and dear to be hurt he went to her swiftly drew her into his arms Babb babble lel he said brokenly im sorry of course I 1 know I 1 have asked you that question I 1 she clung to him sobbing 1 I cant bear it when you dont believe me she lifted a face damp damn with tears 1 I love you so very much 1 I 1 know bruce wiped away the tears 1 I 1 really doubt you but ive wanted you so BO and this house hous e its just that ive been so afraid of losing you will you forgive me sweet the wide brown eyes forgave him quarreling has its advantages she said standing on tiptoe to press her cheek against his its so much fun to make up lip emily and stephen sat before the library alre they were alone except for the little pro professor ressor pottering lottering pott ering among the books at the other end of the room emily had looked forward all day to this interval with stephen she had bad tried not to be disappointed because his gift to her had been books bo 0 its she would have liked something m more ore personal she kept hearing barbaras voice uncle stephen I 1 dont you know that you have given me seventeen christmas presents I 1 the interval alone with stephen aas was not proving to be all that she hail had hoped for she found it ln increasingly dl difficult ali cult to find subjects lor I 1 or conier concer bation that were of mutual interest she had never experienced that dlin culty before well yes before the children came conversation with stephen had been easy and delightful now nothing seemed to interest him except the children emily was heartily sick of the Tb ornes but because that was the only way to bold his attention she spoke of them kindly alib a show of humorous affection ITO TO bit BIC CONTINUED |