Show 4 I 1 41 I 1 11 I 1 B as j WV 11 fil jj two wa keys ays eys to 0 a ca cabin B Y L I 1 D A L A R R I 1 M 0 R E 0 MACRAE SMITH CO SERVICE THE STORY THUS FAR charming wealthy gabriella gay for or short graham engaged to todd janeway returns to a cabin tn in the maine woods accompanied by a friend kate oliver the idea of a stay at the cabin occurred to her when she received a key to it following the death of her godfather uncle john lawrence the two girls notice that someone is living in the cabin kate suspects that gay knows know the identity of the mysterious occupant the mystery man returns he is john houghton a young doctor whom gay had known tn in previous years immediately aggressive gay asks him by what right he is in the cabin his right she finds Is greater than her own he too possesses a key but more than that Is heir to it from his uncle john gays godfather gay Is high handed with him and he states courteously that he will leave looking at him in the doorway her old feelings eerlings ee lings return she knows that he is more necessary to her than is todd janeway the man she is to marry gay asks john to reconsider his decision to leave the next morning brings a different feeling and john decides to remain for or his vacation one more week CHAPTER IV continued 4 gay could not have made a stronger appeal to johns imagination she could not have presented her fiance in a role which would so quickly have won johns admiration and respect A love for sailing was his heritage from ancestors who had captained their own vessels around the world the glory of the days of clippers and packets remained in the village in which he had spent his childhood and early youth in memory and mementos the house in which hed been born and in which his mother lived now had a square lookout look out on the roof the walls of the library were covered with tea paper from china the bowl from which hed eaten cereal as a child had been brought in the hold of a ship around the horn the sort of sailing she spoke of was different of course but the swift vision of sails filling in the wind the smell of brine soaked rigging and rope the thrill of a deck canting beneath feet instinctively braced moved him to enthusiastic and for the instant at least quite response a pretty swell prospect he said yes it she said brightly too brightly so that again he was aware of the passion beneath the light mocking words and only the beginning todds dodds father is giving us his place in connecticut too so that well have an anchorage and dad has bought an apartment house over by the east river because of course well have to spend some time in town were to have the top floor the cont contest est is on as to whether the decor is to be smartly modern or quaintly victorian im backing mother to win ashes all for glass and chromium aunt floras whatnot what not and ball fringes a chance t so you see theres no sensible reason why I 1 should have run away it was the whim of a spoiled little brat who sense enough to know her luck gay he said louder this time his voice gritty with effort will you stop talking like an absurd little fool but I 1 am she was moving now with a rocking motion back and forth on the float what a gift tor for description you have youre trying to make me think you are he said brusquely but you arent succeeding he bent toward her and his voice softened from a demand to an appeal what are you getting at what are you trying to tell me please she drew a long sobbing breath and the house of cards tumbled into fragments she looked up at him her eyes dilated fy y tears then down into the water 1 I dont want to go back to new york she said so low that he scarcely heard her and as though the words were forced from her by some agency beyond her control he did not reply the sympathy that welled from his heart in an ungrudging flood made coherent thought impossible he sat watching her efforts to regain the control his appeal had shattered fighting a desire to take her in his arms feeling in his own senses the throb of the pulse at the base of her throat the trembling that shook her body presently she grew quiet when she turned to him again her face was composed 1 I suppose I 1 should apologize now she said coolly her poise her detachment checked the rushing flood of sympathy and tender concern it necessary he said stiffly feeling that she had tricked him humiliated because he had been so naively moved by what might very well have been feminine histrionics 1 I wont then she bundled her bright hair into a rubber cap apologies are misleading she sprang to her feet come on ill race you to the landing she dove from the side of the float came to the surface set off toward the shore swimming with an easy over arm stroke he followed after a moment his strong brown body cut through the water caught up with her slackened its speed to the slackening rhythm of her stroke you arent trying to win she smiled at him across the strip of water rippling between them the use im licked before I 1 start her face sobered the smile curving her lips trembled john she said hesitantly yes gay but she ducked her head when it emerged water streamed over her face as though she were weeping the bow of the boat cut through water which shimmered with the reflected glow of the sunset gay lifted and dipped the paddle slowly watching circles rimmed with gold and flame and amethyst widen out across the still surface of the lake the wind which had blown all day had died down but the air was growing cold she wished she had dressed more warmly but the sun had been hot when shed set off alone directly after lunch hed thought she was dramatizing that afternoon well she been a little the rebellion beneath the words shed spoken was sincere enough but her expression of it had been theatrical why she have talked to him directly hed given her an aa opportunity shed felt very close to him for a moment nearer to mutual understanding than they had ever been then pride had gotten in the way had checked the spontaneous response to the tenderness in his voice that she had wanted to make it was just as well she was leaving tomorrow to keep a I 1 promise what john thought of her I 1 was unimportant she would in all probability never see him again after tonight no use thinking of that gay at some distance from the share shore turned the canoe in toward the landing there was only one explanation she wanted to make shed been when she talked to john this morning very unfair to todd remorse for the impression shed probably given john of him had nibbled Ull uneasily easily at her thoughts during the afternoon she was fond of todd she loved him as her best and dearest friend strange but that was true he was her best and her dearest friend but how could she explain todd to john the bow of the canoe bumped gently into the landing gay dropped the paddle and held on to the planking with one hand while she reached forthe for the rope anything that she might say be too much or too y fv 4 he was frowning and the set of his mouth was stern little they merely drifted into an engagement it only propinquity or the suitability of the match which had culminated in the promise she was leaving tomorrow to keep been dearest friends since she could remember separated for long intervals when he or she had been traveling or in school or involved in a temporary infatuation but always coming together again taking up their friendship where they had dropped it never admitting but mutually conscious of the tact fact that they liked each other best johns voice called her name she turned he was walking down the path toward her a dim figure in the deep twilight of the thickly crowding trees 1 I was just setting out to look for you he said were you her voice steadied supper over some time ago he stepped back to allow her to precede him up the narrow path to the cabin kate took her car to the garage in the village what for to have everything checked before you start in the morning I 1 offered to take it for her but she seemed to prefer to go herself where have you been all afternoon just drifting it occur to you that I 1 that we might be concerned about you he held the screen door open for her not especially she glanced up at him as she stepped inside he was frowning and the set of his mouth was stern if you were im sorry she added A fire blazed and crackled in the fireplace fire place she went to the hearth and held her hands to the warmth are you cold he struck a match to light a lamp A little the air is chilly after the sun goes down and youve had nothing to eat im not hungry the constraint in the atmosphere lay like a weight upon her spirits kate left something in the oven for you his eyes avoided her glance he adjusted the wick and replaced the shade on the lamp 1 I dont want anything thank you she stood with her back to the fire now printing his features upon her memory as she saw them in the light striking up from the lamp her throat ached her heart felt too big for her breast be making an early start in the morning probably then id better fill the wood basket tonight he came to the hearth and bent to lift the basket the firelight shone on his thick dark hair on the lean angle of his jaw by extending her hand she could have touched him why not there was only tonight the telephone on the wall whirred whirled and jangled what the devil he exclaimed in an undertone and walked across the room to the telephone box against the wall she watched him place the receiver to his ear heard his brusque hello hello will you get off the wire please HELLO the call is for the lawrence cabin mrs sprague HELLO yes his voice quieted to a less aggressive tone hello ralph yes houghton speaking 1 ng the call had nothing to do with her gays apprehension subsided subside d she waited for the end of the conversation not gathering much information from what she heard john said yes at intervals asked a direction said yes right away yes thanks ralph goodby good by this telephone he smiled in comic exasperation as he be placed the receiver on the hook everybody from here to machias listens in its a favorite amusement in washington county jolly it his smile her response relieved the constraint 1 I thought it might be long distance she said long distance good lord A call from here to new york would probably take a week he hesitated then asked will you be afraid to stay here alone until kate returns her quick glance questioned him that was ralph sprague up at the store they need a doctor at the whittaker place somebody went to the store to telephone they locate either dr nelson or dr branch and ralph thought of me I 1 dont like to leave you here alone she thought that he was less concerned with her than with getting away it matter that this was her last night here he was grateful for an excuse perhaps she lifted her chin 46 im not afraid to stay alone you might ride out there with me he suggested diffidently and without gay thought any special enthusiasm no ill stay here kate will be back before long all ali right he walked to the door opening into the kitchen paused there to ask youre sure you dont mind that you wont be afraid certainly not she said coolly wanting to go with him more she thought than she had ever wanted anything in all her life before feeling each footstep foot step that took him away from her fall like a blow on her heart his expression became more resolute youre probably right he said crisply it mient siut nui t L i comfortable I 1 may be detained lie he left the room without looking at her again standing on the hearth she heard him moving about in the room he used for a laboratory moments passed slowly dropping like water which might not be gathered up again spilling wasted gone forever presently footsteps thudded across the kitchen floor the back door closed rr a e the sound of the door closing vt vi 7 berated through her senses gay took a step forward stopped then went running out through the kitchen jerked open the door sped down the steps and across the clearing john she called breathlessly wait for me im co coming john opened the door of the farmhouse and looked out across a stretch of weed grown lawn his car was there under the willow where he had left it at the edge ol of the lane goodnight good night ben he said to the lanky young man in overalls who had accompanied him to the door dont worry Every things all right thanks doe doc jenny and I 1 are mighty grateful all right ill run in so some meT time tomorrow today v A thin high wail came out through the open door the lamp trembled in the shaking young hands which held it john laughed only a healthy one could make that much noise hes going to be an opera singer not if he takes after his dad the boyish face traced with lines of weariness and anxiety shone then darkened you sure jennys all right fine shell probably sleep until noon your mother will know what to do you get some sleep all AH right doc we sure thank you goodnight good night the door closed john walked across the stretch of lawn toward the car the full moon had dropped below the dipping hills but the farmyard was bright with radiance it had left john drew in deep breaths of the cool damp air he came up to the car walking quietly shortening his long eager strides but she was not asleep hello doc she said and sat erect in the seat of the car 1 I thought I 1 told you to go back to the cabin he said but his attempt to sound stern was not very convincing you did gay said youve been telling me that at intervals au all night are you frozen let me look at you he leaned past her into the car and turned on the dashboard dash board lights she wore his old college sweater too large for her the sleeves rolled back to free her bands and she had bad bundled herself into a cocoon of car robes and blankets ivr TO BE CONTINUED y 3 |