Show 00 two wa keys e to baca a cabin in B Y L I 1 D A L A R R I 1 M 0 R E 0 MACRAE SMITH CO SERVICE CHAPTER VIII continued 13 1 I expected that either be leading john through the art gallery or that be sitting here in utter silence you underestimate the privilege it is to me to be permitted to talk without being interrupted 1 I suppose so gay was silent for a moment then asked have you told john dad john saw david grahams expression sion alter the diffidence he had lost while he had talked of johns uncle returned he glanced at john almost he thought watching in apology then up at gay no he said 1 I its about getting a place for you in the research department at johns hopkins gay said eagerly that is what you want john heard the hesitancy in david grahams voice saw the considering expression in his eyes id hoped that I 1 might work and study there he said slowly its seemed pretty far in the future to make definite plans there will be an opening for you the first of the year ive been in communication with the authorities your training and ability will be investigated of course but largely a matter of course grandfather had an operation there gays voice was excited and happy considerate of him it john looked directly at david graham 1 I appreciate what youve done he said but I 1 accept a ilace there the first of the year gay has told me david grahams embarrassment visibly increased but I 1 we she seemed to think that some arrangement might be made it possible john im afraid not he saw a little of the brightness go out of her face but continued ive given dr sargeant my promise to remain in portland until october you see mr graham im discharging an obligation dr sargeant made it possible for me to complete my medical course and that was the stipulation but if its only a question of money gays color deepened and her eyes were very bright you P she paused at a warning glance from her father looked down at her hand it entirely ive been work ing with dr sargeant since october hes leaving for a cruise the first of the year there be time to break in another assistant even if even it if you could swallow your she broke off her eyes blazing her chin held high gently gay david grahams face was very troubled this is a decision which john must make they were staring at each other like strangers john thought antagonism humming bumming between them in vibrations across the dim richly furnished room but he could not he would not yield it was not he told himself entirely pride not only stubbornness there was a deeper reason something he was unable to analyze fully it had to do with all the other pressures being exi arted upon him by this life into which he had been plunged i im sorry he said conscious of 0 1 david grahams eyes fixed upon him in compassion 1 I cant break that promise gay dr Sarg sargeant earit is I 1 depending on me I 1 cant let him leown down there was silence for a moment then gays expression soft softened ened she gave a low shaken laugh im as bad as aunt flora she said ive just been despising her because she very kindly offers to arrange your life for you im doing the same her breath caught on a sob forgive me im sorry she slipped from the arm of her fathers chair and came toward him ill be patient I 1 can wait he looked down at her as she stood beside him lovely in this changed and softened mood you do understand gay he asked wanting to take her in his arms to heal the hurt he had been obliged to give her in the only way at his command diffidence held him motionless self conscious in the presence of her father her eyes fell away from his pleading glance of course I 1 understand she laughed too quickly too brightly its just that grandfathers offspring have always had too much of everything I 1 suppose we dont accept disappointments gracefully except you dad youre the only one of us who snatch and grab she linked her arm through johns have you finished with john 1 I hope not david graham smiled but his eyes were grave 1 I hope to have the pleasure of a prolonged acquaintance at the moment I 1 mean this house swarming with relatives no wonder were all on edge will you excuse us dad john and I 1 are going out and walk five miles CHAPTER LX IX the sun dropping toward the horizon laid a dazzling sheen on the snow which covered the wide lawns sloping away from the gray stone towers and turrets and victorian embellishments bellish ments of the house but when they entered the grove the glow was dimmed by the foliage of ever greens striped and filigreed by the trunks and bare branches of trees rabbit tracks printed the path before them whorls scalloped indentations like waves on sand where the snow had been blown by the wind they ploughed sloughed hed through kicking up a fine white mist that sprayed their faces with stinging cold its like a maine snow john said as gay became silent yes it she said brightly dry and like powder we dont often have them like this do you ski near here why she look at him her arm linked through his was unresponsive beneath the thick fur coat sleeve when he glanced sidewise and down he saw only tendrils of red brown bron hair curling out under her cap the curving line of her cheek half buried in fur he had thought that here alone out of doors he would find her again but she had ignored or deliberately misinterpreted his diffident attempts to effect a reconciliation so that he no longer made an effort to break through the brittle gaiety of her mood we have she replied on the slope just beyond the grove between the janeway place and ours it very exciting though coasting there is more fun the janeway place is beyond the grove john asked why should he apologize again he asked himself gay had known that he was obligated to dr sargeant until the coming october she have made plans for him which she knew he would be unable to endorse shed always been able to buy what she wanted well in this instance there was something more important than money it was his services the doctor needed besides yes highcliff High cliff to gay said in reply to his question it was a showplace show place until dunedin was built originally I 1 dont remember but ive seen photographs people spoke of it as an italian villa it looked like a steel engraving with terraces descending in a series to a lake and balustrades and urns and weeping conifers our family are parvenus parmenus par venus in comparison with the jakeways Jan eways the land was granted 0 o one of todds dodds ancestors in 1630 why they can live simply now without observing all the silly we dont accept disappointments gracefully conventions that aunt flora struggles to maintain A hemlock branch weighted with snow cut across the path duck to he cried and reached forward too late to thrust it aside he caught her as she stumbled heavens she gasped and looked up at him snow covering her face like a mask she blinked then laughed a gay laugh free from constraint you look like a snowman she said he blinked to clear his vision you look like a snow maiden he laughed with her no too poetic you look as though fallen headfirst head first in a barrel of soap flakes I 1 cant see anything but the tip of your nose here wait his arm held her while with the other hand he brushed the snow from her face As he bent toward her he saw the laughter dim in her eyes A half smile trembled across her lips ive been can you forgive me oh darling yes besl his arms held her but did not draw her toward him but he said steadily you must understand 1 I do ive been despising myself for im hateful to you because I 1 love you that long stupid dinner and then aunt flora I 1 told you that we grahams dont accept disappointments gracefully it was a disappointment but you knew I 1 was obligated she smiled ruefully her eyes were shy 1 I wanted it so much she said when I 1 was away from you I 1 thought that when we were together again want tt it as much as I 1 did that being together would mean more to you than keeping a promise 1 I do want it you know that gay yes I 1 know but 11 1 I could not love you dear so well loved I 1 not honor more youre making fun of me no john im not have I 1 quoted correctly dad read the idylls idyles of the king to me when I 1 was little I 1 thought the king was very noble but even then humor shone fleetingly in the blue depths of her eyes that it was a little hard on the queen you make me feel 1 I have great respect for your honor she said steadily but I 1 resent your lack of confidence oh I 1 dont blame you she went on as he made a sound of protest now that youve had a chance to look us over youre probably justified mother is a dear generous and amusing but not very reliable I 1 suppose and aunt flora and uncle james uncle james ridiculous and muriel and elsa and dirk and reggie lancaster dads the only one of us you could possibly admire 1 I do admire him youre like him a little you want to believe that dont you I 1 am a little I 1 guess but I 1 be satisfied to shut myself off from life as he does theres something of mother in me and a great deal of grandfather but nothing of aunt flora humor shone in in her eyes again if encouraging as it should be he laughed reluctantly her face lifted to his in the dimming glow of the sunset was very grave when we talked in dads study you were thinking of your work yes he admitted disconcerted by her penetration you are afraid for your work she waited and then went on dont you know ill never interfere with that that it will be my pleasure to help you not that I 1 am a noble and self sacrificing character but her voice faltered but because I 1 I 1 love you 1 I love you he caught her to him their lips met but though she clung to him though her cheek cold and wet with snow lay against his and she whispered soft endearments he felt something lacking in the embrace each misunderstanding each prolonged explanation blunted a little the sharp ecstasy they had felt at the cabin when their lips met when her cheek against his she whispered soft endearments dear ments she drew away from him and he made no effort to hold her they walked on breaking a path through the grove closer now but not united when they spoke their voices were gentle their glances meeting separating questioned but received no answer they came out of the grove into the open again the janeway place to john looked across the sloping expanse of snow to the white stone house which stood on a rise overlooking a series of terraces which descended to a small irregular lake not the italian villa he said oh no todds dodds father had the house moved up on the S site ite of the original house patroon he questioned only vaguely familiar with the word the ancestor to whom the land was granted she explained but her voice was absent coasting she said johns glance turned from the rambling stone house washed over with faint pink light standing serene among evergreens ever greens and bare lofty branches of trees toward the direction in which she was gazing gating figures in bright colored ski suits toiled toile dup up the slope which extended from the lake to the high wall planted with hemlocks which marked the boundary of the estate As he watched one of the figures raised an arm in greeting and a welcoming shout came ringing through the clear frosty air theres todd gays arm slipped from his she took a few running steps forward lets coast with them she called back over her shoulder then stopped and turned shall we she asked hesitantly it would you enjoy it if you would he replied conscious of the constraint in his voice and I 1 we arent intruding she returned to him slipped her hand under his arm idiots Idio tl she said A half smile curved her lips her eyes lifted to his face were very gentle job dont you know V T of course I 1 know H he e sm and saw her half smile widen and deepen im rather good with a toboggan lets go coasting the sled sped down the runway glittering with a sheen that was faintly blue in cold moonlight hold todd shouted back over his shoulder im hold holding gay tightened her grip around his waist the words seemed to be torn from her lips and flung backward as the speed of the sled accelerated rushing cold stung her face and half closed her eyes it was freedom it was exciting heres the camels hump the sled rose and dipped gay laughed gasping she leaned out around todds dodds back and looked ahead through squinting eyelids ja wall rose ahead of them th the e ai hemlocks outlined in snow esus b closed her eyes as todd made the slithering turn the sled tilted spilling them off into the snow they lay where they had fallen laughing gasping struggling tor for breath todd scrambled up all right he asked and pulled her to her feet all right he dropped her hands she stood brushing the snow from her ski suit ive never gotten over the feeling that sometime we were ire going to crash into that wall again do you remember when we did 1 I should I 1 still have the scar it was your fault you jerked the ap rope it you make the tha turn in time they broke into laughter 1 I suppose well be arguing that question when were eighty todd said breath okay can you make the climb now they started back in the soft snow at the side of the run todd pulled the sled gay linked her arm through his figures moved ahead of them climbing the slope pulling the toboggan other figures were dark against the fire blazing at the edge of the lake feeling better todd asked after an interval of silence better what do you mean you look too happy this afternoon when you first came over its been an awful day aunt flora 1 I can imagine TO BE CONTINUED |