| Show V f 4 PP er tre aay AN RANDALL SYNOPSIS the lost loss of their family fortune as a result ol of unwise property investments and the burden of the fathers protracted illness Is accepted stoically by the bristol family including protessor professor bristol an invalid archeologist archaeologist arche his motherless daughter rosemary and simmons a family fixture for many years the only property salvaged from the wreck of their fortune Is peppertree Pep inn a hotel in southern california rosemary I 1 is delighted with the prospect of running the hotel and with a move which will benefit her fathers health she lull labuy imparts the information to kent standish sh her sweetheart since childhood days CHAPTER n H but everything all right kent far from it were practically paupers haupers pau pers it seems rosemary told him briefly but with many italics in her voice of the interview with the professor she was just getting to the hotel in california when her listener interrupted dont give it a thought money I 1 mean I 1 have enough for us all the professor and simmons too of course she raised her dark eyebrows we still have our pride you know 9 she reminded him besides ive thought of a perfectly dandy way for us to make money its an inn an tan inn the hotel we own in california I 1 had time to ask simmons just what town its in but I 1 win will next chance I 1 get were going out and run it you yau see no youre not youre not going anywhere rosemary except where I 1 take you its high time we got married weve been engaged for months she thought about this not no I 1 dont think so kent youve never asked me to marry you you know you just said you loved me and asked if I 1 loved you what else do you want he exclaimed outraged that constitutes an engagement anybody will ten tell you so now dont lets waste time darling the first thing to do is get married then we can plan where well live and all she was plainly disappointed oh kent I 1 did want to run that hotel it has such a darling nane name pep inn I 1 know id make a successful hostess too darned successful success full I 1 think I 1 see myself letting you hobnob with every guest who chose to take up your time im serious about our marriage darling lets make plans but first he swept her into his arms youre a nice guy kent she murmured against his shoulder 1 I realize that I 1 was feeling a bit low until we had this talk not about the hotel I 1 still think that would be heaps of fun but about dad suppose this awful arthritis stop with his legs gets into his hands he write it wont he said comfortingly but it if it did years and years from now he could dictate of course and simmons would always do everything else for him it if it for simmons I 1 you we be married you mean well we argue about that because there is simmons heaven bless him where shall we go on our honeymoon yes where youve been everywhere it seems to me 1 I have to go in a few minutes madre is waiting for me come on now come on when are we to be married and where shall we go hawaii we might spend a month there it would cost a lot ot of money ked well ive got lots of money or at af least madre has rosemary freed herself you to be getting a job kent if were really going to be married he grinned why planning to be a mighty expensive wife no I 1 dont know I 1 dont think so ive never paid much attention to what things cost but men do get jobs when married before married I 1 should think 1 I have a job as it happens only I 1 been able to work at it yet what is it its a sort of good will thing you know my fathers firm standish and herriot the fountain pen people dad always planned that id sort of travel about from one country to another where the firm has branch offices why he had roe me specialize in languages after he died madre kept up the good work by sending me around the world so you see that if and when things get back to normal in the world im an all set like the idea always go with me of course kent honestly I 1 think wed better wait till you get a job I 1 mean marriage is such an such an adult thing or at least it ought to be we be depending on your mother for our income but great scott rosemary all be my money some day anyhow my father left scads madres never kicked up any fuss about forking over you know yourself what a sweet person cheis she is yes I 1 know but truly kent not the point I 1 do think you should be working earning a salary before we think of being married he grinned at her amiably what would you suggest ive been trained for just one sort of thing want me to study bookkeeping or take up clerking in a grocery store something like that kents enthusiasm troubles rosemary have you ever talked to your mother about marrying no but she knows how I 1 feel about you you been my girl since our dancing school days it if you ask me I 1 think madre will be darned glad to have me settle down ashes always saying she see enough of me to realize she has a son tell you what darling we could sort of make make our headquarters with her you know what a big house it is even if we were gone most of the time shed feel that wed always come back to her she watched him in troubled silence there had always been kent standish in her life to take her places send her flowers give her advice make gay love to her it had bad been more or less understood between them tor for years that they belonged together that some day they would marry your funny little face is all puckered up he admonished her do you think a nice way for a girl to look ten minutes after she gets engaged on your mind dear heart nothing I 1 dont know maybe were going a little too fast kent id have to talk it over with dad and simmons anyhow he roared with laughter simmons too an all right with me simmons has sense and you must talk it over with your mother kent truly you must youre her only son her only child youre all she has and ashes such a gentle little thing you have to be extra careful of her feelings ashes not so awfully gentle as you might think that is she is of course but be surprised how hard it is to get her to change her mind once ashes made it up you mean about me about your marrying me no foolish ashes crazy about you its just that ive never talked to her about getting married and I 1 never know how ashes going to take things I 1 dont mean he went on loyally that she the sweetest person except for youl you alive shell be tickled to death over our engagement you wait and see ive got to be getting along now ill call you this afternoon to see what the doctors said and ill see you this evening rosemary 21 madres conditions shock kent once again she was in his arms once again his mouth sought hers when the door closed behind him she saw with surprise that her hands were shaking 1 I 1 I know it would be like Us this she murmured madre said kent insinuatingly got time to listen to your only che ild Al waysl come in dear she dropped her book and put her head PJ 4 1 az ar 6 planning to be e a mighty expensive wife back against the silken pillows of the chaise longue she wore a negligee of silky brown velvet the exact shade of her eyes and hair she had a tender little heart shaped face slender white hands bands and an appealing air of helplessness he drew a chair closer to her took one of her hands in his bis and kissed it smells like flowers he told her yes I 1 have jot got something rather extra special to tell you rosemary and I 1 are engaged she laughed gently do you imagine for a minute news to me dear boy it seemed to be news to rosemary he joined in her laughter when I 1 told her it was time tor for us to think of being married why ma the matter she sat up pushing away her pillows married kent what nonsense dearl he was nettled and showed it 1 I call it nonsense madre do you mind explaining why you do cross with madre darling dont be she patted his cheek with a soft hand you just thought far enough about this all how can you be married kent when you a position when you cant support yourself to say nothing of a wife he stared at her in stupefied fied amazement if one of the roses in the vase beside her had burst into an oration on high finance he could not have been more astonished madre to talk about money about positions about her only sons supporting himself Is it nie necessary cessare that I 1 support anybody dearest he asked of course it is kent I 1 know youve been chafing under your dependence pen dence on me ive been dreading this talk for you because I 1 can feel how it hurts you to tell your mother you know the time has come to start out for yourself dont mind it darling my boy is of course too much a man to go on living on money he earned she lifted a hand to check his interruption it was different of course while you were being educated it was part of my responsibility to prepare you in every possible way to look after yourself and your wife too of course she beamed on him im proud of you kent youve made the most of your opportunities travel has broadened you given you poise youre ready to face the world on your own account arent you he took his whirling head into his hands 1 I never heard you talk like this before madre no im talking to a man now not just my son a man who is thinking of marriage with a girl who he jerked up his head looked at her keenly Is it rosemary I 1 mean is there anything you do like her dont you I 1 always thought you were fond of her would be pleased at our marriage dear you let me finish marriage with a girl who deserves the e best you can give her better still you must know jobs arent to be picked off the nearest bush nowadays of course not why im glad you have the training and the ambition to go far afield if necessary for your bush you mean forget dads firm for the present dear boy im not pre presuming suming to give you advice you have the equipment know better than I 1 how to make use of it now lets not talk business any longer except just one thing more mr herriot is ready to give you any information you want about well finances your madre as blind as her boy might think ashes seen this coming known that her big son was grown up in more than one way and well mr herriot will tell you kiss me now and then lets talk about rosemary sweet thing that she is how is the professor when are you going to bring your girl here to dinner when 2 the silvery voice went on and he supposed he must have given the right answers to her questions when he left her halt half an hour later he was far too confused to think when he called rosemary he told her he would not see her that evening Some things come up just a little matter of business which I 1 think id better settle right away nothing wrong kent her voice held a worried note N no no of course not its just that I 1 had a talk with madre and she said oh kent she objects no you darling darlin g goose you do get the funniest ideas madres sim ply tickled pink about you about us but it seems that im a bi big b bo 1 now all grown up and e evereth v erff b j im to see herriot tomorrow a kent how grand that means youre to be taken into the firm of 0 course but you wont see him tonight will you why dont you run out and tell me about things well rosemary I 1 think id better not I 1 sort of get to planning you know and I 1 guess I 1 ought to know exactly where I 1 stand before I 1 see you again I 1 madre made me feel sort of queer talking about my being ready to tackle life that kind of thing hows your father tired she told him its been an exhausting day kent youre sure everything is an all right you sound worried you sound all in he said promptly scoot along to bed and rest up for tomorrow ill be out early in the afternoon and well tal gosh how well talk aio I 1 partly reassured she took his sty vice and sought her room there had been nothing startling in what the doctors had said professor bristol was barred from walking otherwise he was doing nicely A warmer climate undoubtedly would be helpful but was not essential on the whole both rosemary and simmons felt encouraged it was only when she thought of kent that the girl felt uneasy not that she really was apprehensive over his mothers attitude it was just well kent seemed different when he telephoned worried if kent could be worried hell teu tell me au all about it tomorrow she mused her lids beginning to droop with sleep rosemary admits plan Is sound at four the next afternoon an harassed but determined young man took rosemary in his arms and kissed her firmly theres the th e very devil to pay darling he told her 1 I knew it iq I 1 knew when you called me last night that something was terribly wrong tell me at once kent Is it your mother soaky how mother ive the feeling that its yot 0 ir 16 4 its madre all right but not the w way ay you mean he pulled her down beside him on the couch and put his arm around her 1 I told her yesterday about us you know and she she objected keep your head against my shoulder darling it helps me to explain this confounded situation to you no indeed sli she object to our being married ashes strong for it under certain conditions 1 I seel see its the right marriage but the wrong girl I 1 just looking for trouble arent you you know perfectly well madre thinks the world of you she told me so yesterday but she thinks I 1 should be able to earn my own liv ing before I 1 attempt to earn you fouraa raa well that seems reamona reason reasonably abl kent TO BE CONTINUED I 1 |
