Copyright Macras-8mith Oa. WNU Bervice CHAPTER VII snl Bs Celia selected a few sprays of lilles- of-the-valley from the bowl on the plano and, standing before the mir ror between the front windows In the living room, fastened them to the shoulder of her dress, Her fingers moved so clumsily that the pln pricked her thumb, She gave an exclamation of Impatience at the pin and at her self, It was absurd that she should feel a little frightened because Hugh had sent Stoney to the station to meet her instead of going himself. [It was ridiculous that her hands should be unsteady because Hugh at supper, had seemed detached, because Janie had look at her accusingly and Uncle Charlie, who had invited himself, had grinned through the meal like a dread- ful old Billikin. She told herself that they couldn't possibly know she had seen Carter Shelby in Washington. Yet the feel- ing of fright persisted. Not even her own lovely reflectibn framed in the curlicued gilt of the mirror could re- assure her entirely. She switched off the ceiling lights leaving only the am- ber glow of the davenport lamp. Quarter of nine. Hugh would soon be through in the office. He could come to her. It was absurd to be frightened. She seated herself on the davenport in the circle of amber light. Across the room, in the shadowy mirror, she saw her reflection, her pale yellow dress against the dull npholstery, the flowers on her shoulder, the light glinting across her hair, This was bow Hugh should see her. She folded her hands in her lap and waited with mounting impatience for him to come. The telephone in the hall rang shril- ly. She heard Mrs. Quillen coming to answer it, her heavy step, the rustle of her best black silk. To Mrs, Quil- len, answering the telephone was an adventure. Cella thought that she spent her time Somewhere near the hall waiting for it to ring. “Hello boomed Mrs, Quillen. “No, the doctor, poor man, is in a sany- tarium , . .” Celia knew that she was likely to give detalls. She did—a dozen times a day . “Yes, it's his house.” A pause and then a snort of indigna- tion. “Well, why didn't you say so, Tom? I'll have the flat of me hand to— It's for you, Miss Celia” she shouted into the living room. “It's that rogue of a Tom McAllister playin’ his tricks on me)” If only Mrs, Quillen would learn to bring a message quietly instead of shouting like an auctioneer, That, Celia, supposed, was too much to expect. She walked out into the hall, smoothing away the faint lines which had drawn her brows into something less than an angelic expression. Seating herself on the Chesterfield, she took the tele phone from Mrs. Quillen. Mrs. Quillen lingered expectantly. The toe of Celia’s slipper tapped against the floor. Mrs. Quillen vanished in a swish- ing of rusty black silk, “Hello, Tom . . “So you're home again,” came the familiar volce at the other end of the line, “I saw you in Washington last night.” “Did you?” Celia’s hand crept up to her throat. Then it was Tom's profile she had glimpsed In a passing taxi when she was saying good-by to Car- ter in front of that shabby hotel “Aunt Lucy wasn't at home,” she con- tinued hurriedly. “I stayed over-night at the house with Maggie.” “Why did you go?” Tom asked. “I've been feeling miserable.” The sliver harp strings were plaintive, Had Tom told Janie or Hugh? She had to know. “Have you seen any of my family today?" “Your secret is safe with me, pretty girl” Pretty girl! Tom was rather a dear, “Thank you for the flowers” the sald. And because she was Cella she couldn't help adding, “I'm wearing some of them now.” “Consolation,” he sald. Consolation! She didn't quite like the sound of that. Did Tom suspect that she had gone to Washington to see Carter Shelby? There were times when she didn't like Tom at all, “Did you know that Muriel and Car ter are engaged?” she asked putting a great deal of happy enthusiasm foto her volce, “Yes . . . Andl have some news.” “Are you engaged, too?" It was strange that the thought of Tom be ing engaged made her feel a little for. fora. “No.” He laughed. California.” “When?” “In a couple of weeks, Some busi “I'm going to was In Washington yesterday.” “Shall you be away long?” “About three weeks,” came the an swer over the wire, “1 hope you will have a very nice trip.” “Want to go with me?” “Tom I" “Excuse me. 1 was thinking aloud.” There was, in his volce, that blending of tenderness and amusement which baffled Cella and Intrigued her against will. “I'm tremendously bus; 1 may see you before I go. Remem- ber what [I've often told you-—you aren't clever enough” Cella hung up the receiver with an indignant click. Decldedly, there were times when she was fond of Tom and times when she didn't like him at all, She regretted that he had seen her with Carter last night. But he hadn't told Janie or Hugh . . . She wandered restlessly up and down the hall, paused to look at her self in the glass of a picture. Her lovely face hovered wralith-like over birch-trees and a vista of painted blue lake. The Spirit of the Forest. A lady turned by enchantment into a white birch-tree. Janie came out from the office, Janle in a uniform with Kiltie trotting con- tentedly at her heels, “Isn't Hugh almost through? Cella asked, “There's one more patient,” Janle answered. Cella thought that Janie was look. ing at her with too intent a gaze, “What's the matter? she asked quickly. “1 was wondering If you good humor.” “Why Janliedear!” Cella's eyes were reproachful., That Janie should think she was ever anything except sweet and sympathetic. Janle Ignored the mute reproach, “Rachel's nlece is going to be a bridesmaid,” she sald. “Do you mind If I give her your old leghorn hat?’ “Of course not" Celia pictured herself In the role of a Lady Bountl ful, outfitting a Shantytown brides mald., "Give her that old pink dress” she added generously, "I mpever can wear it again.” Janie went off upstairs with small black dog at her heels. Cella listened, for a moment, at the office door, She heard Hugh dismiss the last patient, heard him close the door and turn the key In the lock. Then she returned quickly to the living room, seated herself on the davenport, fluttered the pages of a magazine, Hugh found her there a mo- ments later. His face was grave. There were no pleasant laughing erin kles around his ruddy-brown eyes, “Cella,” he asked, standing quite still in the center of the room, “why did you run away?’ “Run away?" She lifted eyes that were filled with tender reproach, "You make It sound so-so planned.” “Wasn't 1t?” He looked at steadily. “Planned !™ Bhe laughed as though the idea amused her. It wasn't an entirely successful laugh. She knew that and hurried on. “I just happened to notice the sign for the Washing ton express In Broad street and 1 thought I'd surprise Aunt Lucy. I've been feeling miserable” ‘The sliver harp strings quivered. “You haven't been very considerate, Hugh.” He paid no attention to that, “You knew that Muriel and Mrs Grove were not In Washington” It wasn't a question. He stated it sim. ply as a fact. “You knew they had gone away." “Who told you that? It was really too bad of Hugh to treat her as though she were a prisoner on the witness are In a the few her Celia Hung Up the Receiver With an indignant Click, stand and he was a district attorney, She curbed with difficulty her mount. lng rage. Anger wasn't becoming, “Does It matter?” Hugh asked wearily, Janie had told him, Janie wasn't a dear little girl, Janie was a sneak! “Did Janle know?" she asked gently, “She may have thought that she told me.” Her manner indicated that she wouldn't accuse Janie for the world Hugh could infer what he liked “Come here, darling” She smoothed the davenport cushions Invitingly. “You look dreadfully tired.” Hugh remained where he had been standing In the center of the room. “We might as well get this business straightened out,” he sald evenly, “I know you haven't been happy, Cella I know you haven't been happy with me. You went to Washington to see Carter Shelby." Cella’s heart thumped. A flush which she hated crept into her cheeks, She must keep cool. He was only sus- pecting., He didn’t really know, “Why, Hugh!” The silver harp strings were muted with reproach. “You dropped his address from your bag." Hugh's voice was oddly im. personal. It sounded as though he was discussing a matter of no very great Importance. “You had torn off the flap of an envelope. Uncle Charlle found it in the station” Uncle Charlie! That chuckling old man! “Carter took me out for dinner,” she said lightly, “because Aunt Lucy wasn't at home, Certainly you don't mind that. You aren't medieval enough to believe that I can't have friends, That's really quaint of you, Hugh” She saw In a flash she had sald something wrong. Hugh winced slight. ly. But his voice was steady enough, “That Isn't the question, Celia,” he continued patiently. "The thing that matters Is that you haven't been happy with me." “1 wouldn't have gone known you would mind” Cella's fin gers pleated the lace on her hand kerchief, “But Carter is—Is almost a relative, He's going to marry Muriel” “So that's why jyou came back dreadful if 1 had home.” There was no steady volce. Only sort of compassion, a moment of utter panic, She had lost Carter. If she lost Hugh, how could she explain It In a fashion which would be flattering to herself? “Hugh!” She crossed to Her hands fluttered against his lapels. “You're wrong, darling. don't understand.” His arms were around her but there was no feeling In them. They were like the limp stuffed arms of a cloth ing store dummy. “You loved Hugh" mur mured, scarcely conscious that she had used the past tense, “1 loved,” he said slowly, "a Cella who was never there” She clung to him, trembling shaken, The silver harp strings sobbed a plaintive lament. She loved him. The dear big silly, didn't he know? She would die If he ever stopped loving her, She didn't mind living in the Square. She would al ways be happy with Hugh. Her breath came in broken snatches, Her lips quivered. Her eyes brimmed over with tears. She thought that he believed His arms scemed to tighten. pealing she must look all teary and shaken like this! She glanced away from Hugh, saw herself in the mirror, all her wistful loveliness framed In curlicues of gilt, The picture charmed her. She could not take her eyes away. Suddenly Hugh laughed, not the short bitter laugh of a disillusioned lover but a tolerant teasing lsugh provoked by genuine amusement. She saw that he had caught her looking past him into the mirror, “You're superb, Cella,” he sald “That was a magnificent perform. ance.” He gently detached her clinging hands, turned, walked out of the room, Celia followed him into the hall, There was & sound on the landing. Janie was coming downstairs, Celia could Just see her eyes above the enormous bandbox she carried In her arms. The small black dog was frisking around her feet, “Look out Kiitie,” Cella heard Janie say. "l can't see my feet at all Please get out of the way.” Janie must not know that anything had happened, Celia thought quickly, After all, what had happened? She slipped her arm through Hugh's, smiled up into his eyes. She would forgive him for laughing at her, II Something had happened. Hugh realized as the days grew longer and the locusts blossomed again that some thing definitely had happened. He told himself, at first, that his feeling for Celia bad altered, that he saw her, now, not as a lovely Image which he had created but as she really was, ca pricious, a little selfish, given to dramatizing herself, He tried to make himself believe that it was better so. The chances for their happiness together would be greater If he realized and accepted her limitations, If he could think of her as a human being and nol as some thing he had Imagined. He made an attempt to adjust his emotions. He discovered, one evening, that he had no emotions left to be adjusted. He came Into the garden, on that particular evening, through the alley. way gate. The garden was fragrant with lilacs and the drifting petals of the apple blossoms. The night was mild and sparkling with stars. Hugh wniked under the arbor, breathing in the fragrance of spring, wondering if Janie had gone to bed. She would be anger In Hugh's weariness and a Celia experienced him, coal You she we, and her. How ap moment, sitting beside the couch where Miss Ellie sat, pale but radiant, about to realize a happiness long deferred. He thought he had managed that rather well. It pleased him to know that his scheme had worked. He wanted to tell Janle, Through the follage of the arbor he saw two figures seated beneath the catalpa tree. One of them was Cella, He heard her laugh, saw her head, a faint blur through the shadows, She was talking to Tom McAllister, “Hello,” Hugh called, There was a stir under the eatalpa tree, Celia ran across the grass to meet him, “I was waiting for you, Hugh,” she sald slipping her arm through his, “You're very much dressed up.” He saw beneath ber shawl the filmy ruf- fles of tulle, “Tom wants us to go to the club” Celina explained, “It's a sort of farewell party,” Tom added. “I'm off to California the first of next week” “Sorry,” Hugh sald. *1 can't leave the house tonight, | may be called out at any time” “Hugh!™ There was 8 note of re proach in Celia's soft voice, He gently pressed her hand. “You run along with Tom,” “and have a very nice time." He didn't mind Cella going Tom. That was something to think about, He thought ebout it as he changed Into dressing gown and slip pers and switched on the reading lamp in his room. He had a new detective novel, Janie would soon return from an evening at Aunt Rhoda's. He could tell her about Miss Ellie and they would raid the ice box for something to eat. He preferred that to dancing with Celia at the club. It was aston. but it was true. Hugh set mself with a contented feeling, he sald, with 1 % tied ishing hi it a cigarette, opened the book. There was a gentle rap at the door, “Come In" he called, thinking that Janie had returned, It was Celia. “1 couldnt go sald, Three months ago the fact that she had given up a party to stay at home with him would have made him very happy. Tonight he was conscious of pothing more stirring than a vague irritation, “You should have gone ™ he regretfully closing the book, “I'd rather stay here with youn." She pulled at his hands. “Come down into the living room and talk to me™ They sat on the davenport in the circle of amber light Celia's head rested against his shoulder, «fer fragrance no longer stirred him. Some thing was gone forever, She talked about the house he must build for her at the far end of Manor street. Hugh tried to be enthusiastic. He did not succeed. He kissed her. He held her close. He felt nothing at all. Janie came In from Aunt Rhoda's. She paused for a moment at the lv. ing room door. Cella greeted her cool ly. Her manner Indicated that she and Hugh preferred to be alone. Hugh was annoyed. There was no reason on earth why Cella should be rude to Junie, “Come in, young fellow,” he sald, thinking bow nice Janle looked In her pert little orange tam. “1 want to tell you about Mrs Ellie and old Mrs Pope.” Celia stiffened against Janle yawned elaborately. “I'm tired,” she'saild. “I'm going on up to bed” He heard her walking up the stairs, calling to Kiitle in her husky charm- ing voice. He wanted to talk to Janie, But Janie had gone, Celia was laying hardwood floors In the house at the far end of Manor street. Hugh sald nothing at all “You aren't listening, Hugh.” “Of course 1 am.” But Celia did not belleve him. She wept, She worked herself into a state of hysteria, He attempted to calm her. He finally carried her apstalrs to bed. Janie came with comfort and aromatics. Hugh left her bathing Celia's brow, talking to her in sooth. Ing murmurs, He returned to his room and tried to think It out. He no longer loved pretty Celia. What was the honorable thing to do? There were similar scenes in the days that followed; tears, reproaches, hints at desperate measures. Hugh tried to reason with Celia. “You don’t really care about me. You're dramatizing yourself.” “I'm so miserable,” she walled. “You needn't be. You ehjoy it, Cella.” “You don't understand me, Hugh “I am trying to, Perhaps I am very stupld. Do you want to break the engagement?” She never gave him a definite an swer, He would not break the en. gagement himself. They both were miserable. Cella used every trick In her well-filled bag. At times she was feverishly gay. She made engage ments with half a dozen avaliable young men. When she saw that Hugh seemed relieved, she changed hier tae ties, She grew wan and dejected There weve shadows under her eyes She ate scarcely anything at all. Hugh without you” ¥ she said, his arm. wondered about it until, hearing sounds In the kitchen one night, he went downstairs to find her lunching heartily on odds and ends from the ice box. Cella did not know that he had seen her. He went back upstairs, relieved, indignant, faintly amused, Janie would not permit him to talk to her about Cella, She seemed pur posely to avold him, Bhe took long walks with Kiltle for company. Dur- ing office hours she was amusingly professional. She spent many eve nings at the rectory, at Great-uncle did not not know that she to Interfere, Hugh trying because she knew that he longer In love with Cella. Just herself to a new situation. He thought he had offended her. Had in, love with In heavy Hugh, standing In he fallen load for a the “That's a girl” hall i stairs with a towering Celia Used Every Trick Well.Filled Bag. in Her books, Kiitie, as usual, was frisk- ing around her feet, “I've found all the ones that Father likes," she sald. “It is a heavy load” “Wait a minute,” Hugh called back, “I can manage,” she answered. “Kiltie, get out of my way. Call him, Hugh" Huzh called. He whistled inviting. ly. The small black dog paid no at. tention. Janle tripped, felt herself falling amid a shower of books, She lay quite still with her head against the edge of the lowest step. She was stunned for only a moment. Consciousness returned. Her head ached. But that was all. She was about to open her eyes. Then something beautiful happened. Hugh was kneeling beside her, holding her close. There was a wetness on her cheeks and Janle, just then, cer tainly was not crying. “Darling . . , darling . ing . . It wasn't the Chinese nightingale and it wasn't Hugh talking to Celia In the garden. It was Hugh talking to Janie, holding her close, crying tears on her cheek. Janle kept very still She was afraid to open her eyes for fear it was only a dream. “Open your eyes.” Hugh's volce was husky and tender. “Smile at me, sweet. 1 love you, Janie. I love you 80 much.” Hugh was telling her that he loved her, not because he was lonely and Janie happentd to be there. Perhaps she was dreaming . . . unconscious + « « But the smell of Hugh's coat was real enough, Janle held her eye- lids shut . . . “Oh God,” she prayed, “please don't let it be a dream” , . . “Are you hurt, darling?” he asked “1 was just pretending.” “Pretending 1” She nodded, “Why? “I was afraid It was only a dream.” “Then you do love me, Janie?” 8he nodded again, “1 thought you didn't" “1 must be a pretty good actress” “And I must be very stupid.” “You are,” she sald happily. *I love you most of all because you're so very stupid.” “Imp I* He lifted her from the pile of books, Her head ached. But she didn’t mind, It was much less painful, she thought, to have an ache In your head than to have an ache In your heart, “1 have a great deal to say,” Hugh whispered as he carried her into the living room. “There's only one thing IT want you to say." “What Is it, darling?" “Just call me a good little egg" dar- . STRANGE, BUT TRUE “Have you noticed a thing about blunt people?” asked his friend, “Can't say that | latter. “They are certainly embarrassing at times.” Freeman nodded pensively, “Yes, but hasn't it ever st that they are the ones whe Yery odd Freeman have,” gald the rather come to the point first? Machine Age “The machine age | i ff vast number of jobs” chanle, “Don't 1 know it? affirm fice man, “It coxt me my 3 “How Is that? inquired the speaker, “You have never done any mechanical labor, have you? “No,” he admitted, 1 got job when the Republicans were power; and now the Dems chine has taken it away.” re but wratic Prosaic Peggy As they stood looking window on sister said: your Heavenly Fathe Merry Christmas, you do to show him how gra are? “Wish him the same, I 8’pose,” sal Christmas eve Peggy.—Boston Transcri Scared “There is something In this world besides money.” “Yes, there's the poorhouse™ Napoleon of Finance Will—There goes that man bat. He's a financial wizard, Bili—How come? He don’t look it. Wili—He got a £10.14 payment on ig account in a closed bank three months his wife hasn't found it Wom. ago, and out yet. The Better Plan Father—Johnny, Come help me dig these potatoes, Son—Aw, don’t you think it would be better If you'd do it yourself? You planted ‘em. You know where they are. . Good Idea She—And when we're married, we'll have a nice little house right near mother, so she can drop in any time, He—You bet. We'll get one right by the river.—Chelsea Record. Not So Good Nelghbor—How is that Incubator doing which you bought? Mrs. Newbride—1 suppose it's all right, but I'm a little worried about it. It hasn't laid a single egg yet.— Pathfinder Magazine, A Bookkeeper's Mind Secretary~—Under what bead shall I put your racing losses? Chief—Running losses? THE FLAVOR i; EVERYWHERE
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers