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?
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