Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-03-02
The Joy of Living

smiling interest and wonder.
"Great!" said Billy. you take the
room here, old chap. and I'll take the
other. Wen share the parlor."
Aimee accompanied Mrs. Summing
indoors; the little parlor was clean
and coy, the bedroom, upstairs at the
back, tiny but clean.
Aimee made her toilet, descended
to the parlor and ordered a meal.
Mrs. Summing acquiesced in every
thing.
Hes a wunnerful pleasant gentle
man, Mr.. Spencer" she remarked, ard
then, hesitating and r%eddening, she
looked at Aimee. Il suppose, MISS"
she said with much embarrassment,
sits all right?'
Aimee stared.
"AlI right? How?" she said. "Ev-
erything's all right. Very much so ="
The woman's eyes betokened belief
and relief.
"Bless your pretty face, who'd think
anything elseT' she said. you'll ex-
cuse my askin', miss. You see, Lady
Erythea is my landlord, and she owns
all Stanhoe."
Aimee felt a galvanic shock.
"Whom did you sayf" she asked
dazedly.
LADY Erythea Lambe of Jervaulx
abbey, the big place half a mile south
the cross roads. She fare wunnerful
strict, she do. It's as much as my
koaana-,c xyar%h 30 horya NJ rain oro-Oa
here. That's ALL"
The woman left the room. Aimee
stared round her blankly, then col
lapsed into a chair. She flung her
arms across the table, buried her head
in them, and broke into paroxysms
of impish laughter.
"Oh, my Christian auntF" she
sobbed. "My G~eorgieI My Alexan-
der"
Her shoulders were still shaking
wildly when Billy came in.
"Say, what's wrongT' he exclaimed
in alarm, as Aimee raised a tear
stained face. "Crying-eh? No,
laughingl That's goodl That's the
cure for sentiment! But what's the
joker
"Just something 1 thought of, that's
ALL" said Aimee, wiping her eyes.
"That's all right" said Billy imper-
turbably. "Guess 1 amt inquisitive.
But folks mostly tell me their troubles
sooner or later"
II suppose they do" said Aimee. re-
garding him thoughtfully.
Mrs. Summing brought an abundant
meal; chiefly eggs and tea. Aimee
found 1t the merriest feast she had
ever sat down to. Finally, she ac-
-companied Billy to Mrs. Dale's door,
and, returning, retired to her own
room. She was about to let down her
hair, but desisted, and instead sat on
the bed for some time, thinking. She
heard Mrs. Summing retire, and pres
emily silence reigned throughout the
house.
A curious sense of loneliness crept
over Aimee's spirit. She remained
sitting for nearly half an hour. Pres
emily she blew out the candle, and
leaned out of the open window. The
window Of Billy's room al the other
end of the building was in darkness.
1t had not taken Billy long to retire.
Aimee stayed awhile at the window.
She returned to the bed, and reflect
ed again. In that reverie a vision
floated before her as of trees and sun
light, and her partners yellow hair
Pickering in the breeze.
"Billy!" she murmured thought
fully. "Old chap!"
She laughed gently.
HE isn't a trump, anyhow"
The reverie took shape. Then
with a little sigh, she slipped off her
shoes, and, carrying them with her,
stole very softly down the staircase
ito the front door. On trying the door
cautiously, she found it bolted, and
the latch immovable. Also no key was
visible. She realized she was locked
in the house.
A feeling of intense annoyance
seized Aimee. Where was the freedom
MNNMMM lET/M