Beverly banner., 1924-10-03

George. they're awfully good imita.
tions," Gibbs said. investigating. Sand
1 like the goldfish floating about In
that tall bowl"
There are other goldfish down
stairs, and did you ever see anything
so wonderful as the flowers% Ellen
contributed. "Just freesia lilies in the
music room, and masses Of pussy
willows in the hall, and early violets
here Gibbs, DEAR" and she came close
to him, and put her hand on his shoul-
der, "are we lucky, or whatT'
Did you get that delicate insinua-
tion of what we were to do in sum-
mer?" her husband questioned in turn.
"Do you suppose they expect us to live
here"
"Gibbs," Ellen answered, with a
cautious look about that amused him,
1T looks like iti'
"And you know" she went on hap
PLY, when she had taken simple,
soft little brown dress from the closet
where Keno had carefully arranged
all her clothes, and was brushing her
dark hair, "you know, 1t would be sim
ply wonderful beyond words to be
here, Gibbs, and then for you to have
a studio in town. I've always felt
that it was a mistake for families to
combine, but If we had the studio, and
could stay there for a night or two,
and then with your father and Lillian
going to town as much as they do.
and leaving us alone here, 1t wouldn't
be like falling over each other all the
time! And, Gibbs, If it's like this
now, imagine what June will be-and
how Tommy will love It'll"
She was happy tonight, happier than
she had yet been In this old atmos-
phere that was yet so strangely puz-
zling and new. Life in the city had
been trying, she had been conscious a
hundred times a day that she was I'M
fitted for 1t. But now she was back
in the country, Aunt Elsie and Joe
and grandpa only a few miles away
this was her own atmosphere. They
would soon dilute the luxury of LII
lian's home with intervals in some
simpler place where Gibbs could lunch
in his old panty jacket, If he liked.
and where Ellen could cook a little,
even If 1t were on a gas stove. and
garden a little, even if 1t were only in
window garden. And he would be
painting all through the happy morn
ings, and she would go to market with
Tommy beside her, and hear him his
reading lesson, and make him spend
half an hour on exercises with his
violin
what are you smiling about2"
Gibbs asked. as they went downstairs,
with his arm about the velvet dress.
He had told her he liked that foolish
little dress, and the violets pinned be-
side the prim white collar.
''Youl" She gave him the usual an
swer, and as usual, he tipped her
bright face up for kiss.
A moment later her father-in-law
called her from the entrance hall
downstairs. Ellen ran down to join
him, and to walk about the bare gar
den with him, respectfully asking him
questions about the lawn and the
roses.
Gibbs went on to the long drawing
room, where Lillian was standing,
dressed In some Oriental shapeless
garment that cleaned with rich en-
broidery. She was staring down at the
fire, her beautiful dark head bent; she
did not seem to hear him come in.
When his shadow fell across her
vision she looked up, her eyes grave.
Then she smiled, and merely shaped
the word "Gibbs" with her lips before
dropping her eyes again.
''Ellen is out in the garden with
dad" Gibbs volunteered, rubbing his
hands before the blaze. Lillian gave
him an absent look, and fell to dream
ing again. Little flames licked noisily
about the backlog, in the silence.
After a few minutes Gibbs gave his
stepmother quick look; it was as If
he saw her, young, beautiful, troubled,
for the first time. Something was
making her unusually silent tonight;
he wondered what 1t could be.
Headache, Lillian~ he ventured.
The words sounded curiously intimate
and tender as he heard them fall, he
had a quick flash of diffidence. Did
he call her "Lillian?" But Of course
he did!
She looked up with her slow smile.
"No, Gibbs. Just one Of" she
passed her hand quickly over her fore
head, frowned family, and sighed
"just one of my bad times" she said,
very low, looking down at the fire
again. I'm not on speaking terms
with your friend tonightl"
His friend? Gibbs could not under
stand her. she would not call Ellen
that. She would not speak so Of his
father. He could only echo her words
stupidity:
my friendT'
"Your friend Lillian" she eluci-
dated smilingly. Gibbs felt an unex-