The Glenwood post., 1924-03-20


until he came to bed, and asking him
few questions, but her modest share
OF the unwonted alcohol made her
sleepy, and she never knew how late
the two men-and the bottle Of
Scotch-sat up.
She got no chance next morning,
either. for private talk with George
before they met their guest, and in
consequence Georges calm announce
ment Of the days program and his
total elimination Of himself from 1t
fell upon her like thunderclap. She
caught him alone few minutes after
breakfast and asked him what he
meant by it.
Il don't mean anything by it." he
protested. u have got to work all
day, just as l told you. Hawkins un-
derstands all right. told him about
1t last night. He's got to leave this
afternoon and there's no good Sunday
train from here, so 1t seemed decent
to say that you'd drive him over to
Rockport."
you're simply-throwing me at his
head l" she protested.
She detected touch of bravado In
the way he said, "Nonsensel He came
to see you, didn't her But Charley
was already coming downstairs with
his bag, 80 there wasn't time for any
thing more.
Well, the events Of that day were
in Georges head, then, whatever they
turned out to be.
George bade their guest a cordial,
almost paternal farewell and, clapping
his hat little too much on one side
Of his head for Sabbath morning
and an hour when he was certain to
meet their neighbors going to church.
strolled down the street in the direc-
tion of his office.
1t was seven o'clock that evening
when she stopped their car at the curb
after her return, alone, from the
fifteen-mile drive to Rockport. George
was reclining, very much at his ease.
upon the Gloucester swing on the
veranda.
"Hello!' he called to her you back
already? Had good day?"
She chose to regard his second ques-
tion as of a piece with the first, and
she came up the front steps before she
spoke at all.
II suppose you're famished for sup
per-" she remarked, 81. If you've
been working all day." t
"Oh, l got home about an hour ago
and scrambled myself some eggs. How
about you?"
I'm not specially hungry" she said.
''I'll get myself glass of milk by
and by"
SHE SAT down facing him. George"
she Demanded, "why did you send for
those tliree plays of Charley'sY'
He sat up "Why did I send 2"
at was either you or Anna who sent
for them, she interrupted. Charley
swears lie didn't send them and that
he didn't say anything to soul about
coming out here"
He lay back again. "Oh. all right, "
he conceded. 81 telephoned to Chi
cago for 'em the morning after found
out he was coming"
"But why?"
"Oh. don't know. How could
know what he was going to be likef
l didn't know what he was coming for.
So-well, 1 wanted you to be-ready
for him."
She took minute or so to digest
this reply. II suppose you mean," she
mused, shat you thought he might
be coming out here to see how much
Of a-hick the girl was that he wanted
to marry once, after she'd lived
twenty years in Avonia. And you
wanted to-flx me up so he wouldn't
laugh. I suppose that afternoon dress
Miss Maitland made for me doesn't
look like much"
"Oh, d-nw he said, and got to his
feet. Look here, Emilyl You're all
right in any dress. 1t wasn't you !
didn't feel sure about. But he might
have been any sort of ass. OF course,
saw he was all right before I'd talked
with him ten minutes"
mo" she said, "you needn't have
worried about that"
She let the voltage accumulate dur
ing lonsish silence. Then she added,
HE kissed me this afternoon. He'd
been rather-sentimental all day, and
when said good-by to him he kissed
me-"
"well," said George, after a silence
Of his own, "he certainly is darned
nice fellow"
She stared at him. speechless.
"Oh. I'm not much surprised" he
went on. "You see, he told me about
1t last night"
"Told you, last night I" she echoed.
"He didn't say he was going to kiss
you," George exclaimed. "said he'd
always been romantic about you. and
all the more after he'd got old enough
to realize how kind you'd been to a
ridiculous, priggish kid. He said you'd
contributed more to his education than
anybody else he'd ever met, and he'd
always felt grateful to you. Been
wanting to come to see you for years,
hut waa afraid IN Gca rod fo dooth