New Britain herald., 1927-05-31
MV Sons ShJ0GtheaNS.
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7DA McClONE GIBSON
IL his mother had not wished Phi
to go.
Would the girl have done this ha
she not been sure Phil would hav
insisted on her going In spite Of hi
mother?
Anne Tracy got up and wake
to the window as she told hersel
that she must not be suspicion,
The girl is cunning and pretty,
she said aloud. I'm the last fe,
months that ! have seen her sh
has developed into really Lowell
young woman and although she /
year younger than Phil sh
seems to have grown five years olde
in knowledge Of the world lately"
Where did Natlee learn this? Wa
it one of the weapons that Is pu
into the hands OF girl early 81
that she may fight more efficient!
to her destiny Of wife and mother
hoodg
Anne tried to think what kind O.
girl she herself had been wher
she was Natlee's age and found thai
she had only the vaguest recollec.
ton OF anything about herself be.
fore her marriage.
Girls must have been different
in my time"
She took refuge in the age old
cry of every mother of a child. fol
each generation believes itself bet
ter than its children. while always
the children know that they are bet
ter than their parents.
A worrying clock struck one.
Anne could not believe her ears.
She walked over to the mantel on
which 1t stood-yes, 1t was 1 o'clock
surely Phil should have been
home long before this-she ought
not to have given him that money
what il something had happened
10 him-if it had, she would never
forgive herself.
Resolutely she made herself pick
up her book again, but she turned
its pages with unse eing eyes.
At last she could keep still no
longer. Sha walked again to the
window. The motor cars on the
street before her house were becom-
ing fewer. She looked across to that
place on the other side OF the drive
which was called ''the lovers pet
ting place" AS she did so. in the
moonlight before her two forms dis
solved into one. girl put her arms
around the neck of the man beside
her and raised her. face to his.
Quickly Anne turned away. Was
that what she had seen in the dark
blue eyes Of Malice Jones? Had the
girl begun to realize that there were
other kinds of kisses besides the
frankly innocent touching Of the
lips of childhood?
Sh tried to remember II she had
invited her first kiss. but broke off
to mutter, "Oh. why doesn't Phil
Gomez" The clock was now strik-
ing two.
Impulsi<ely she went to the tele-
phone and called up Arrowhead Inn.
A mans voice answered her. THE
last people went from here about an
hour ago. madam"
"Ycs--I noticed two, boy and a
girl dancing about and seeming very
happy. The girls long ropes Of
blonde hair dropped down her back
and she did not even stop to put it
up. Every one in the room remark
ed its beauty. They were among the
last to leave, but they probably will
be home very shortly now. Don't
worry about your girl, madam-the
boy looked like manly lad-1'm
sure she is perfectly safe with him."
Thank you" Anne Tracy cut in
and hung up the receiver abruptly.
Her lips curled into a wry smile
as she wondered what the garrulous
old fellow would have said II she
had told him that she was not
worrying about the girl, but the boy.
Again she went to the window.
The drive was almost deserted now.
Even the young lovers across the
way had finished their last lingering
kisses and left.
Something must have happened!
Visions of a smashed car by the
roadside and beside it Phillips
handsome boyish face upturned in
the moonlight, unseeing and I'M
conscious forevermore.
II must do something-I must do
She trembled at the
sound OF her voice. There was a
tone so hopelessly futile In It for
she realized that there was abso-
lutely nothing to do but wait.
Startled she raised her head as
the insistent clock struck three.
Was that the hall door opening?
Phillip"
Yes, mother. why are you still
up? I was trying to be quiet so as
not to awaken you"
II could not sleep. You should
not have stayed so late
"Oh. Mum. don't be cross. I've
had enough seedlings for one night.
We were having such a good time.
It's such q beautiful place. Mum.
never knew that Nat was such a
GOOD dancer and she was the pref
test girl there.
Mum. I'm going to marry Malice
some day."
CHAPTER III
PHILLIP ANNOUNCES HIS
ENGAGEMENT
Anne Tracy managed to ask her
son: Have you already proposed to
Natlee?"