Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-24
ESPECIALLY Selected Story From the
Best of the Years Output Of american
Fiction-An Unusual Tale Win an
Out-of-the-O Ordinary CAmax-Another
of the 0. Henry Memorial Aevard
Selections Mn Appear in The Stars
Magazine Next Sunday

your mother liked mel Oh knowl She sent
you away TO college to forget mel You are
Holland I? Nobody"
See here, that's all done With didn't for
get you, did II" Lynn stopped, and with
quick movement swung Constance into the cir
Gle of his arm. Were going to get married
next month, aren't we? And mother does like
you. And I-Conniel"
For an instant they stood there. Constance
felt his words blown warm on her forehead;
she peered UP at his familiar, substantial shape
massed darkly against the distant light. She
shivered.
Eyes, Lynn" They went on quickly. Some
times I'm scared, I'm so happy. Scared OF
your mother as I used to be when I was
little. Scared to be SO happy-Maybe that's
why =" She laid her cheek briefly on
the rough sleeve. Lets not talk about 1t any
morei"
The house was dark. Lynn unlocked the
door, turned on the light in the narrow han,
and kissed her Soberly. GOOD night. you're
tired I'll call you up tomorrow"
He lifted her hand, and laid his lips on her
wrist, q soft devouring kiss, under which Con-
stance felt her pulse singing for moment OF
delicate tender happiness.
He moved reluctantly to the door. GOOD
night dear"
GOOD night" and Constance heard him
crunch briskly along the walk. She heard other
footsteps, and turned to run up the stairs, her
softness gone into hard thought, Lynn
wanted to hurry away! He was afraid they
would come in"
TN the upper hall she waited her toe rubbing
- over the worn place in the runner, catching
the coarse threads Of the warp. Everything was
shabby! Yes, John Barse had come in She
retreated toward her door at her mothers.
"Ah Constance must have sent her young man
straight home. That's good. Come In, john"
Constance closed her door softly. "Tm going
to bed" she thought. Mothers wound up.
Shell only make fun of Lynn If am waiting
for her. AS she does when she iS-upSet. To-
morrow John Barse will be gone. And In few
days father will be home" She was slipping
her dress down from her shoulders ana stopped.
as If her thought had brought her father V1Stbly
to the door. A little man, with bright, restless
eyes, nervous high voice, constant, ARTIFICIAL
manner of cheerfulness. He was on the road
most Of the time, salesman for retail-store sup
plies. Clearly she could see him running o
haSty tongue over his lip, rubbing his hands
that awful, deprecating good humor! Poor
father!
"She's SO much cleverer than we are" thought
Constance, land unhappier, too. BrTr, I'm
cold" She hurried into her bathrobe and sat
in front Of the chintz-covered dressing table,
brushing out her soft dark hair. 81 look Like
mother, little" Gray eyes under long lids,
short, wistful upper np-it was serious face
except for the whimsical upward fling Of the
fine, dark brows Impatiently she rose, her
fingers moving quickly down the braid. But
don't feel like her"
When she had turned off the lights she hesi-
tated a moment at the window before she let
the shade spring up. Sometimes she was afraid
of the pines outside! There they stood, the
long, pointed black row, the nearest rising past
her window. Lynn's pine trees. The corner OF
the Holt estate touched her fathers lot-no,
was divided from it bY the wall of pines. For
years Constance had looked out at them each
night and sometimes through their dark
masses had caught golden fickers OF light from
the windows of the Holt house.
Tonight they were very black and still, except
for patches Of old snow caught in the boughs.
Constance could see no lights. Lynn is sitting
in the library she thought, talking with his
mother. He is telling her that he did as she
asked. Told me that my mother was making
herself conspicuous with John BarSe, his cousin,
a man years younger" She shivered. ST won't
think thatI I'll think-how surprised the pines
will be to see me living on the other side Of
them in that great house." With a little rush
she pushed the window high and few into bed,
the frosty air sweeping after her with the cold.
Clean dark smell of the pine needles. Dear
Lynnl" She curled a hand under her cheek
and slept
sound, faint as smoke, drew her abruptly
out Of Sleep Like cry! She fumbled for her
bathrobe. Still drowsy, she pushed her door
Spen and chung to the balustrade, peering down,
HNnshing hand across her eyes At the end OF
tsss hall, indistinct in the light which blurred
through the portieres from the living room,