Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1930-09-26
CHAPTER XIII
Hankerings

Prosperity was good for VIII. He
worked regular hours. He looked
fresh and well. He adored the chill
dren and enjoyed them more than he
ever had, and no woman ever had a
more loverlike husband than Ernes-
tine. Two or three times a week they
went to the theater, or to concerts,
satisfying a long-starved hunger for
beauty of sight and sound, for move
ment and color. Ernestine had picked
up easily the old threads of social con-
tact, as though she had been living in
another city all this while. The old
friends closed around her as naturally
as though she had never been far from
them, and In little while the jargon,
the familiar jokes, the odd intimacies
were back with her again.
The money flowed in uncontrollably.
They bought second car, and there
were beautiful clothes, new jewels and
: furs for Ernestine, charge accounts,
pony stabbed at an expensive riding
academy for the children. They talked
of buying the house they were in, but
already 1t seemed small. Will thought
he would like to be nearer the lake
and farther north. He felt that they
needed more room.
One day in the fall when BILLY the
Baby" was two years old, Ernestine
entertained her bridge club and that
afternoon seemed to her a perfect ex-
% hot sr~hk 10
woman. She was proud Of her home,
proud of her thin china, her beautiful
silver, her gracious friends. The new
maid was well trained. The cook,
stimulated by flattery. had outdone
herself. The children came in and
spoke to the guests who all exclaimed
over them. They went out with their
nurse to walk to the lake. Even Lii
liam, who had become silent and re-
mote since her last trip to New York,
displayed some of her old gay spirits.
The talk fell into happy Renaissance
Of their childhood and girlhood.
After the guests were gone and
Ernestine was helping the maid to
tidy the living room, putting cushions
in place, folding the card table covers,
as the girl set the furniture back, Lii
liam stayed on, lying back In a chair
of red velvet, her fair head pressed
against the fabric, her arm hanging
laxly over the side of the chair, smok-
ing a cigarette, watching Ernestine.
AS the maid went out with the tables
and covers and tray Of ash boxes,
Ernestine flung herself down with an
exclamation of WEAKNESS. Lillian as
tonished Ler.
whats the matter with VIII, kit
ten?"
"Why-he's all right. He's a little
thin, but he'll pick up. He always
loses weight in hot weather"
"But it's October now. 1t hasn't
been really hot for weeks. l saw him
on North Clark street today while
was waiting In the car for Loring,
who was visiting one of his Greeks.
He came and talked to me. He looked
very white and thin, thought-and
his eyes were too bright-feverish
You must give him milk and eggs.
VIII Is the type, linear I think you
call it. that runs easily into T. B. He's
indoors too much"
Ernestine was silent. thinking swift
ly. "Will's all right, l think" she said
little shortly, but she looked grave.
Lillian arched her brows in disbe-
lief, but said no more. After a while
she left in her own car, while Ernes-
tine sat on the big couch, the silk and
satin pillows, the wide low room with
its charming furniture and carved
fireplace forgotten in an instant. q
What was VIII doing on North Clark
street? He and Mr.. Poole had had
an Office there long ago. VIII had
been strange of late.
CTo BE CoNTINUED)