The Washington times., 1931-02-16
Chapter 3

OA@PVNA
The following day, being Sun.
day, Mary Lou. Billy and the
Sandersons journey out to Oak
dale, Long Island, to see Grand
mother Jennings and talk over
their plans.
On the train, as Howard en-
6eavored to restrain his small
son from hanging out of the
window, while demanding to
ride with the engineer, why
can't I ride with the engineer,
Daddy?" Clara and Mary Lou
sat together and soberly dis
cussed the details of closing up
the little rented house, details
which would fall to Mary Louis
lot to attend to, as Clara would
have to keep on with her posi-
ton and break in her successor
until, practically. the last min
ute.
For it had finally been de
cided that the Sandersons
would accept the offer, that
Billy would go to his grand
mothers and that Mary Lou
would go with him, remaining
until such time as she could
make other arrangements.
Mary Lou looking with blind.
blue eyes at the autumnal land
scape, was trying hard to be
extremely practical and matter
of-fact. Now and then, in a
small red notebook, with a
pencil stub, she managed to
make shaky. scrawly notes
while she questioned Clara, Sc
verely. as to what would be.
stored, what must be sold and
what would be packed.
Much To Do
The Sandersons' boat would
sail the first week in November
and there was a great deal to
do.
You must" said Mary Lou,
wisely, buy thin clothes. You
can't trot off East of Suez with
o fur coat and sports tweeds!"
Clara looked at her niece
with sudden, hurting compunc-
ton.
"It's going to be pretty bad,"
she said, leaving Billy. II
sometimes wonder how I can
do it. 7 get-panicky. But
you? If only I knew you were
to be with him permanently,
settled-or with someone
knew ard trusted. I feel dread
fully about it. Mary Lou, as if
D.. as if l were failing you
So"
Her clever. brown eyes were
bright with unusual tears.
Mary Lou gave her arm a little
pinch.
Don't be silly. III get
along-grand" said Mary
Lou. Something will turn up,
see If it doesn't" she went on
breathlessly, there's always an
adventure, just around the cor
ner. Of course" she went on,
more soberly, while writing IN
the red book, remember to
store Clara's Hudson seal" "ot
course it's darned shame l
haven't any marketable talent!
Still, there's always a possibility
Of being a housekeeper to
some delightful rich old gentle
man who would die in a couple
of years and leave me three
millions and a house at Palm
Beach," added Mary Lou,
laughing, but with her incor-
rigible sense that life was, af-
ter all, an exciting fairy story
and herself in the very midst
of it. At that, fairy stories had
a way of plunging their hero
ines into all sorts of unhappy
situations and curious esca'
pades but there was always res
cue just ahead, and even a
Prince Charming. Not that
she cared much about princes
= :. except Larry, who was a
very modern sort Of prince.
Clara spoke of him now.
Larry Mitchell thinks we're
brutes to go off and leave
you!" she commented.
Did he say SOP" asked Mary
Lou, bristling in instant de-
Tense of her relatives.
We'll. no. hardly that" con-
ceded Clara, laughing, "but-
I could tell. He's awfully fond
of you"
I'll at Ease
She broke off abruptly. I'm
suitable as a marriage between
Mary Lou and Larry Mitchell
had seemed to her in less
overwrought times, and still
seemed, deep in her heart, she
could not help wondering, for
one wild moment, if, after all,
such a solution wouldn't be the
best. the safest thing for Mary
Lou under the present topsy,
turvy circumstances. She opened
her firm, red mouth to say
something and shut it again,
1rresolute. But Mary Lou,
with ti almost psychic sense