The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-02-24
THREE ! lEg KINRA9EA0NE y[}S;{z ,4t[aJNy 2
 

them buouI0 they Iall. lie anC Rosalie had waited now, patiently and long. They had paid the money for the livings in May, at a time when the vacancy had oc- cured, and at a time when their darlings' futures had seemed planned and secure. They had waited. They had not complained.
 Cecily, so recently scolded con- cerning reticence had, here, spok- en right out. You have paid the money for the livings? Paid 1t in May? Did they give you re- ceipt? May I see it?"
 Grand had taken the paper from his old bill folder and had shown it, and Ann had read 1t word for word with her own eyes.
 MT Carmichael, his friend, his dear friend, his good friend. had advanced the necessary amount.
 ''Six thousand dollars!" Cecily had gasped. But why should he why would he lend such a lot of money?"
 Friendship. Kindness. Solicitude for his friends health. Generosity. The Golden Rule. Any number of reasons. Grand added, however. with sort of light pride, that he had insisted upon MT CarmichaeIs taking the mansion and grounds --the entire estate, in fact--as a pledge for the amount he had ad- vanced.
 Rosalie had said, Merely a pledge. Not mortgage nor--um- anything disagreeable of that sort. A pledge. You know, daers, you understand
 The dears either knew and un- derstood or pretended that they did so.
 Ann had thought. "All the time II wonder for how long-they have hated it just as Cissy and I have hated it. That Is funny. Or --is it funny? Odd that Cissy doesn't laugh. I must not laugh. il would be rude to laugh. I'll wait to laugh" Ann had said, "Yes, Grand" and, Surely" and, "Of course" to his plan concern ing Mary-Frances.
 She would, he presumed, make her home with Philip and Ann. He did insist, however, he must insist that, as often as once week, at least, Mary-Frances should come to him and to Rosalie and present to them, as Ann and Cecily had al ways presented. her girlish prob lems eff any eXisted), her youthful hopes, her maiden aspirations.
 And now, my darlings, my little girls-always girls to me, though soon to be women-" And then the kisses, and the blessings, and Ce- ely and Ann had been left alone. and neither of them could find a word to say until Ann had dropped her "Well" down from high place.
 Cecily returned on tiptoes. She looked dog-guilty and as radiant as a. sunrise. "Barry's coming" she said. "I couldn't stop him, tried to, angel, but l couldn't. He won't drive in. told him to park outside the grounds and walk up. I'll see him only minute"
 Ann said, But, Cissy, you shouldn't have" and went to the telephone.
 "Phirs coming" Ann said, few minutes later. "I couldn't stop him. But 1 told him to park outside the grounds and walk up"
 Cecily and Ann sat waiting on the porch. It was cold out there, so they huddled together. Cecily giggled a little, all to her self in the darkness. "What?" Ann asked.
 Nothing" said Cecily. Every thing"
 "Yes," said Ann. T feel like laughing, too. Only-I don't know, I'm almost afraid to think of how happy Phil and are going to be. Now that it Is right here, 1t Is al- most too big to look at. wonder how we'll stand being 50 happy. all the time, and still stay sensi- ble."
 Angel" Cecily condescended.
 Don't you feel that way, Cissy ?"
 "No. I don't suppose we'll be so very happy much of the time. When two people have managed as much misery as Barry and l have managed before we are married I suppose we'll keep on with it.. more or less. Less-maybe."
 1T know" said Ann.
 "H'um," said Cecily.
 "You'd rather be unhappy with Barry" said Ann, than happy with anyone else.'
 1T hope I'm not such an idiot. Mo-"
 "But if you don't expect to be happy, what are you marrying him for?"
 Mot for anything. Just because he is Barry"
 "H'um." said Ann.
 "The Hills" said Ann. "are such good people, Cissy."
 I know"
 Ann nodded to herself. "Just the same, I'll be glad to have Mary Frances going to q different school. We'll live on the west side, near Phirs office. don't mean that Ermintrude isn't a nice Title girl. She is very nice little girl, but"
 Someone was walking rapidly up the path.
 Ann said, Listen. There's Barry" Phil had farther to come. and Phil was always late.
 Cecily said. Yes" and jumped to her feet, and shook her coat straight, and was gone.
 Ann closed her eyes again and rested her head back against the post and waited.
 Cecily's laughter, muted' came to her ears. odd, rather, to begin right off with laughing as if some thing funny had happened the first instant. Cecily's voice came, with laughter in 1t.
 "Ann," she called softly. Ann. Here's Phil.".
 THE END.