Evening star., 1932-06-07

Mrs. Cameron's heavy face and watch
fu! eyes over the dinner table Nat
allies Geld, resentful gaze. -.
Just Kitty and herself now. No
need to keep up before the enemy.
Something hard and cold dropped from
Joyce She was again the impulsive,
wistful girl OF the Commercial House.
On a Gay when the house was filled
with rainy afternoon light, Joyce went
out alone for walk.
Valley View street was nearly
deserted. The pcrches-where so much
of Riverton'S social life was lived dur
ing the Summer-seemed strangely
bare, now that they were stripped of
their porch swings and grass mats
and bright awnings. The town was
closing in on itself. Even, thought the
girl a little sadly, as her life was
closing in on itself.
A shabby automobile was Struggling
over the crossing at the corner. 1t
wa the only sign of life.
Joyce swung away from the town
and climbed the road leading up the
hill tn Meckers Woods.
Coed. to be alone like this. swinging
through the moist, cool air! She thrust
her hands deep in the pockets of the
brown jersey she wore. She half
closed her eyes and drew deep breaths.
There was rest--in these moments
when she was alone. . .
Up up again to the patch Of
woodland where she had climbed so
many years ago and found the broken
kaleidoscope. Red and gold and gray
the pattern the crumbled glass made
today. Red and gold for the trees
grey for her life.
She took the trail up to the ridge,
sliding and climbing in the wet, Slip
perry earth, SO that she was painting and
warm when she finally gained the top.
Below her spread Riverton, hazy in
the gray light; the river shining band
directly below was the Cameron house
on the Crest. An imposing pile of
bricks it was from here. And she was
More than four arid years stretching
between her and travel and freedom
Her somber thoughts were distracted
BY the sound of an automobile labor
ing up the road behind her. In a
moment it came to sight, the shabby
car she had seen at the crossing.
Spattered with mud from its steep
climb.
Joyce stepped to the side Of the road
to permit it to pass, her eyes going
idly to the man behind the wheel.
The next moment those eyes had
gone wide and dark and her heart
took wild, sick leap.
Jim Jim Keith driving that
She heard the screech of brakes as
he jammed them on. She was not
aware that she had put out shaking
hand and was clingling to roadside
shrub to keep from slumping suddenly
to the ground. Her eyes clung to the
man as though she were hypnotiZed.
He had gotten out of the car. He
was walking toward her-tall and
straight against the sky.
Joyce, 1 was sure it was you" How
strained his voice sounded! L saw
you as you left the house. I turned
around and tried to follow you, but I
lost the road. I just kept on going
and there you we're. :"
The last words rang over and over
IT. the girls strained consciousness. Il
just kept on going and there you
we're" He might have been deScrib-
ing his life.
'You-yCu came back. :"
The moment the words were out
Joyce realized how foolish they
sounded.
It had begun to rain She could see
the drops streaking between them. See
them pelting his gray hat with little
black spots. She felt them on her face
They misted her lashes-
It's raining he said, in the
foolish way one states tie obvious Wher
the heart is shaking with its pent-ur
emotions Better get in the car
NC. - Joyce said it instinctively
with a flare up Of that old antagonism
which made her take the opposite
stand to anything he suggested. NC
I want to walk
She saw his eyes narrow to dark