The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-04-07
CHAPTER I
The Cary House.

Inc Gary Rouse.
s'This must be the housed" Geoff
Ensloe thought, alighting from the taxi
and stopping before the gate.
Here was the double-pointed iron
fence enclosing the large yard. Here
were the two stone lions guarding the
front steps; lions on whose broad
backs Geoff's mother and little Mona
Cary had ridden some thirty years ago.
There at the left was the garden with
the antlered deer, one kneeling on
delicate forelegs, the other standing
haughtily erect. Time had been at
work upon the impressive length of
their antlers but otherwise they were
just as Mrs. Ensloe had described
them.
SPY George! There's the identical
marble lady pouring water from the
two-handled jug on her shoulder! How
l loved to hear about that fountain
when was six and had scarlet fever!"
He had reason to remember that Ill
ness since it gave him more of his
mothers attention than he had en-
joyed before or since. Mrs. Ensloe
was not, as she herself frankly ad-
mitted, the maternal type of woman.
She loved her clever husband with all
her heart and soul, and as his pro-
fession of chemical engineer carried
him to all parts of the world, she had
gone with him, leaving Geoff at first
in the care of his grandmother, then,
as he grew older, at various schools
and summer camps.
John Ensloe was dead now, and
Geoff was following in his fathers
professional footsteps. Mrs. Ensloe,
however, did not suggest accompany
ing him to Denver where he was to
spend year in laboratory work be-
fore returning to take his fathers
place in the New York firm. Instead
she settled down to finish the book on
properties and Uses Of Hydrofuoric
Acid which her husband had begun
and which his publishers considered
could be completed satisfactorily by
his widow.
"You must look up the Carys in
Denver" she told Geoff. 1.-The Ayles-
burys, suppose I should call them
now. Only Captain Cary is left. I
used to visit Mona Cary every summer
when l was a child. Her father had
large mining interests there and my
father had business with him."
81 know" said Geoff 'Have you
forgotten how you used to tell me
about the big house and the lions and
the lady in the garden? I even know
that there was blackheart cherry
tree back of the house and you and
Mona made yourselves. sick one year
eating Them"
His mother looked amused. "I'd for
gotten I'd told you all that! always
intended to go back and see Mona
after I married, or have her come on
here. I always remember to send
Cynthia birthday gift each year."
she added hastily
Geoff grinned at her. "You remem-
Der! Who was it reminded you last
month and went down with you to
select the gift? A corking jade din
ner ring it vast AS a godmother," he
reproached her, you leave something
to be desired"
GAS a mother, too, perhaps" she
said quietly, though must say you've
rather thriven under neglect. Mona
Cary. now-Nona Aylesbury, 1 mean
will fulfill all your dreams of an ador-
ing maternal parent. She'll fuss over
you, pet you, worry about you if your
little finger aches-she was a perfect
little mother even when we were chill
dren together"
"You talk as if you expected me to
live with herr" Geoff. interested in
this implication, did not heed the faint
bitterness in his mothers tone.
sit might be good thing for every
body concerned" she answered II
rather imagine the Aylesburys are hay
ing a hard time financially. Captain
Cary was never business mamie
1utlGIltGu Ills WEALTH. lIOlu Ills ldLIleT,
who came from Virginia and made
fortune in his old age. believe Nona's
husband put his own money in with
the Captains and when he died-Mr.
Aylesbury, meant seems to me
there was some sort of financial crash.
Your father and l were in Spain"
she stopped abruptly, her eyes dark
with memories.
Geoff however was very much occu-
pied with the present. 81 hope you
haven't committed me to living with
them?" There was alarm in his voice,
the alarm of a young man who has had
rueful experience with ambitious
mothers of pretty young daughters.
She shrugged. SIS it likely? You've
managed your own affairs for great
many years now. But know you hate
hotels and boarding houses, and the
Cary place used to be delightful"
.Mrs. Aylesbury went back to it
when her husband died?"
"Oh, she never left it. Her father
insisted that she and Mr.. Aylesbury
move right in with him Mrs. Cary
had been dead for years-and the
ho,,ea ic hiO annuph IN hold cayo.o,