The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-05-12

She had wept for her lost college
years and for her family, alternately.
She blamed herself bitterly. She had
known what Cary was: charming and
loving and lovable but as little to be
relied upon as weathervane. And
Miss Mona was like child when it
came to handling money.
She found things even worse than
she had feared Miss Mona had am
pie credit in the city and she had
drawn upon it to the limit.
There had been something like a
family row when Cynthia had decided
on the gift shop. Miss Nona's idea
was that Cynthia should use the
money her father left her to ''pay Off
these worrying bills. It's so unpleas--
ant having people call about them"
The Captains idea was similar to
that.
Cynthia had pointed out patiently
that If she used her money to pay the
bills there would be nothing. for them
to live on. She had rented the little
oAOp, AdIlAuS i LIC OQOS anu AIAAAo Ah
moment Of grim encouragement 1t
seemed to her that was all that was
left to her of the beautiful life she
had planned for herself; just odds
and ends Of courage and happiness
and ambition and the will to carry on.
The store had prospered. Little by
little she had begun to pay off that
staggering debt. Then Tenny came,
but Mr.. Montague, although belonging
to Miss Nona's generation. had no
nonsensical ideas about wholesale hos
/ pitality. He sent check with bust
nesslike regularity each month and
Cynthia soothed her conscience by the
realization that very nearly all of 1t
was spent on Tenny, after all.
it'll all be to do over again." she
thought, tossing restlessly on her pill
lows.
Once released the worries began to
swarm about her like buzZing gnats.
The biggest gnat, the one that stung
as well as buzzed, was called Geoff
.Ensloe.
"What must Geoff think of us by
this time!"
When Miss Mona came the next
afternoon she handed Cynthia a
square gray envelope.
"From that New York man." she
said, smiling 1T thought you two had
stopped writing to each other"
$50 we had" Cynthia answered
composedly. perhaps he's going to
be married again and this is an an
nouncement."
She read Ben Sutton's letter. not
once but several times. At last she
laid it down and spoke to her mother
somewhat thoughtfully.
'Ben wants-can you guess what he
wants, Miss Nona?"
ITO marry you, supposed"
Cynthia fingered the gray envelope.
TT amounts to that, I suppose. You
knew I refused him when l was in
college?"
"You told me. I don't wonder. A
widower with boy eight years old
and you only twenty-five! But go on,
dear! What does he say?"
"He wants to come out. here" Gym
thia answered slowly. "He says he
| needs vacation. and he's never been
in Denver. I'll read the letter to
| you"
"He sounds like a charming person."
Miss Mona commented, after the read
| ing.
"He's-nice." Cynthia selected the
word after some hesitation. young
looking, with nice gray eyes, and just
a touch of gray at his temples. He
has money-loads OF. it. You'd like to
go East to live, Miss Nona"
Her mother patted her hand ten
derby. 'Td like whatever makes you
happy. my little girl. Don't marry
this Mister-Mister-"
sutton"
Eyes: This Mr.. Sutton unless you
love him, Cynthia. That's the only
important thing-that you should love
the man you marry. That's all that
matters"
II could be happy enough with him."
the girl said. "Cary would be looked
after-Ben Sutton would know how to
bring out the best in him. You and the
Captain would be comfortable for life.
It's a temptation, Miss Nona!"
"Not one of those things matters,
dear, unless you love him." She rose
and bent to kiss her daughter. II
must go now. Darling, in a few days
| you'll be home with usl Isn't that
wonderful%
After her early supper and before
she fell asleep Cynthia thought a
great deal about Ben Sutton. All he
asked was to be allowed to come to
see her. His visit would commit her
to nothing. But how blessed the re-
lief of dropping on to his broad Shout
ders the heavy load she carried!
In addition to the warm liking she
had always had for him, there was
now the glamour of his great wealth.
Money meant everything in the world
to her now, she thought.
"Cary!" she whispered to herself.
\ 4.