The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-04-21
CHAPTER III-Continued

sHer garden supplies half dozen
sick rooms and apartments" the girl
commented. "But she's apt to overdo,
IL she isn't watched. Cary, you'll
weed the aster bed for her Saturday
afternoon"
Z Tenny looked up from her plate.
-.Why didn't you do it today, Cary?
You, were home all morning!"
Cary sighed. "You would have to
spill the beans, wouldn't you. Miss
Montague? Now I'll catch It," he add
ed resignedly.
His sister was looking at him from
across the table.
& eLost your job, Cary? When?"
''Why don't you ask 'why'?" he par
ried.
She shrugged her shoulders. Il can
make pretty good guess!"
SAY, listen, CYNTHIA" he began
eagerly. "Why don't you let me come
in with you at the Odds and Ends?
You pay that dish-faced Elsie Dins-
more
"Dunsmore," Cynthia corrected, go
ing on with her salad, "And don't
} think she's particularly dish-faced."
"Dinsmore or Dunsmore-you have
to pay her salary. A darn good
one, too, as I happen to know. Why
not take me on instead? Charity be-
gins at home, you know"
"Charity, yes. It's business we're
talking about, m'lad."
.sCynthp, you're too hard on the
boy" Captain Cary expostulated. Hes
young to be settling down to Office
routine. At his age was riding my
horse from one house party to another,
dancing all night, hunting"
'aThat was the life" was Cary's en-
thusiastic comment. "Gosh, doesn't it
sound swell? A good horse, nothing to
do but enjoy yourself, pretty girls
everywhere you went, money. in your
pocket"
sounds like pretty useless exist
ence to mel"
"Cynthia 20
II don't mean you. Cap'n." The girl
smiled at him. "Things were different
then, of course. And besides, you
did have some duties, didn't you?"
Naturally had duties" he replied.
"But they were those that beftted a
gentleman, not clerk"
"Cary tries hard, DEAR" Miss Mona
pleaded.
Cynthia was silent, and Geoff knew
mighty longing to take her by those
small shoulders and shake her hard.
Why must she spoil every gathering?
Why couldn't she accept her family for
what they were: impractical but Who'll
~ charming lotus-eaters who, when
all was said and done, added more
to the happiness of the world than did
she and her internal gift shop?
The next morning he went to work
in earnest. For several days Cary
drove him to.the laboratory and came
for him in the afternoon. Then Geoff
bought sedan taking pains not to
explain that he had chosen it instead
of roadster because he hoped to
coax Miss Mona and the Captain to
drive with him occasionally and soon
after, Cary got new job. A small
incident marked this event in a way
that deepened Geoff's prejudice against
Cynthia.
They were all gathered in the par
lor before dinner family habit which
Geoff liked. 1t had been a day of in
tense heat and Geoff dived into the
GOODNESS and dimness of the old room
as into a pool of cool water. Miss Mona
sat in low chair, busy with a dress
she was embroidering for Tenny. She
wore her favorite lilac wolfe and looked
az though neither heat nor worry had
ever touched her. The Captain was
hidden behind the sheets of the eve.
ming paper.
Geoff glanced at Cynthia. She al
ways looked, he admitted grudgingly
as If she were straight from a bath
and clean clothes throughout. Her
frocks were all severely plain, she
wore no jewelry, not even a string of
beads, and the only fragrance about
her was that of her own fine skin.
"Cary home YETI" she asked her
mother
Not yet, poor boy! It's his first day
at the oil company, you know, and
suppose he'll have to stay late, learn
ing his new duties"
Cynthia's lips curved and in spite of
himself Geoff also smiled. Neither
could visualize Cary in an enthusiastic
devotion to work which kept him after
Office hours.
"There he is now!" Miss Mona
frightened. .Bless his heart, he al
ways comes in whistlingl"
In he came, his collar open, his dark
hair plastered to his forehead.
eli, everybody Hasn't this been a
scorcher? Let me tell you what hap
pened today. Fellow came in to price