The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-10-31
CHAPTER XXI

They both laughed lot at din.
ner. There was = big Thanksgiving
dinner, with tremendous turkey,
and crystal glasses holding old Mr..
Barstow's pre-prohibition wine. The
red berries glowed in the candle.
light, the women's dresses, mauve
and rose and blue like rainbows in
q dim sky. The others talked {.
trickle Of low conversation, tinkle
Of laughter. Joan and Curtis ate
absently, lost in their secret, happy
thoughts.
He looked 1T her, slender and
family smiling in her rose-colored
frock, and she looked at him, dear,
loyal Curtis, steady and strong and
good. Their eyes met, held each
other, across the white table. Only
they were real. The others were
shadows, shadows that would soon
60 away.
1T is very late" Mrs. Barstow
said, when Eugenia, : Disguised
nymph in fiuttering mauve chiffon,
had stopped hsmmering the old
square piano, and gone yawning to
$50 it is" Mrs. Lawrence agreed,
"and the country air."
Joan stood up, too. "Oh, don't
60 yeti" Curtis begged. @Wait till
the logs burn down. Mother, tell
her it's her solemn duty to sit up
with me q while and see the house
doesn't catch fire. Besides I'm go
ing to pop some corn, and I'll get
sick and die If I eat it all alone, and
it will Be all Joan's fault. Joan
Hastings, If you 60 away so early,
on our last night"
"But I'll wake Eugenia then"
THE heck with Eugenia-"
"Curtis!"
But she stayed. Lyla Barstow
saw them, sitting on cushions be-
fore the fire before she closed her
door. Joan's slender arms clasped
her knees, her hair was halo of
gold light in the dim fire lit room.
II can't give him up to her-I
can't cant" she whispered to
her hagHard reflection in the mir
ror. "oh; curtis-what can you see
Outside the wind whispered in
the trees, raindrops battered on the
shingled roof. The wicker chairs
squeaked. Instinctively Joan drew
nearer to Curtis :. Curtis her
only friend.
The wind whirled round the small
cabin, rafting the branches against
the windows. Softly the pine nee
dies brushed the glass, gently, like
little hands. Lyla Barlow thought
Of the days when the cabin was new,
those happy long ago days when her
husband was living, and Curtis was
q little boy. "A little boy in kits
playing with lead soldiers on the
living room floor, knocking them
down with his fat baby hands, set
ting them up again, squealing. with
JOY. Rushing to her with every bit
Of childish news. Mother, see
the red stone ! found-look ct it
Mother, sect has q crack in it"
And now he sat in the living room
with that girl !. and she was shut
out. Shut out Of his heart, because
Of girl with q pretty face.
They shouldn't sit up so late.
Nora Lawrence would have some.
thing witty TO cay about It in the
morning. -. She went to the door
and listened, hardly daring to
breathe. How quiet they were. She
wanted to call, "Curtis! Curtis!
It's time to 70 to bod" the way
she did when he was ten. But she
couldn't do that now.
Quietly she 1p-toed back to bed.
She must try 70 sleep.
In the small room Of the porch
Eugenia stirred uneasily. "This is
. fine party, ! don't thinkl"
And in the morning when they
started for the long ride home,
Eugenia didn't climb into tho front
seat with Curtis. She left Il for
Joan. Mrs. lawrence nudged her
Get in!" But Gene wouldn't
make the effort. What's the use?
Nobody could do anything with Cur
It's now. Not until he had time to
set over i, q least.
"Have > good time!" Francine
"Oh, yesl" Joan's face was glow
5ng-no need to ask.
Ruth watched them talking, from
. corner. 1--WE got something to
tell YOU" she tslegraphsd to Joan.
Something about Bill. Joan
knew. Always something TO bring |
her back, just when she had made |
up her mind.
She steelsd her heart. "What
ahout?"
Ruth pushed her into one Of the |
empty fitting rooms. "Lisfen-l