The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-05-12
CHAPTER VIII
Geof Falls in Love.

Cyntnla was coming uOue!
The Cary house hummed with prep
aration for her arrival. Geoff had
preparations of his own to make. The
first was the prideful arrangement of
a small pile of receipted bills. He
positively swelled with triumph every
time he looked at those. bills. Not
Cynthia herself could have done bet
ter he thought. He considered that
if anybody ever deserved the COM
mendation: "Well done, thou good
and faithful servant" he did.
He hurried home from the labora-
tory that night. In response to his
ea,v er question Miss Mona told him he
might go up and see Cynthia.
She lay on the old chaise Tongue
which had belonged to her grand
mother. She wore silk and lace
negligee. Her hair was tied back
with a ribbon, giving her a little-girl
look which touched him inexpressibly.
Her blue eyes were fixed on some
thing he could not see.
Something happened to Geoff while
he stood there gazing at her. He had
experienced many emotions where
Cynthia was concerned: disapproval.
resentment, downright dislike; then
dismay, remorse, ardent admiration
for her courage and cleverness. Now
all these feelings were swept away,
or rather were merged into love
which shook him by its intensity.
/ What little girl she was to carry
|. so many burdens! Wrath against
her family who permitted this sacri-
flee filled him; was succeeded by hum
Bile gratitude that he could lift those
burdens; slipped in turn into a love
and longing that must have reached
Cynthia, for she turned her head and
saw him; smiled.
He crossed the room in a few steps; ;
took one of her hands in both of his
and held it gently.
"Grand to have you home!"
"Grand to be home again." she an
swered politely.
Stupid, banal talk! Underneath 1t
her heart was asking an agonized
question: "Do you utterly despise us,
now that you've learned all our hor-
rid secrets?" And his heart was say
ing: Darling! Sweetheart! love
you better than all the world"
Cynthia broke the silence abruptly.
"About the household bills, Geoff--"
He shook his head. you're not to
talk business today"
whats the use of putting it Off"
she demanded. I'D. rather know the
worst at once so I can begin to plan"
Indignation seized him. "What
d'you mean-the worst? There's no
worst about it. Every bill is paid"
."Then you did pay them out of your
own money"
81 did no such thingw He rose and
stood towering above her. "Didn't
you ask me to promise not to and
didn't promise?"
In spite of his new tenderness for
Cynthia, in spite of the fact that he
knew for the first time what love
meant, the old faint hostility was ris-
ing between them. When Cynthia 8
weakness pulled at his heartstrings,
when he would gladly have rushed out
and died to save her pain, he was
swapping at her in exactly the old
quarrelsome way.
Nor had illness quenched Cynthia's
smoldering ill-humor.
"Are you trying to tell me that
you-have run this house"
II most certainly have!" He slapped
the little pile of bills down before
her. Grocery bill-receipted in full :
milk. ditto; Tenny's coat, ditto.
She fingered the rubber band that
held the receipts. 'Fm afraid to look
at these. l can't believe you've done
all that, without-without-"
II give you my word haven't spent
a dollar of my own money" he as
sured her. Its all come out of your
own funds. It's been an education to
me-learning the prices of things"
$50 valuable to a chemical engi-
neer," she tainted him.
"Why not? Cooking. as see it, is,
after all, wholly chemical process.
Take, for instance" he began in an
oratorical tone, "the effect of heat on
vitamins. In cooking tomatoes"
Cynthia, whose look of bewilder-
ment had given away to mirth.
laughed until tears ran down her
! cheeks. "You-and tomatoes she