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

mate part of the family life, and as
Cynthia's WEAKNESS often expressed
itself in tart speech.
The Carys were like no other family
Geoff had ever known. Reserve was a
quality unknown to them. They dis
cussed their most private affairs as
cheerfully before Geoff as though he
were one of them. To be sure, they
often took for granted facts he did
not know and thus confused both him
and themselves in discussion.
Only Cynthia guarded her own af-
fairs from discussion. Geoff was al
ternately amused and irritated by the
manner in which flash of her blue
eyes put stop to any conversation
which touched upon her earlier life.
Sometimes" he informed her, II
think you must have Past, you're so
secretive."
The long lashes lifted and she flung
him a glance. "Oh, have! have a
husband and seven children in Phoenix,
Ariz., and I'm so afraid you'll find it
out!"
1T would make no difference" he
assured her affably. II have no in
tention whatever of falling in love with
you"
The blue eyes fingered on him spec
ulatively. 81 wonder 1t would
be an interesting experiment In emo
tional powerful, no! I'm too busy
to bother with you just now. Later,
perhaps"
go as far as you like" he said.
"The fairest maidens of New York
have tried-and failed. But perhaps a
little Colorado desperate"
ION second thought don't think
I'll bother with you. If failed it
would be a terrible blow to my vanity,
and IL succeeded, Miss Mona would
be heart-broken."
'Meaning-you'd turn me DOWN."
She nodded, composedly. He laughed
but he was a little piqued for all that.
The only son of John Ensloe, slated
for an important position in his ia
Tiers firm, esteemed in his own right,
was not accustomed to an Indifference
so obviously genuine that he could not
regard it as assumed for the purpose
of interesting him.
A few days later Miss Mona spoke
to him again about Cynthia's over
working.
won't you talk to her about 1t,
Geoff? I'm sure she'll listen to you'll"
My dear Miss Mona, she's less like
ly to listen to me than to anyone in
Denver. Haven't you noticed that I'm
unpopular with your daughter, to say
the least? I'm the only son Of my
mother, and life is still sweet to me!
I'd do lot for you, Miss Mona dear,
but to put my head in Cynthia's jaws
is job for drawer man than l."
Having taken this determined posi-
ton it was a little disconcerting to
find himself approaching Cynthia on
the subject after all. He did it on i'm
pulse-one of the impulses over which
his mother raised her eyebrows.
Cynthia had come home late to din
ner, more than ordinarily tired.
Does your head ache again, Gym
THAR" asked Tenny pityingly.
IA little, Tenny."
She and the little girl were alone
in the dining room. the others having
finished the meal before Cynthia came.
Geoff, returning for the cigarette
lighter he had left on the table, sud-
denly flared into angry speech.
you're fool to work yourself to
death like this! You worry your
mother, you're hurting your health
what do you gain by it? What does
it matter whether your silly shop does
ten centss more or less business in
days time? If it was necessary for
you to work like this"-Geoff heard
his own voice speaking hotly-'T
wouldn't say word. But merely for
whim-to satisfy some idiotic idea
of self-expression-"
She lifted the coffee cup to her lips
and swallowed the last drops of the
hot fluid.
SIS that what you think do 1t
for?"
"What else?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Oh,
excitement. perhaps change; or
mightn't it be that want a more USE
full life than baking cake now and
then, and helping Miss Mona arrange
the flowers?" :
Usefulness is relative term" he
said didactically. 1T doesn't strike
me as being notwithstanding a lot of
junk on people who don't know what
to do with 1t after they've bought it."
SUNK is a relative term" she re-
torted. "And my customers do know
what to do with 1t"
He moved impatiently. She was
treating him with the same tolerance
she gave Cary and Tenny. he thought.
So far as she was concerned he was
just one more friend of Miss Mona
whom she was obliged to treat with
civility.
He admitted presently that he ap-
naared tn have a talent for nrasant