Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-06-08

performed but one which would occur
daily.
And | used to wonder what made
Cynthia 30 worn out" he unused as he
went upstairs In search of Cary.
Look here" he said without pre-
amble, Il suppose you know what Doc
tor Blgham has let me In forl'
ITS darned good of you. tool" Cary
said warmly. Il don't know what
we'd haze done II you hadn't voiun-
TERED"
i didn't volunteer--not SO you'd
notice It," was the grim response.
but since ! seem to be let in for ii,
Ill have to get the lowdown on the
facts. How much does Cynthia run
this house on7"
You can't prove 1t by me-" Cary
said, stretching languId hand for his
package of cigarettes. "Have one7
You see, she takes certain sum each
month from the shops earnings, and
with your board and Tenny's, she pays
cash for everything. You'll have to
watch Miss Nona," he went on affably.
IF she gets half chance she'll charge
things. That's what balled us up while
Cynthia was at college. We had a
housekeeper before Dad died Then
everything went to smash except his
insurance and the money he left Gym
thia and me-
He left you something, Them
"Sure-each OF us five thousand
dollars. Miss Mona had the insurance
enough to live On the rest of her
life, too" he added thoughtfully.
what happened to TT"
well, you see, Miss Mona simply
ran riot. Shed never had that much
money to spend before, When the
ready cash was gone she began charg-
Ing things and the first thing knew,
collectors were clustered thick as flies
on the doorsteps-it was dickens
of a mess =
Geoff's expression was rather grim.
''Then what7'
Il wrote CYNTHIA and she took the
first train holne. .
"Gave up her college7"
Cary rolled astonished eyes at him.
aWhat else was there for her to do7 /
didn't know anything about running
the house"
Il seel" Geoff thought he was be-
ginning to see indeed. "And what
did Cynthia do when she came bach? r.
started the shop. IT seemed to me
lot simpler for her to use her money
to pay the bills and quiet things
down.
"Her money? What about yours 2"
Cary grinned. "D'you think / could
hold on to FIVE thousand for more than
two years7 Man, 1t went so fast
hardly got a glimpse Of 1t as 1t passed
from my hand to-othersI Cynthia
started the Odds and Ends, and she
went to Miss Nona's creditors and ex-
planned that she'd pay something
every month II they'd give her time.
You wouldn't believe how nearly she's
out Of debt" he finished compIacently
Cary's casual air Of detachment from
his mothers financial problems was
staggering to Geofr. Little by little
his first picture Of the Aylesbury fam
lily was changing. In that Cynthia, a
tyrannical, penurious little figure, had
been etched sharply against back
ground Of kindly, gentle, charming PEG
pie who loved her In spite of her diff
ference from themselves.
Now he saw her as care-vorn
girl, spending her youth In an effort
to discharge her foolish mothers debts,
keeping sharp watch of the irrespon-
slble Cary, exacting board from visit
ors who planned to stay year, en-
deavorlng to put Mr.. Montagues
check to the best use before Miss Mona
spent 1t for extravagant trIfies.
Anger welled up In Geoff's heart !,
anger against the sweet but futile
Miss Mona, against the impracticable
Captain, above all against the grace
full youth who lay on his bed smoking
while his young sister battled-it
might be for her very life lin the hos
pital as result of the burdens her
young shoulders had borne
AS though Cary read his thoughts,
he smiled ruefully.
Nice family. aren't wei But here's
one thing you've got to take into con
sideratlon, Geofr. We've had plenty
OF money all our lives-up to the time
Dad died and everything went blooie.
1t took me four whole years to realize
that couldn't ask Dad or Miss NOM
for a check whenever I wanted 1T
suppose Cynthia would say don't en-
tirely realize 1t yet.
but I'm learning, Geoff! Give YOU
my word I'm learning. I'm not proud
of my record since Dad died. II II
hadn't been for Cynthia standing By
me, poklng me up when Jagged and
smoothing me down when / got too
discouraged, I'd have done something
pretty desperate before now"
This, Geofr told himself, was true
To one Of Cary's disposition, disgrace
and poverty were obstacles too grea
to be borne He would have side
stepped them-in whatever manner O.
fered itself ut the time Not the leas