The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-06-02

the Odds and Ends. They were al
most too deeply occupied in chatter
about dance they had attended the
night before to give heed to their pur-
| chases.
Il noticed you kept the new man
pretty well to yourself" one accused
the other vivaciously. Rather a pig,
weren't your
You keep away from my Geoff, %
the other answered. "Hes a duck
and a dear. and don't care who
hears me say so! Did you know he's
going back to New York in June to be
vice president-vice president, my
dear!-o that Ensloe company that
Dads trying to get Dick into?"
'"He tell your"
"Not! What he doesn't say about
himself would fill many large libra
ries."
what does he talk about then?
notice he's able to keep you inter-
ested."
"Oh-me," was the demure answer.
Il could listen for hours to his flow
of language on that subject"
Cynthia was astonished at the quick
anger she felt. Geoff-what was Geoff
Ensloe to her but the son of her moth
er's friend, of her own godmother?
Why should she resent the fact that
he had spent last evening-last eve
ming when she had darned Tenny's
stockings and washed her own hair
and been in bed by ten dancing
| with this feather-headed little thing
who called him her Geoff in such a
tone of complacency!
Cynthia told herself coldly that she
didn't resent it; she was just sorry
that Geoff's taste in friends was so
poor.
When he came to see her the next
evening she wore, for reason best
! known to herself, the black chiffon
with the tiny pink ruffles
Going somewhere, Cynthia? Or is
all that grandeur for me?"
81 felt like dressing up Bit" she
answered composedly.
! His eyes frightened. ''What about
| going out and dancing bit?" he in
quired. There's a party on at the
| ub-semi-formal. Come on, Cynthia,
dol"
"Tenny-" she objected.
Marguerite sleeps next to the
kitchen, doesn't she? She could look
after the child If she woke"
So Cynthia went into the bedroom
| for her evening coat and last peep
into the mirror. She was little pale
| -tired-looking. A touch of rouge and
lipstick remedied that.
But afterward she wished she hadn't
gone. The music was good, the floor
was perfect, there were enough friends
of her own there to keep her from
feeling that Geoff was stuck; but
| just the same she didn't enjoy it.
There were too many girls who called
messages to GeOff over the shoulders
of their partners.
Going home she was so silent that
Geoff turned to ask her question.
"You didn't enjoy the dance, Gym.
| thia?"
"Geoff, I'll tell you something" she
burst out. "Pm dog-in-the-manger
girl. I've just found it out. 1 don't
want you myself but it gripes me to
have all those girls who didn't know
you existed before Christmas Geof1e-
| dearing you now!"
He flung back his head and laughed.
Cynthia, you give me hope. If
could just feel that you were the least
bit Jealous"
"I'm mott" she said hotly. Jealousy
implies love and I don't love you a
Bit"
"Are you so sure of that, Cynthia?
Suppose I try staying away from you
for week or two and see if you miss
me-"
Stay away year if you like" she
replied coldly. ut won't make bit
of difference to me-"
1t was distinctly unfair of him to
take her at her word. Very likely
though he was glad of an excuse to
stay away.
Cynthia worked herself up into as
finely morbid and resentful a state as
gifl on the verge of falling in love
ever INDUCED in. For that she was
falling in love with Geoff she did not
doubt. She missed him abominably
when he did not come or telephone
during the week following. Things
that he had said-foolish things.
strangely wise and thoughtful things
came back to haunt her. She began
to see him in every man she passed on
the street, in her masculine customers.
This one carried his head like Geoff,
that one had the same clean-cut jaw.
She would not admit that it was
pride which fought against Geoff. She
had resented his coming to live with
them in the first place; resented it be-
cause it put her in humiliating posi-
ton in regard to his board. 1t had
been necessary at the time to ask
Geoff to pay his share of the house
hold expenses. She had put bold
h,f ha ~,