The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-08-15

It stood on a hillside, well back
from the road. Bessie pointed
out that she and Elinor would be
able to spend long afternoons to-
gether and that Sexton and the
little boy could share play hours.
'I'd love to be near you. Aunt
Bessie" Ellnor said. Her aunt
saw that the girl was fighting to
keep back her tears.
"rhere's something very odd
about all this" Bessie reported to
Jim that evening as they sat alone
on the porch. It was still light ana
the boys were playing tennis. Now
and again a shout hoated to them
from the court.
"Um-i" said Jim. He twisted
the cigar in his mouth and
"You see, Jim I don't for q mo-
ment believe that things are--well,
the way they seem. But Elinor
does and, that's the pitiable part of
It. Barrett came In before I left
this afternoon and he loks dread
full I'm sure that seeing Elinor
so unhappy hurts him worse than
Anything else about the affair. Her
misery is more to him than his
We'll. you and can understand
that" Jim said slowly.
Eyes, we can. / almost hope he
will go away soon and let her rea-
son It all through"
Maybe he will"
"of course he may go. I'm not
just sure"
do you remember" Bessie ask
ned suddenly, that talk about Mar
cha years ago? The time she went
off to Europe in a great hurry. Re-
member? She took Annie, that
Scotch maid who had served her
mother for years"
Now that you speak Of 1t do
remember" Jim conceded.
How long ago wah that. Jim 2"
well, I'm not sure. Let's see
Her husband paused, musing,
Must be close to 10 years. isn't it?'
he questioned in turn.
grimly. "Oh, Jim - don't you see
It all?" she went on eagerly.
Jim didn't. Excitedly she ex-
planned. "oh, know I'm right
about it! I know 1 ami" Bessie
exclaimed. II knew all along Bar
rett wasn't that sort"
| Two days later Barrett and ELI
nor drove out to Sec the house
Bessie had described. 1t was a low,
cozily-built dwelling set on the side
of a hilland overlooking the sound.
The house was larger than 1t
seemed at first glance and every
thing about 1t appeared to be sat
isfactory.
Il do like it," Elinor assured
him in almost the old, warmly con-
fiding way. Such moments always
hurt Barrett. They were invarl-
ably brief and always followed by
a return to even more adamant
frigidity.
It was odd. he thought, that a
grill who seemed SO gentle, so con-
stantly thoughtful Of others. could
be so stern. He had come to know
this sternness and how it could
bruise them both. Elinor was
changed in other ways too and
this worried him. She seemed
llistless and did not look at all
we'll. He saw that she had lost
weight. At meals she was never
hungry. Higgins had noticed this,
noticed also that Mr. Barrett
seemed equally strained and had
scarcely any appetite.
Now Barrett said DULY. at is a
nice house." Without meaning to,
he moved toward her. He became
aware of this when Elinor casu-
ally and, as If accidentally, moved
Ito widen the space between them.
The lines Of his face hardened,
/ "You couldn't be so cruel he
thought, III you knew how 1t hurts
Aloud he said, "Do you think you
want to live here?"
"It will do very WELL" Elinor an
''Then I'll see about the lease to-
morrow" he promised. you'll be
able to move in whenever you like:
"I'd like to come soon. think
with Bessie's help can get every.
thing that's necessary ordered
within a week."
| He realized that would mean
that IL he made the trip to South
America he would have a few
4 weeks alone in the New YORK
house. A few weeks during which
he, in his room would seem to
hear her moving in hers.
Don't you think after ALL he
said abruptly (for 1t was not easy
to speak to Gerald), that I'd best
pack the youngster off to some
summer Campo"
"Don't you Think" she asked
hotly in turn, "that it's only de-
cent-not to hide him?"
| ITO Be ContinuedD