The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-05-26
CHAPTER X-Continued

CynLnld looked vague, DuC Den MS
usual had it all planned. Shopping
this morning; he wanted to buy Benny
an Indian suit and some Wild West
fixings. Lunch down town, a matinee.
a festive dinner at home-Ben looked
significantly at Marguerite and she
looked back and grinned-and evening
with his sweetheart in the library.
Cynthia told herself that she never
felt more of fool in her life than
when she stood there listening to
Ben's suave voice outlining this senti-
mental day. She lifted her head just
once and caught Geoff's eyes upon
her. Plying eyes, they seemed to her,
and yet with conprehending twinkle
in their depths.
"What the deuce makes you stand
there and let that fellow plan for you
like that?" they seemed to say. She
gave his glance back haughtily.
Then the door-bell rang and two
minutes after she was reading the
night letter from Tenny's father
Mr.. Montague had married suddenly,
It seemed wharfage seems to be in
the air." Geoff observed), and was
leaving for India to be gone two years.
He and the new Mrs. Montague would
stop off to see Tenny and to make ar
rangements for her care while they
were gone.
"While they are gomez" 1t was Ben
Sutton's surprised voice. "You mean
to say they won't take the child with
them?"
Cynthia in her turn looked sur
prised. 'To India? Why, it would
he the ruin of Tenny's health. Mr..
Montague knows better than that"
"But"-he was genuinely puzzled
ssdoes he expect you to make arrange
ments for her SCHOOL,"
"School? What school?"
"If her father doesn't take her with
MIN she'll have to be put in board
ing school, won't she?"
At that Tenny gave cry of anguish
and ran to Cynthia, clutching her
madly. shaking from head to foot.
Cynthia soothed her with hand and
voice.
"There, darling, there! Mr.. Sutton
just doesn't understand, that's ALL"
But Tenny was beyond reasoning
with. With child's unerring instinct
she had caught Sutton's real meaning.
Cynthia was going to live with him
and he didn't want Tenny to come.
tool Cynthia bent over her distress
fully.
''Tenny-can't you trust Cynthia?
Tenny. darling"
It was Geoff who came to the res
cue. He picked Tenny up bodily and
carried her into the parlor.
"Now listen, Tenny! You're not 60
ing to boarding school, do You
get that? neutrality-suspicious.
stances :"
She flung her arms about his neck,
believed his collar with her tears. !,
"Cynthia promised-Cynthia prom
ished," she sobbed.
"If Cynthia promised, then you're
all right" he assured her. "She's
never broken promise yet. has she?
And here's mine to add to hers. You'll
go to boarding school only over my
dead body! You see," he went on con-
versationally, "I've been in 'em my
self and know what they're like.
All right for children that haven't any
fathers or Cynthias or Geoffs, but ut
terly out of the question for you"
Her thin arms held him in a
strangling embrace.
'If-if Cynthia goes to live with
with Mr.. Sutt0n-you-you'n keep me
with your"
He took her face between his hands
and looked straight in her eyes. II
give you my word of honor l will,
Tenny!"
Meanwhile Ben had touched Gym
.thia's arm and motioned with his head
toward the library.
"Shall we go in there and talk this
overr
She followed him, almost as excited
and frightened as Tenny. 1t had
never once entered her mind that Ben
might consider he was acquiring
family quite large enough without
adding this child.
But to let Tenny go! Cynthia said,
and honestly believed, that she could
think no more of the child if she were
her own. Somehow those months of
battling with the disease which threat
ened the frail body had seemed to
make her Cynthla's. She saw now
how false was the security in which
she had rested. Anything might
threaten it: Mr.. Montague's remar-
riage, her own prospective one, re-
turn of the lung condition which had
so frightened them when Tenny first
came.
1t would be bad enough to take her
away from Denver, from the pure air
in which she thrived. 1t was out of
the question to take her to India, a
fact Mr. Montague apparently recog-
nized from what he had said in his
telegram.
ben, you wouldn't-wouldnt let
her stay with us?"
"Cynthia, dear-think! Tenny is