The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-05-19

open it's doors. There was the black
chiffon with the transparent pink
frills at the neck and the small
pulled sleeves. She had picked that
dress up for song and hadn't she
had good time in it! She wore it
to the Leightons' dinner for the New
York novelist. 1t turned out Ben
knew him and they chatted cordially
of night clubs and the Beaux Arts
party, and the famous British actress
whom they had both met-Cynthia
had been thrilled with Ben that night.
There was the sapphire blue velvet
she had worn to Lita Vendors tea.
All her old crowd was there and they
f1ocked about her, asking interested
reproaching her for her long seclusion,
planning festivities for the future.
Cynthia had not known how hungry
she had been for just this sort OF
thing until she was back in the modi-
fed social whirl to which she had
been born.
She stroked the mink collar of the
new coat. If she married Ben in the
spring by next winter she would prob
ably have a sable coat. Stables had
been one of her dreams. Expensive
furs might be trifle vulgar but they
were so gorgeous!
"And it isn't all selfshness," she
quieted her conscience. 'It's partly
for Miss Mona and the Captain-and
lot, oh, very great deal for Ben him
SELF He needs me. Benny needs me.
It's awful for little boy to grow up
without any mother. He and Tenny
would make the incest playmates for
each other-regular brother and sis
ter. And if" But that sentence she
could not finish even in her own
thoughts. She could imagine Ben
Sutton as an amiable husband, as a
devoted son to Miss Mona and the
Captain, as a father to Benny and
Tenny. She could not go any farther.
She must make up her mind. Ben
would leave day after next and she
knew that he meant to ask her to
settle the matter, one way or an
other, before he went. She even
knew when he meant to ask her.
Ben had an orderly mind. His de-
sire to plan everything beforehand
and then stick to the last detail of his
planning was the only unyouthful
thing about him, Cynthia thought.
If he had known it, this trait an
noyed Cynthia. She had a child's
love of the unexpected. The necessary
routine of the shop had accentuated
instead Of destroying this love. Sew
eral times she and her eastern suitor
had clashed politely over some en-
gagement she wished to change and to
which he adhered with strict punctu-
atty.
She would not admit that she con-
trasted this characteristic of Bens
with Geoff's gay: Lets throw over
whatever plans we've made for today
and do something else! How about
driving to Colorado Springs and hav-
ing dinner there? l feel like celebrat-
ing"
"But what'll we celebrate?" Tenny
always asked.
Geoff's inexhaustible supply of ex-
cuses for festivity delighted her.
"Why, today We'll celebrate-well
celebrate-of course! how could be
so forgetful! Well celebrate it's be-
ing the day after Saturday and the
day before Monday!" Or it might be:
"There was great man born today,
Tenny. I don't know just who he
was but 1 ask you if it's fair his birth
day should go unobserved just be-
cause OF my ignorance?"
Cynthia loved these impromptu par
ties almost as we'll as Tenny did.
They offered just the relaxation, the
kind of foolishness she needed after
her weeks grind in the shop.
But Ben Sutton was Mortified at such
frivolous doings. "Sorry, but Gym
thia and 1 have other plans" he
would say.
So on this evening after dinner. He
had asked Cynthia very formally that
morning If he might see her alone in
the library. she aSsented, Squlrming
a little inwardly. 1t savored too much
of a rite, this premeditated interview.
Why couldn't he have asked her last
night in the car, coming home from
the dance? Why couldn't he have
slipped an arm about her and said,
offhandedly: Ready to give me my
answer, Cynthia? How about May
first for a wedding day."
No, Ben didn't do things that way.
Instead he held the library door open
to let her pass in self-consciously be-
fore him, knowing that Tenny's in
quisitive gaze followed them, knowing
that Geoff had dashed up the stairs
In frantic haste, that Cary was smil-
ing significantly at his Baby, Miss
Nona-oh, this was the worstl Miss