The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-06-09
CHAPTER xIII-continued

this afternoon?" was her greeting. II
thought you went riding with Geoff
on Sundays?"
"Geoff's-busy," was Cynthla's brief
reply.
Flossle gazed at her thoughtfully.
"You treat Geoff awfully mean l
think, Cynthia I"
He'll survive It," said the other
girl lightly.
Flossie said an unexpected thing
Hell do more than survive 1t. He'll
take himself out of reach of 1t. I'll
tell you about men, Cynthia: they'll
stand lot Of walking on but not too
much. You've been trampling all over
Geoff ever since I've known you both.
/ expect he's getting a little tired of
1t now. I'd quit, If were you--that
Is, If you want to keep him, liking
you"
"And suppOsing I don't?"
Flossle began to draw on her gloves.
sob, you couldn't not want him to-"
she said placidly. "Any girl would be
glad to get him. don't mean me, of
course. Pm not in his class. But a
fellow that will do for any girl what
Geoff did for you while you were in
the hospital is one swell prince of
man, and don't you forget that, Gym
thia Aylesbury!" The appealing
brown eyes flashed, the placidity gave
way to something so like anger that
Cynthia's surprise deepened. Plainly
her little sister-in-law was deeply
stirred on Geoff's behalf.
But if 1 really and truly don't love
him, Flossie?" she said with new
meekness.
Flossie smiled. "You love him all
right only you just haven't found it
out yet. But be careful while you're
finding it out that you don't lose him
altOgether!"
Flossie's native shrewdness was
equaled by her determination. She at
tackled with hummingbird persistence
anything that reused her interest.
Cary's amusement and bewilderment
at this trait grew instead of lessened
as he came to recognize it's potency.
Somehow he discovered that he fol-
lowed doeilely where Flossie led.
She had married off "our first wife"
successfully. The Cary Aylesburys'
purse would be the heavier by fifty
dollars each month as a result of her
gentle maneuvering Now she had
time to turn her attention to the DOR
mant love-affair between her sister-in-
law and Geoff.
She was fond of them both: Cynthia
for her championship of the bride at a
time when Flossie sorely needed sup
port; Geoff because he had been good
to her Cary. So having called on Gym
thia and drawn her own conclusions
from certain signs and omens in that
young lady's demeanor, she trotted
home, took down her telephone re-
ceiver and dialed Geoff.
Scan you come right over?" she
asked.
What's this?" he demanded. "A
rendezvous and you not married six
months yet? File, Flossie, fie!"
"That's all right" she answered
imperturably. "Give me fifteen min
utes alone with you, and Cary can
come and stay the rest of the after
noon"
GeOff came. Truth to tell he was
glad to get away from his own
thoughts. It had been week since
ne had seen Cynthia; it seemed like
year. She wouldn't call him up; not
Cynthia! He might stay away until
he grew bald, acquired false teeth
and gold-headed cane; and she
would preserve her stubborn aloof-
ness. Was there ever in the history of
the world girl so exasperating, so
endearing, so hateful, so lovable?
IT'S about Cynthia" Flossie said
directly when he had arrived at the
apartment.
"What about her? She's not ill?' he
inquired anxiously.
mo, she's all right. I've just come
from there. When l say all right. l
mean she's not sick, or anything. You
know as well as do, Geoff, that she's
AL AONC Win JOu anu WON duIllC II.
Il know no such thing" He half
rose from his chair. "The last time l
saw her she told me it made no differ
ence to her If she didn't see me for
year."
Eyes, of course she would say that
The thing is-we've got to think up
way. It's time something happened.
Something that would wake her up,
that would make her forget all the
grudges she's holding against you;
that would take her outside herself
and send her running in your direc-
tion," Flossie told him, foundering in
her attempt to put into words her
sense of drama. you've done all you
can, guess; and she wouldn't do any
thing more If she knew how. It's time
for-I guess l mean for circumstances
something outside of your two
selves-tO take hand in bringing you
together"
you've been seeing too many
movies, Flossie," was his disappearing
comment.
"Shucks! The movies just press
together in a couple of hours what it