The Washington times., 1934-07-18
CHAPTER VII

"4ANkA w @A4&SNS NGAAAA~ w NSSAAe
he and Susan usually sat in
the little reception room just
across the hall from the par
lor. It was q cold-looking room
with dark green wall paper and
. green carpet. There was q
square piano in one corner,
and an old-fashioned whatnot
loaded with family photo
graphs in, another.
On the mantel-piece stood the
tomblike white clock that
always whirred before it struck.
The window curtains were
much-mended Battenberg lace
relics Of the glorious bygone
days when the BroderickS had
been able to buy real lace for
their front windows.
At 10 minutes to 8 on this par
ticular night when she went in to
start the fire she found John
standing there looking out into
the darkness Of the street. He
swung around from the windows
when she came in and took his
hands out Of his pockets. T.
Here, I'll light the fire for
you" He took the matches
from her and struck one to the
crumpled newspaper that lay
under the logs.
"Going to marry Wallie," he
said, turning his head to look
UP at her. Gosh, suppose I
should have been expecting it,
but I wasn't. I thought you
were just killing time with him"
Don't you like him. john?
He stood up. Scrowling down
at the sudden blaze that Sprang
up in the CRATE. do you like
him?" he asked, adding:
What I mean is this, Susan
DO you like him so much that
it doesn't make a particle Of diff
ference to you whether I like
him or not? Whether anybody
likes him or not?"
Susan looked at him. won
dering if that were the way
she cared for Wallace.
Because that's how you
ought to like him if you're go
ing to marry him." he went
on, making a 1erky outward
movement with his hands.
"The fact that the family
thinks he's a wonder-boy isn't
going to be much of a help to
you if you marry him and find
out that you aren't so very
crazy about him."
At do know, john" Susan
slipped one of her hands into
one Of his. 1--WE had a sort Of
idea for q long time that I
might marry him if he asked
me-and today when he did, I
knew that wanted to-"
''Well, that's just swell then.
I had a wild idea that you
might be taking Wallie just to
get away from this place. But
it'd be better to die on your
feet right here, like Lutte and
Aunt Edna, than to live with
him unless you like him a lot
There he is now"
She opened the front door.
On the porch. with the falling
snow making a blowing curtain
behind him, stood a man.
''How do you do?" ne said
pleasantly. Mr.. Broderick said
] might bring some Of my
things here tonight"
"Oh yes, you're the-you're
Mr.. Sholes." she said, opening
the door wider. Come in. I'll
run up and turn on the lights
in your room"
Thanks" He smiled at her,
not with just his mouth, but
with his whole face, and a
twinkle came into his eyes.
The Stranger
She saw. swapping on the
lights in the bedroom, that
nothing had been done to make
1t ready for a stranger.
In the mirror she could see
him set one of his suitcases
on the center table and open
It. From it he began to take
books and pile them on a chair
beside him.
Law books" she thought,
recognizing them as the same
kind Of volumes that lined the
walls Of her fathers little Of.
flee downtown.
II was looking at your books.
They're law books, aren't they?"
she asked. MY fathers a
lawyer"
I'm just trying to be one
Going to night school three
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