The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-11-07
CHAPTER XXI

CHAPTER XXI
Early in the afternoon Susan
saw him pounding . small wooden
sign on to . post at the end Of the
driveway. As soon as he came in
she slipped out at the side door and
ran across the dead wet grass Of
the front lawn to look at it. Painted
in black letters on white ground
were the words, "Garage For Rent. y
Under them he had written IN pen
ell, Enquire Within"
The door Of the old carriage
house in the backyard stood open
and within it, just visible from the
street. were Grandfather Broder-
ick's dog cart, high on its two
wheels, and the victoria In which
Susan's grandmother had done her
visiting and shopping in the leisure.
~ days Of thirty years before. In
the shadows behind them were
things that the family had discard
ed from time to time. A cottage
organ with pleated crimson silk
behind the wooden fretwork Of ita
front. A roll Of cracked linoleum,
Two brass bedsteads. A three-cor-
nered couch that had been part Of
Lutie's "cozy corner" back in the
days when she was young and every
fashionable maiden in the United
States had . "cozy corner" in the
parlor.
There was enough room in the
carriage house for one automobile.
but there was no way Of heating it.
The doors hung loose on their rusty
hinges and there was no lock on
them. "Some garage!" though
Susan on her way back to the house.
Lutte was waiting for her in the
dimness Of the rear hall. isn't
that the silliest thing? Trying to
rent that old rookery as . garage
she asked in . whisper. 1--WE told
him that sign will have to come
down before Wallace gets back to
town. His mother will be coming t.
call, I suppose, too, and we certain
y don't want . thing like that out
il front"
For . second Susan was tempted
70 tell her that It did not make any
difference how brave or dismal I
front they put up now for either
Wallace or his mother-that she
had made up her mind to break heI
engagement, and 90 they might just
O. well rent the carriage house and
let It earn for them q little Of the
money they needed 20 badly.
But this wasn't the time to break
the news. Wallace would have to be
told about It first, and his ring and
watch Be returned 70 him.
Then. when It was too late Tor thu
family to argue with her about hel
decision, she would tell them about
It. Then, and only then. Il wouldnt
b safe 10 tell them until she had
completely freed herself from Wal
lace. They had talked her out Of
going to college. They had talked
her out Of business school and thu
security Of . job. They might b
able to talk her out Of breaking hel
engagement il they knew she wa.
planning to do It. They COULDN'T
really, Of course, and yet
That afternoon 1t four O'Clock
Susan, walking down South MAR
Street toward the Public Library
felt herself 4 part Of the busting
life Of the wide gray thoroughfars
With it, crowded sidewalks, il
honking automobiles and changing
street cars.
Always before now It had seemet
60 her that she was only an on
locker. watching other people =!
they went about the fascinating
business Of their lives-mothers ant
daughters hurrying along with thu
rant intent look that women veal
when they 60 shopping, girls meet
ing their sweethearts on street cor
ners, blind to everyone around them
Today she was one Of them-ol
her way to meet Allen. She smilet
Ct her reflection in shop windows d
she went along, thankful for hel
tai slenderness and her color ant
the soft regularity Of her features
II there il ever Z time that /
woman knows just how good to lool
at she u, it ID when she is in love
for she sees herself with her lover
eyes at that time; and today Susal
saw with pleasure that the blacl
caracul coat. rusty Is It was, wa
becoming to the fairness Of he
skin, and that her little old blacl
hat was turned up ct just the RICH
angle above the clear gray Of he
eyes and the shining sweep Of be
hair. =. Clothes didn't matter 9
much after all. she decided.
Allen saw her when she was hal
. block away from the library an
came toward her. But she wave!
him back and held up the four Ii
brary books that she was carrying
for him 70 see.
II have to return these and pic
out four new ones" she explaine
8 they met. "before ! do anythin
else" Arm in arm they went y
the steps into the big quiet buildin
where Susan had spent so man
hours picking out detective storie