Evening star., 1934-06-29
CHAPTER XXXIv.

ShNK Lh <Ahh1Ns
//X you don't mind having to
~ stay in the store this eve
ming, do you, Miz Therroldp
4 It'll only be until 8
o'clock-this bein' New
Years Eve and all I told Mr.. Mertz
hated to ask you, but, my land. When
that man sets his heart on thing you
nights well talk to the Cyclops of
Egypt as him!"
'You know don't Lottie," Rose
smiled into the puckered face regard
ing her anxiously from the doorway.
"Bertha's always glad to take Kitten
for night; and, with every one we
know away tonight, it would have
been pretty lonely at the house for me.
A least I can watch folks moving
about up here"
Her glance, going through the FROST
trimmed window of Welch's Store,
touched the cold, snow-fllled expanse
of streets, where bent figures, heads
lowered against the swirling flakes of
snow, forged necessarily back and
forth on the pavement outside. New
Year eve. And the yillage-eyen the
Hllll-ellu VI luWl-ttltUldlluS Ill 1IS
own placid way.
There was light tonight in the
windows of the mill office. Jeffrey
Therrold was back at his desk again,
Rose knew-back after an absence of
several days. All evening her eyes had
turned toward that steady CLEAN; all
evening her frenzied thoughts had
churned on, wondering how soon . .
how soon. Wondering what jeff
rey Therrold would say to the tale
Austin Deering would tell him. Would
he believe it? Oh, he couldn't. He
must know her better than that. But
suppose he did-Jeff Therrold did un-
expected things-suppose he even re-
fused to give her a chance to explain?
Larry was gone: she had let him go
without a word. Somehow, in the
face of Larry's own bitterness OF heart,
the girl had found it impossible to
mention Austin Deering'S name. Larry
was gone she had not yet quite
taken that in. Missing him would
come later. Just now she CROPPED
blindly through a morass of beWilder-
ment and pain. Waiting. as she had
waited all week-for the blow that was
sure to fall
It declare, I don't know" Lottie's
plaintive voice trailed back into the
room, followed by the voluminous bill
lows Of Lottie's most stunning gown
Eyes, it is nice, amt it?" at a smoth-
cred exclamation from Rose. Il al
ways do say that velvet is rich. Even
though I amt favored it much OF late
years not since the time I had a
beau with buggy that had one OF
them cane seats-you know the kind!
Made the back of your dress look like
a waffle whenever you set. I remem-
Der I had a simply elegant velvet coat
that year. and that buggy-seat plum
ruined the back gore! Was I mad?
No. velvet amt serviceable-" Her
rambling voice died away, the worried
frown back in her eyes.
What started to say is. Miz' Their
rold, do you think that I'm doln' the
right thing going of like this tonight
in that bus to meet that Otto Mertz?"
Now. Lottie. don't be foolish! OF
course, you are!' said Rose.
Mr.. Mertz. it appeared, having
been delayed on his regular route
about the countryside by the storm,
had telephoned Lottie early in the
evening. suggesting that, instead of
his coming all the way to Gather
wood tonight. Lottie should take the
bus alone and meet him at the county
seat. The bus ran right to the door
of the Town Hall, and he would be
waiting there with his car.
"Well-" Lottie made a hesitant
move toward the door. Il suppose l
better be goin', then-unless I want
to make us miss the grand march.
Nothing makes Mr.. Mertz madder." :"
she said, than to start off a dance
like that He'll be fit to be tied. as
it is" she shifted. Maxim me come
all that way in by myself"
The wind, as she opened the door
and went out, emitted an icy draught
across the floor of the store. The
warped, f1imsy windows ratified and
shook, and Rose shivered as she