Evening star., 1934-08-29
CHAPTER XVII.


n AIDA did not tell Gerald Pryde
Nt that her vacation was COM
N ing so soon. They were see
4 ' Il irg each other every few
days now, and she knew that
n it W s rather shabby trick to go
n OF ithout saying anything to him,
but he was determined to do 1t, nev-
erth less. The truth of the matter
was, she had never yet brought her
self tell him that she was Stanley's
siste At first she argued to herself
that she would do so If the subject
can't up naturally; then she said to
hers If that 1t was none of his busi-
ness. anyhow, and she did not care
what he thought about Stanley. But
she ad come TO value his friendship
mort and more, and knowing his con-
temp for Stanley and his violent no
tions about women's deceitfulness. she
drea4 ed the day when he found out
hers and sjtanley's relationship. She
feare / 1t would be the end Of Gerald,
10 ia rs she was concerned. It would
be ute in character If he should
eoldl and politely drop her.
Th IRE was another reason she said
moth ng to any one about her vaca-
ton. She was tired, sick of the hos
pital and every one in 1t. All she
want I'd was rest. She thought If she
coult sleep until 10 o'clock every
morr ing OF her vacation, without
haviI z to shut her ears to the alarm
clock of a dozen other girls, and
their scramble to be ready in time
for treakfsst; If she could lie down
in the afternoon in her own room at
home, with the sweet scents of the
garden blowing through her own
ruffied curtains, instead of the smell
of the hospital kitchens and the rau-
cous voices of the maids quarreling
and Vise-cracking with the orderlies
In tn courtyard; just that-that per-
feet rest would be a heavenly vaca-
ton. She did her work efficiently, but
witht ut zest, and the gossip of the
ward, what So-and-So said to the
docto:, how a patient in No. % tried
to es ape and got as far as the office
In his short hospital gown, for the
first lime bored her. She had gone
stale IN her job, and she knew it.
"B IT." she said, the evening she
was 0 60 home, 'ff any one asks for
me lille I'm away, tell them I'm
out C town."
"W Ill. for Pete's sake, what's the
matt RI"
IN, thing But I'm going to forget
] eve saw hospital for two weeks"
It vas pleasant to be at home, to
GOSSIP with her mother while Mrs.
Conn IL made her lengthy toilets, to
rake the leaves in the big yard, to
spenc lazy, aimless days doing moth
ing hatev.r.
Blu O very few days was enough
of Il is loAfing, and one morning,
when she came downstairs and saw
Stanl y's golf clubs standing ready in
the all, she asked him to take her
with him when he went to the club.
'I,l glad you are taking an interest
in So iethirg," said her mother. "You
will meet some nice people at the
club, people, of your own sort. Prob
ably We car, manage little party be-
fore 'ou &c back to the hospital"
"Oil, no, mother. don't want
anytl ing OF that sort. It would be
FOOLS L. too, to have me meet lot
Of pf ople when shan't have time
for ny social life for couple of
years yet"
"I think you are sensible" said
Stan ~, obviously relieved. It was
quite plain that Stanley did not care
to hi We q disapproving eye on him
whep he wis with friends.
Mr. Connell, Mazda gathered from
certa inadvertent revelations, had
not ealizetl her ambition to become
intin ate with the people of her own
age Tho guided the social destinies
Of Il e city. She was as far from
beint in society as she had been
duriI z her husbands lifetime, but
her wn rebuffs had only made her
vicar Gus In Stanley's triumphs the
great r.
St nley, as an unattached young
man with plenty of time on his hands,
was welcomed with open arms wher-
ever an extra man was needed, and
an ira man seemed to be in demand
almo t everywhere. 1t was quite true,
as h 3 mother had said, that the girls
were always calling him up, inviting
him % 90 somewhere or do something
His big deal still hung fire and
seem ed to worry him very little, ex-
cept around the first Of the month.
Thei he talked about the big money
he ould earn soon.
tn y were early on the golf course,
for tsnley had an appointment later
in Il morning. After playing round
they went to the parking grounds be-
hind the club, and, while Stanley was
stow ng the golf sticks away, Mazda
saw Sorine drive up.
Ell, Stanley" she called. "You
big um, you haven't been to see me
for week. What's eating you?"
81 e jumped out of the car and
cam over, looking curiously at Mazda.
Star ley mumbled an introduction.
q aven't seen you somewhere?"
aske Norine.
why, yes, at the hospital" said
Mai la, Pleasantly. How is Dug
gan 3"
ooh, now I remember. knew
Star had a sister, but I thought you
wer out Of town, or something"