Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1934-10-06

t&t4fa#14 @Ela1 was COMING, ne ma
said. Il eoal6 see
That na6 been ths end. The next
Day she had sane 20 zee the real easste
agent vim had besn trying b let her
house for tbs smnamaT, and told him shs
was going TO I've IN Il herself
Wen. how's everything2" asked
Stephen, cheeakuify.
-Fine, thanks And how's everything
with you9"
i've sunaet the nat" he said. I'm
going 20 live at the club for while,
She glanced quickly sc him. wonder
ing Il perhaps he had missed her. been
little unhappy without her. But there
was no shadow on his dark. alert face
he was. Is he always had been, conf
dent, good hundred. strangely and
drcadfufiy cut ~ her reach For al
bis thirty EIGHT years, be looked al
most boyish: he was like James, calm
" self-suff icing, perfectly at home IN
the world. and sometimes he was like
Steve. with dazed, absent minded
look.
They're all three alikel" she thought,
and a feeling that was almost terror
seized her. Then none Of them needed
her; they had, all three, the same way
OF regarding her as part Of the back
ground.
How are the boys2" he asked.
Splendid" she answered I'm eail
them
she could not find them anywhere.
She looked IN the garden, In the tent.
she looked an over the house, and re-
turned 70 Stephen apologize, q little
flushed.
saThey must have gone down to the
village she said. "Of course, they
didn't know you'd come yet"
They nkew, all right he said. Il
saw James standing on the fence when
I drove up"
They'll be here In q minute she
said. "Sit down, won't your"
He took q seat near the open window,
and she sat opposite him IN q little
mahogany rocking chair that had be-
longed to her mother And suddenly
she recalled her mother, with heart
breaking vividness, remembering her
sitting In this very chair, talking 20
Stephen In those days, long ago. when
he had used to come here TO see her.
Her mother had been fond Of him,
and he had been always very consider
ate and gentle with her; he had been
altogether so ardent and tender low
er. How had Il all gone, all that beauty
and delight, leaving nothing but bitter
ness?
Il won't be bitterl" she thought. TITS
horrible, it's primitive, 10 hate when
you can't love. Why can't / be his
friend? He has so many good qualities.
We're civilized people. We can be-
kind to each other"
Stephen had 1T cigaret; for a time
he smoked In silence then he said,
look here You ought to have car,
Lydia"
20, thanks, stephenI But there's no
place"
@You could put up a garage at the
foot Of the garden" he said. 7 was
Lunch is served. ma'am." said AM
nette from the doorway, her eyes fixed
with candid interest upon Stephen.
I'm sorry the boys are late, "said
Lydia, distressed. They've asked
friend to lunch. Perhaps they went
Time doesn't mean much at their
ages" said Stephen with his careless
good hlimor.
They sat down alone at the table,
and 1t was strange to see him here, and
bitter to see him SO cheerful. Had he
forgotten eyerything9 The other
lunches, years ago, when she had been
D young girl. rapturously IN love with
him, and he had watched her, listened
10 every word, adoring everything she
said and didl
They were halfway through the meal
when Steve and James came IN and ran
stamping up the stairs. It was one Of
their worst days, she observed; they
luarreled so loudly In the bathroom
hat their voices were quite audible
downstairs.
Gimme that towel hopsided
lhrsmpl" cried Steve.
It's mine, tell you'll You know
t's mine with the blue border You
let goi An right Now you've torn
Il Now you've torn perfectly good j
owel In two"
There was an ominous silence; q door
1anged, and was vigorously kicked. Ii
AN rightlp shouted james from the
hall III she asks me why my shirts
VI wet, I've got TO tell her you threw
water on mel My goshl You've got
lice disposition, all righti"