The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-04-20

Celia's heart thumped. "A flush
which she hated crept into her cheeks.
She must keep cool. He was only sus-
pecting. He didn't really know.
"Why, Hughl" The silver harp
strings were muted with reproaeh.
"You dropped his address from your
bag" Hugh's voice was oddly i'm
personal. It sounded as though he
was discussing matter of no very
great Importance. "You had torn off
the flap Of an envelope. Uncle Charlie
found 1t in the station"
Uncle Charliel That dreadful
chuckling old man!
Garter took me out for dinner" she
said lightly, because Aunt Lucy
wasn't at home. Certainly you don't
mind that. You aren't medieval enough
to believe that l can't have friends.
That's really quaint of you, Hugh"
She saw In a flash she had said
something wrong. Hugh WINGED slight
ly. But his voice was steady enough.
"That isn't the question. Celia" he
| continued patiently. "The thing that
matters is that you haven't been happy
with me-"
81 wouldn't have gone If l had
known you would mind" Celia's fin
gers pleated the lace on her hand
kerchief. "But Carter isis almost a
relative. He's going to marry Muriel."
$50 that's why you came back
home"
There was no anger in Hugh's
steady voice. Only WEAKNESS and a
sort Of compassion. Celia experienced
a moment of utter panic. She had lost
Carter. If she lost Hugh, how could
she explain it in fashion which would
be flattering to herself?
"HughI' She crossed to him.
Her hands fluttered against his coat
lapels. you're wrong, darling. You
don't understand"
| His arms were around her but there
was no feeling in them. They were
like the limp stuffed arms of cloth
ing store dummy.
"You loved me, Hugh" she muir
INJURED, scarcely conscious that she had
| used the past tense.
II loved" he said slowly, "a Celia
who was never there"
She chung to him, trembling and
shaken. The silver harp strings
sobbed a plaintive lament. She loved
him. The dear big silly, didn't he
know2 She would die if he ever
stopped loving her. She didn't mind
living In the Square. She would al
ways be happy with Hugh. Her
breath came in broken snatches. Her
lips quivered. Her eyes brimmed over
| with tears.
She thought that he believed her.
His arms seemed to tighten. How ap-
pealing she must look all teary and
shaken like this! She glanced away
from Hugh, saw herself in the mirror,
| all her wistful loneliness framed in
curlicues of gilt. The picture charmed
her. She could not take her eyes
| away.
Suddenly Hugh laughed, not the
short bitter laugh Of disillusioned
lover but a tolerant teasing laugh
provoked by genuine amusement. She
saw that he had caught her looking
past him into the mirror.
you're superb, Celia" he said.
"That was a magnificent perform
ance.'
He gently detached her clinging
hands, turned, walked out Of the room.
Celia followed him into the hall. There
was a sound on the landing. jamie
was coming downstairs. Celia could
just see her eyes above the enormous
bandbox she carried in her arms. The
small black dog was frisking around
her feet.
"Look out Kiltie," Celia heard JAMIE
say. Il can't see my feet at all.
Please get out Of the way"
jamie must not know that anything
had happened, Celia thought quickly.
After all, what had happened? She
slipped her arm through Hugh's, smiled
up into his eyes. She would forgive
him for laughing at her.
II
Something had happened. Hugh
realized as the days grew longer and
locusts blossomed again that some
thing definitely had happened. He told
himself, at first. that his feeling for
Celia had altered, that he saw her.
now, not as a lovely image which he had
created but as she really was. Ca
PRECIOUS, a little selfish. given to
dramatizing herself.
He tried to make himself believe
that 1t was better 80. The chances
for their happiness together would be
greater II he realized and accepted her
limitations, II he could think Of her
as human being and not as some
thing he had imagined. he made an
attempt to adjust his emotions. He
discovered. one evening, that he had
no emotions left to be adjusted.
He came into the garden, on that
particular evening. through the alley.
way gate. The garden was fragrant