The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-10-12

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aoSepIe them as final.
II thought that was coinmg," he had
saia. Il could see."
ina had been the end. The next
oay she had gone to see the real estate
asent who had been trying to let her
house Tor the summer, and told him she
was going to live in it herself.
wen, how's everything?" asked
stephen, cheerfully.
.f1ne, thanks I And how,s everything
with your"
i've sublet the f1at," he said. I'm
gong to live at the club for a while"
she glanced quickly at him, wonder
ing II perhaps he had missed her, been
q little unhappy without her. But there
was no shadow on his dark, alert face;
ne was, as he always had been, conf
oent, good humored, strangely and
oreadfuly out OF her reach. For all
MS thirty-eight years, he looked al
boyish; he was like James, calm
~ self-sufficing, perfectly at home in
the world, and sometimes he was like
steve, with a dazed, absent minded
look.
They're all three alike!" 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 boys?" he asked.
Splendid" she answered. It'll call
them"
She could not find them anywhere.
n looked in the garden, in the tent,
she looked all over the house, and re-
turne to Stephen apologize, a little
flushed.
"They 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 a minute" she
said. "Sit down, won't your"
He took a seat e the open window,
and she sat opposite him in a little
mahogany rocking chair that had be-
longed to her mother. And suddenly
she recalled her mother, with a heart
breaking vividness, remembering her
sitting in this very chair, talking to
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 a low
er. How had it all gone, all that beauty
and delight, leaving nothing but bitter
ness?
II won't be b~itter!" she thought. TITS
horrible, it's primitive, to hate when
you can't love. Why can't I be his
friend? He has so many good qualities
We're civilized people. We can be
kind to each other"
Stephen had lit a cigaret; for a time
he smoked in silence then he said,
"look here You ought to have a car,
20. thanks, Stephen! But there's no
place."
you could put up a garage at the
foot of the garden" he said. II was
figuring"
Lunch is served, ma'am," said An
nette from the doorway, her eyes fixed
with candid interest upon Stephen.
I'm sorry the boys are late, said
distressed. They've asked a
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to his home first"
"Time doesn't mean much at their
said Stephen with his careless
good humor.
They sat down alone at the table
and it was strange to see him here, and
bitter to see him so cheerful. Had he
forgotten everything? The other
lunches, years ago, when she had beer
a young girl, rapturously in love with
him, and he had watched her, listened
to every word, adoring everything she
said and did!
They were halfway through the meal
when Steve and James came in and rar
up the stairs. 1t was one Of
their worst days, she observed; they
quarreled so loudly in the bathroom
that their voices were quite audible
Gimme that towel, you-1opsided
shrimp!" cried Steve.
cts mine, I tell you! You know
it's mine with the blue border ! Yor
let go! :. ALI right! Now you've TORI
it! Now you've torn a perfectly gooc
towel in two"
There was an ominous silence; a dool
banged, and was vigorously kicked.
"Al right" shouted James from thu
hall. IF she asks me why my shirt!
all wet, I've got to tell her you threw
water on me! My gosh! You've got 6
nice disposition, all right"