Evening star., 1934-08-13

| getting her belongings together and
| setting financial matters as well as
she could, for she felt that this was
her farewell to the carefree univer-
sity life. Stanley was sympathetic
but incapable, and Mazda found that
she could not leave the smallest
matter to him, without checking up
frequently to make sure it was not
done wrong or forgotten. He was
! only a kid, she reminded herself
and took charge of his affairs as
we'll as her own. Queer, that a boy
of 20 was so much more immature
than a girl of 81. They had always
spoiled Stanley, but perhaps he would
take responsibility now that he was
the head of the family.
As the lights faded from view and
the accommodation train plowed its
leisurely way through the Winter
night, Mazda closed her eyes to shut
out the dancing reflections of the
train lamps on polished woodwork
and for the first time allowed her
self to think about what her fathers
death would mean to her. She
couldn't realize that he was gone,
the big, silent man who had been
friend as well as father. She had
brought her girlish troubles to him,
rather than to her mother, and they
had had many quiet chuckle over
matters in which Mrs. Connell could
see no humor. She and Dad had
had and Anspoken enjoyment of Mrs.
Connell's reference for the wealthy
families of Cramburg. and her ma
neuvers to get her own name in the
society column. Poor mother! Mazda
resolved to be a better daughter to
her in the future.
She looked over at Stanley, NOV
ing restlessly in the seat beside her.
"All right, Sis?" he asked, in his
nervous way. I've been waiting
until you woke up. I can't stand it
any more. I'm going to dash cut for
a smoke. Maybe I can talk to some
one in the smoker and get my mind
of my troubles"
"I wasn't asleep, Stanley"
That's all right. I'm glad you
can sleep. You have had a hard
day, and sleep will do you good.
Goshl It's a curse to feel things the
way do" .......--
He hurried toward the smoking
car, plainly glad to escape. Mazda
was distinctly irritated with him.
How like him to make the patronizing
assumption that she was a stolid
lump, incapable of the intensity of
feeling peculiar to himself. Mazda
grinned at herself. Stanley had got
under her skin, as usual. He had
been genuinely shocked and grieved
by his fathers death, but Mazda knew
that he would not be in the depths for
long. Unpleasant subjects were never
allowed to linger in Stanleys con-
sciousness; If he could not change a
disagreeable matter he could always
run away from it. With this simple
philosophy Stanley had hoated
through a happy boyhood, nearly
always good-tempered and pleased
with himself.
Stanley returned as the train ap-
preached the suburbs Of Cramburs,
and Maida's heart smote her for her
harshness of Judgment as she saw
his unhappy eyes and the gentleness
of his manner toward her. Brother
and sister walked through the ia
miliar station sadly. botn thinking OF
their last homecoming, when their
father and mother had borne them
OF gayly in the family car. Now
there was no burly figure waiting
at the gates. Somehow, Dads absence
| from the station brought home to
them both that the news in the
telegram was really true, and not q
bad dream from which they would
awaken.
Maidas eyes were misty as she
| Continued on Seventh Page)