The Washington times., 1935-11-01


Her mind was total blank. She
saw the trees, and the dark, SHIN
mering expanse of the lake. She
saw the lights of the little boat
house at the end Of the pier near
where the car which had brought
them from Victoria was parked.
She saw more lights. clustered
close together, far out in the
blackness of the lake. The island
where they were going must be
there. She knew that in a few
minutes she'd be meeting Jamie
Todd's mother, whom she once
thought would be her mother, too
And Jamie, and his wife, who had
taken the place she was to have
had She felt exhilarated, and a
little light-headed, but that was
all.
All her plans, all the little
speeches she had turned over and
over in her mind as she lay in her
berth on the train, were gone. Too
much had happened. Too many
new sights, and experiences. She
had drifted into this, she could
only drift on, waiting to receive
what came next.
DR.. Crawford was fussing over
the way the boatman was slowing
her bags into the power boat in
which they were to cross to the
island. BE careful. Not that bag
If you must get one wet, not that
one, PLEASE!"
A little smile played around the
corner of Mary's mouth. Three
days and nights had been all that
was needed to prove that the
great Emile Parkman Crawford
wasn't going to be a heroine to
her own secretary.
Poser! Pretending to be serene
and tolerant of all human ills and
weaknesses, and then flying into
q perfect tantrum just because
she wasn't met at the hotel in Vic
toria with a brass band.
The way she'd flown at the
hotel clerk
What? No mail for me? No
messages? Has no one inquired?
You must be mistaken! I am DR..
Emile Parkman Crawford! Surely
my sister, Mrs. Todd"
"Oh. beg your pardon, madam!
Mrs. Todd sent her car in to pick
up two ladies. The chauffeur
couldn't recollect the names, but
said you would ask for Mrs.
Todd"
Did that make her mad. Oh,
boy!
Just because the entire Todd
family didn't drive forty miles
over the mountains to meet her,
she spent two hours telling Mary
about all the trouble Diana, WrS.
Todd, had been to her family, and
how jealous she had always been
Of her, Emile.
''The only reason in the world
I'm going to the camp is because
I feel I can help her, and the chill
dren. She has begged and begged
me to come-So that she can use
me as three-ring circus attraction
Diana has no idea in the world
how to keep people entertained,
and never has had. Mamma used
to despair of her!
"And then she sends a car and
q chauffeur, without even an Ex-
cuse! I shouldn't expect more.
But when I recall the times I've
left my work-important work
to dash to the station to meet her
or one of her spoilt brats, I can't
help but feel indignant.
"I dare say I shan't stay long.
About Thursday we'll go on East.
It will be fairly cool in New York
now. can you stand a little heat,
Mary? Or I may go on up to
Maine and stay there until the
first Of October. I know Diana'S S
establishment-all noise and
pickering and miSmanagement!"
And two hours ago she was raw
ing about her wonderful sister and
the peace and quiet and beauty Of
this out of the way spot on Ellen
Lake!
Put-put-put. The motor boat
chugged speedily over the CLASSY,
black water. The basket chair in
which Mary was sitting was wide
and deep. She leaned back, closed
her eyes.
Travelling with a celebrity was
a grand new experience, but there
was no saying it wasn't firing. Per-
haps it would be just as well that
they'd only stay a. few days. 1t
would be just playing with fire to
see Jamie again, renew the old
feeling.
Not that she had any feeling,
particularly. Just wearinesS. and
a tumble of impressions. Seen
cry and bowling walters, compart-
ments and hotel suites, and chauf-
feurs that touch their caps and
say "Yes, miss" IF YOU please,
miss"