The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-10-04
CHAPTER IV-Continued

she resolved she would give MIN no
chance to make them.
Therefore, when his meal was ready
and every last inviting touch had been
given the tray, she said casually to
Sylvia:
Suppose you take it up, dear"
sIY
"Yes. Why not? Do you mind?"
"Not at all. I just thought perhaps
you'd rather"
Marcia shook her head
81 want to stir the Newburg and see
it doesn't catch" she explained, avoid
ing the girls eyes. "We are too hun
CRY to risk having our dinner spoiled.
You might just wait and cut the chops
for Mr.. Heath and fix his potato. Find
out too, If there is anything more he
wants. You needn't hurry back. I'll
keep things hot"
The task suggested did not, appar-
emily, displease Sylvia.
"Here goes Red Ridinghood," she
murmured, taking up the tray. "All is,
If I don't come back, you'll know the
wolf has eaten me-"
In spite of herself, Marcia smiled.
She opened the dor and stood watch
ing while the girl assembled the stairs,
for the hall was unlighted and the
tray heavy.
"Tm safe" called a merry voice
from the topmost stair.
Marcia came back into the kitchen.
She finished preparing the lobster,
Strengthened the silver on the table,
and let in Prince Hal.
Ten minutes passed!
Fifteen!
Half an hour went by.
She fidgeted and stopped to pat the
setter. Then she went to the win
dow. Slowly the fog was lifting. By
afternoon the weather would be fine
just the right sort to get the boat off.
She would go up the beach and watch
the men while they worked. The
house was close. She longed for air
and the big reaches of the out-of-doors
A Jingle of glass and silver 1t was
Sylvia returning with the tray. Her
eyes were shining.
"He ate every bit!' she cried. "You
should have seen him, Marcia. IT
would have done your heart good. The
poor lamb was almost starved. He
asked for you the first thing. don't
think he altogether liked your not
carrying up the tray, although of
course, he was too polite to say So"
"You explained 1 was busy?"
"Yes. But at first he didn't seem
satisfied with the excuse. However,
he soon forgot about it and became
gay as a lark. Didn't you hear us
laughing? The potato would fall off
the fork. I'm not as good a nurse as
you. My hands weren't so steady. I'm
going back again for his wet clothes.
We can dry them here by the fire, can't
WEI"
"Yes, indeed"
"It's pity there isn't a tailor at
hand. His suit ought to be pressed"
Il can do it," Marcia declared with
eagerness. "Tm quite used to pressing
mems clothes. always pressed ia
sons"
This time the name dropped unno-
ticed from her lips. Indeed she was
not conscious she had uttered it. She
was not thinking of Jason.
Sylvia was glad Heath was asleep
very glad indeed. She did not be-
grudge him moment of his slumber.
But what delightful person he was
when awake! His eyes were wonder
ful--so dark and penetrating. They
bored right through you. And then
he listened with such intentness, watch
ing every curve of your lips as If
fearing to lose word. Such attention
was distinctly flattering. Even though
your chatter was trivial, he dignified
1t and transformed 1t into something
Of Importance.
How interested, for example, he had
been in Marcia; in learning she had
been married and now lived a widow
in the old Daniels Homestead! And
what a>host of Inquiries he had made
about Jason-the sort of man he was
and how long ago he had died!
Sylvia had not been able to answer
all his questions, but of course she had
asserted that Marcia had adored her
husband because-well, not so much
because she actually knew it, as be-
cause widows always did. Certainly
Marcia had declared she loved the
Homestead so deeply she never in
tended to leave it, and was not that
practically the same thing as saying
she loved Jason, too?
Anyway, the thing that really mat
tered was Mr.. Heath's interest in her.
Sylvia; In her trip east and her de-
scription Of Alton City. the little mid