The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-10-30
CHAPTER I-Continued

"It was terrible" she assured
him, smiling through tears. Il
thought I'd die! Nothing ever did
hurt so. Please be sorry for me-"
Sorry? Honey, I'd" He hest
tated, and his eyes clouded, and he
released her. He said awkwardly:
"Pn get your coat. You'll be
chilled"
"I'll never be cold again, dar-
ling" she vowed.
But he left her while he fetched
her coat and his sweater. She
looked ruefully at the red blaze on
her knee.
"That's going to be black and
blue" she told him, when he re-
turned.
"And red, and orange, and yell
low," he predicted. You let your
father look at it. 1t might need
something"
II think it's grand" she said,
smiling at him as he knelt beside
her, drawing him near. 81 hope it
stays that way for days and days."
And moment later she said:
eff I'd known it took that to make
you-do this, I'd have let ball
hit me long ago!"
He frowned miserably. "Nancy, I
shouldn't have-kissed YOU"
why not?" she demanded. 81
liked it. I think you should do it
again.
He protested: "You know darned
WE'LL can't, darling"
"Why can't your" she chal-
lenged.
''It's just a matter of common
sense" he urged. "You know what
your father and mother"
SIS it them you want to marry?"
she demanded holly. dan, you
make me tired!"
II know" he said. "And I'm
sorry. But-my salary is less than
your dress-allowance. And it will
never be much larger. I'll be
professor, eventually, of course;
but you know what that means. 1t
might be years before we could
even manage to keep a cook!"
''Will you please get 1t through
your thick head" she insisted,
''that want to marry you. Do you
think I'm afraid of working, of be-
ing poor, or anything, as long as
I have your"
''It isn't what you think, sweet"
he said. "It's your mother and ia
therl"
She said after moment, serious
ly: Mothers all right. can count
on her. She knows you, your peo-
ple-knows how fine you are. But
father might be unreasonable"
Her brow furrowed. "I've never
felt that know father very WE'LL"
she confessed. Hes given me ev-
erything, done everything for me;
and know he's proud of me. But
I always have feeling it's sort of
impersonal, possessive pride. Some
times I'm-afraid of him!"
Nonsense" he urged. "He's a
mighty able man, and fine man.
don't blame him; but Nancy, from
his point of view, you rate some one
a lot better than mel"
She drew the coat more snugly
6TOuIlu Il6I SlAOuANCAS. ALC olld IL y
interfere" she said, faint des-
peration in her tones: and suddenly
she chung to him. "Dan, Dan, /
want you. I want you"
He held her close and tenderly;
and when he spoke, his head was
high. "All right, Nance" he said
simply. II don't know how we'll
manage it, but what you want is
what it's going to be. Wen work
it out, somehow. I'll see your ia
ther."
He saw her eyes shadow with
faint fear. ''Not yet," she objected.
s'Let's not tell anyone yet
He chuckled reassuringly. What
ever you say" he assented. Nov
run along and get that showerl
Good-by."
When, an hour or so later, Doctor
Breeding came home, he alighted
from the car at the side door, and
came into the house while Thomas
took the car to the garage. But in
the small side hall, he paused, at
tentive. and stood for a moment
motionless, almost as though he
were listening; but there was moth
ing to hear. Yet his posture sug-
gested that he heard something, or
sensed something.
And this was in fact the case. Aft
er an instant he saw the rackets
and balls where Dan had laid them
down; and he crossed and picked up
a ball, and then a racket, and held
them in his hands. He frowned
family. and looked right ano left
The question in his mind was an
swered now. and the answer was
unwelcome.
He put down the tennis gear and
assembled the stairs. Nancy's room