Henderson daily dispatch., 1936-06-04
CHAPTER 9

JOAN'S TENNIS shoes made ne
sound as she wheeled away from the
window and the scene IL disclosed
the strange woman embracing Julian
but the sound of her own RAPIDLY
beating heart was deafening. She
felt her ears burn and her eyes were
hot with childish disappointment
Joan wasn't given to childishness
and. realizing the keenness Of the
thing that prompted it, she gave wav
completely and ran towards the ouiet
Of the woods.
1T was short and sweet" she tried
to say and summon a smile, but she
was too much at war with her own
feelings to accomplish much that was
philosophical
You couldn't expect a girl-eyen
the kind of level-headed girl that
Joan was-to lose anything that
meant as much as her job and laugh
it off For Joan had been happier
than she had ever been. since she had
come to live at The Willows. She
loved her work. She loved the place.
the change In her mode of living.
She chung to it because being there
had made it easier for her to adjust
herself to losing Win. AS for Julian
Sloane
Joan caught herself up remember
ing that scene. She hadn't waited
to hear what he would say now that
the woman-Joan paused her flow of
thoughts to wonder who she was
had said that Julian needed a man
for a secretary. But what could
Julian say?
Whoever this woman was, she
must be important to him. Joan re-
membered the way in which she
leaned over him. her arms encircling
his shoulders. her lovely face pressed
to his head. No woman would do
that unless she were important.
She shut out from her mind the
pictures OF what she must go back
to. Back to Blakeville to the end
less days and lonely nights In the
little village and when the long sum-
mer was over to go back to the
school room and the warm. dusty
odor. the sing-song voices.
1t hadn't been so bad those other
years but then she had Win and the
future to look forward to. Now it
was uncomfortable. She wouldn't go
back! Shed find another way.
another job to do.
Resolutely she Strengthened her
frock and went back to the house.
1t was silent. Julian and his guest
were nowhere to be seen. Joan
dqVT0ln6 81
rooms. With wistful affection she
let her eyes linger on the cool
shadows. She breathed the soft air
that smelled sweetly Of the summer
sunshine and mingled with the
tempting scent Of spices. It was
Kobe's baking day.
May have ginger cake?" she
asked Mrs. Henderson as though the
bottom had not dropped out Of this
pleasant world.
That you may and a glass of
lemonade. AS though you had to
ask" the housekeeper reproved her.
Joan gave her an appreciative |
smile. How kind all Of them were
to her. How easily they accepted |
her and made things so smooth a
part OF the continuity Of this life she |
had been leading these few en-
chanted weeks.
She felt brief pang of conscience,
remembering all that her sister had |
done for her. trying to make her
happy in the little cottage But Dor
othy had Jim and she didn't need |
Joan. For that matter. there was
no one here who needed her but
here
She left off thinking any more of
That In her own bedroom she took
her lingerie from its place and folded
1t away In the box she had brought
from home. Carefully she assorted
her papers. clippings and the things
that she had accumulated since she
had become part Of Julian Sloane's
household She flung open the