The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-11-13


and Nancy's time was free /.
Doctor and Mrs. Breeding kept
open house every Sunday afternoon
and evening; and any number of
people were apt to drop in, casual
ly, without forewarning. Terrell took
advantage of one of these occasions;
and after supper he and Nancy
disappeared together. When later
they returned, Terrell joined Doc
tor Breeding in the library.
They spoke at first of casual
things; Terrell said presently:
"By the way, Nancy tells me she
knows Dan Carlisle"
Doctor Breeding was instantly on
guard. "You know him?" he asked.
''Only through his book" Terrell
said. ''That is an able piece of
work. A textbook not only for col
lege classes, but for business men,
and investors too"
The Doctor smiled. 81 haven't
read it," he confessed, and turned
the conversation into safer channels.
81 suppose you're as busy as usu-
al?"
"Just now, yes," Terrell assent
ed; and after moments hesita-
ton, he explained: "Tm taking an
interest in a new outfit, Associated
Cottons. We're proposing to COW
er the field from plantation to re-
taller, in one way or another. OF
course I'm not personally connect
ed with the technical end; only with
the financing. We issued the stock
privately at ten, and then had it
listed. It's around eighteen now"
He looked at the ash on the end
of his cigar. otis apt to sell off a
bit this month and next" he said.
"But we expect it to hit fifty by
the first of October"
"Your profession has always in
terested me-" Breeding assented in
an Indifferent tone, but he was not
Indifferent. If Terrell said Cottons
would hit fifty, it was likely to do
so. He filed the information in his
mind. 81 never speculate, myself, :"
he added, unnecessarily.
But despite his disclaimer, he tel
ephoned next day an order to Paul
Master, who handled his invest
ments, to buy a block of Cot
Terrell continued to see Nancy
frequently; and Doctor Breeding,
Watching his daughter without
seeming so to do, thought that she
was family i'll at ease in the older
mans company. When Dan came
back from Newfoundland and
brought fourteen-pound salmon to
Nancy, Doctor Breeding proposed to
Mrs. Breeding:
"Why not invite the Carlisles over
for dinner? Well have the salrnon!"
Mrs. Breeding said sensibly: 81
expect Dan would rather have
steak. After all, he must have eat
en- salmon in Newfoundland till he
feels like one himself"
The Doctor chuckled. "He won't
care what he eats, as long as he
can be with Nancy" he pointed
out.
Mrs. Breeding suggested: "Mr.
Terrell has been here so much. while
Dan was away. I think Nancy has
enjoyed seeing him."
"Give Dan a chance to repair his
fences then," Doctor Breeding re-
torted. He saw her surprise, and
said with a chuckle: ''I'm not TAX
ing sides, Myra. I'm for fair
fight and let the best man win.
Dams probably all right. If he's
anything like his sister, he's an able
young man. Mary Ann has done
very well with me. She's much the
best nurse ever had"
"You mean that we should invite
Mary Ann too?" she asked doubt
fully.
"Of course" he assured her.
"And Professor Carlisle. Make it
family party!"
Mrs. Breeding in the end, al
though with a clear reluctance,
agreed. Professor Carlisle and Dan
and Mary Ann would come to din
ner on Tuesday night.
Doctor Breeding had heretofore,
save on the occasion of their first
meeting, seen Mary Ann only in
street clothes, or in her nurses uni
form; but tonight he thought he saw
her for the first time. Her gown it.
self he could not have described,
knew only that it was harmonious
part of her. Yet she seemed to
him so radiant that it required a
conscious effort on his part to con-
troll his tones and make them no
more than casual.
He took refuge in jocosity. Dan"
he announced, we've a special
treat for you tonight. A friend Of
ours sent Nancy a salmon, and
we're having it for dinnerl"
It requires not much encourage
ment to lead a fisherman. to talk
about fishing, and Dan was full Of
"reminiscences of his trip. The din
ner-table conversation was almost
a monologue. When Mrs. Breeding
rose at last, she said:
"Ned, l expect Professor Carlisle