The Coolidge examiner., 1936-08-21

| very pdle, anu InPTe was III neT lace
such a look of misery that both
men stiffened themselves involun-
tarily.
Grandmother liked the straw
berries" Deborah said dismally.
"She thought they were wonderful"
She might have been announcing
the end of the world.
whats happened?" Gary asked
again, his face working. whats
the matter, Miss Deborah? Did you
tell her? Did she guess about :"
his eyes went to Bryn.
Deborah shook her head From
her pocket she produced a long
sheet of paper. There" she said
tremulOusly, That's our marketing
list for today"
Marketing list?" Gary repeated,
with utter horror. He stared at
the paper as if it were a message of
destruction from Mars.
Five dozen wax tapers, Of the
best quality" Gary read out. "A
cook and three hOuSemaids."
Gary groaned.
"COpies of all the modern maga-
zines"
Deborah swallowed.
"A plumber to inspect all the
plumbing of the house. A man to
put the electric plant in order"
"a catalogue of comfortable mo-
tor cars"
-Four or five gardeners"
Ten pounds of the best Jasmine
tea"
Eight dollars a pound" Gary
breathed. That's her special
blend"
We'll" Bryn said after a mo-
ment. "it's fairly good beginning.
| don't suppose she's heard of cleo
trio refrigerators, or vacuum clean
ers. or radios, or any number of
other modern inventions. The mag
azines will undoubtedly help, unless
we go over them first and cut out
all the advertisements"
Deborah sprang up. "Oh, what's
the use of all this?" she cried. Il
won't have you laughing at her.
It's no use making fun. She thinks
she thinks we can manage
anything now. She doesn't know.
However am going to tell her?
What am | going to do?"
ITS all we can do to pay the
taxes" Gary said at last.
There was silence.
Deborah came back to the table
I'll have to pretend I'm ILL.," she
said. 'I'll have to say I've a pain
in my heart, or something like that.
Something that can't stand excite
ment. That's the only thing"
Let's tell her the truth" Gary
said sharply. Lets tell her. Miss
Deborah. We're getting in too deep
Bryn rose and said, "The way out
has just occurred to me. Mr.. Hol
worthy"
Deborah caught her breath. What
could he do?"
HE knows the circumstances. He
could advance us the money we
need"
But will he?"
1--WE can try. I think he will. In
the meantime, we can buy the
smaller things. have n lit
tie money of my own, a few hun
dreds. I am happy to put them at
our mutual disposal"
''We can't take your money"
Nonsense. OF course you can
take my money. You can give me
a note, if you like. and pay me in
terest. SO it's settled"
Gary drew deep breath Of re-
lief. I'D thought of borrowing be
fore" he said. But until Miss Debo-
rah was married. we didn't have
any prospects of paying it back.
Now it's all right. / can see it's
all right. If you don't mind lend
ing what you have, sir"
81 don't like borrowing" Deborah
continued to protest. her cheeks
flaming. We're taking enough from
you. We can't take any more"
Gary turned toward her. "If we
don't go through with it. if you tell
your grandmother now, then this
gentleman won't get his money at
the end of the year. She wouldn't
recognize this marriage It's too late
to marry anybody else; your birth
day is past. If we told your grand
mother the whole truth, that your
the man you've married is a
stranger, paid to marry you, she
would die. 1t would kill her. And
then. maybe you could get the
money, but it would kill your
grandmother"
Deborah listened. her eyes dark
and smoudering. She lifted them
at last to Bryn. $50 it's just as
safeguard for yourself that you're
offering your money!" she asked
icily.
Something of the sort" Bryn
said with truth.
CHAPTER w