The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-05-29

WHILE"
He moved abruptly to his desk and
pressed his buzzer. The prompt APP
pearance of Miss Gilbert forestalled
any reply from Rodney.
Get Miss Gleneith on the phone"
Jeb said.
In the house twenty miles north
along the lake shore, Agnes Gleneith
had been informed that Mr.. Braddon
wished to speak to her.
you tell her, Rod; or shall II"
Jeb extended the instrument.
"Tell her what?"
"That you're coming out to her on
the first train. Quick! l can hear
her near the phone. You're going to
tell her-or / will"
Rod, with q sudden violence that
amazed Jud, snatched the telephone,
and In a moment he was speaking to
Agnes was nearly twenty-three, and
she would have said upon that win
ter afternoon, when snowfakes were
beginning to blow from the north even
before the clouds floated under the
sun, that nothing In the least ex'
traordinary had ever happened to her.
She had been born in an attractive,
pleasant house only half mile away
from this huge handsome country
mansion, on the lake shore, which
for the last eleven years-almost half
of Agnes life-had been home.
Beatrice, her sister who was two
years older, also had been born In
that same smaller house; for there
her father had brought her mother
as bride. Such was the phrase by
which her mother always described
that house: when was bride, Bob
brought me here to that little house
on Easter Lane"
1t was little only in comparison; it
had great garden, gay in summer
with phlox. sweet William, larkspur
and Canterbury bells. 1t had init
mate, CHEEKY freplaces, and next the
sunny rooms which had been Agnes
and Bees, had been Papa's and Man,
| mas room wherein had been their
| big bed.
Agnes thought of that house as hav-
ing been always happy; and she could
remember when she was a child, and
would run into Papa's and Mammals
room in the morning in her white
| flannel teddy" with "feet," and Papa
would pick her up and kiss her and
then bounce her down between Nam
ma and him in the big bed.
Father must have been making plen-
ty of money then. OF course he had
much more now, very much more
Millions, Agnes realized; yet the mon.
| ey had not greatly altered the pat.
terms, of her dreams, which had been
| shaped to satisfaction In the little
house; nor had 1t greatly changed
the actual course she pursued. She
had left Country Day school for 8
very expensive girls school In Con-
necticut when she was fifteen; and
that might not have happened from the
little house; but soon she went on to
Smith college, as always she had
planned. and had been graduated last
June. The summer abroad; and now
she was at home, which meant, wher
she was In the house, that she waf
with her mother, mostly; and wher
she was out, she was with Bee. who
had married four years ago and had
two babies; or she was hurryins
about, being busy with Junior league
errands; and she was waiting for the
man she was to marry.
Agnes did not pretend anything else
with herself. To be happy, CIR
must bind herself In utter intimacy
with a man; she must be a wife: Ag
mes wanted to be wife and have ba
bies, like Bees dear adorable little
boys. But she did not want a hus
band like Bees, though Bee argued
she was happy. Agnes knew thai
when you were, you showed it-yor
didn't debate 1t.
| /Tn DE- CnMTINTIEnI