The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-12-04

| crackers and milk or something.
Ned?"
He shook his head. "I'll swim,"
he said. "I'm still hot from town.
How about your" She never swan
at night, and he expected her re-
fusal. She shook her head.
He went upstairs alone, while she
stayed below. Then: 'Myra, will
you bring me my trunks?"
She said, amused: you're the
most helpless thingl" He heard her
coming up the stairs, heard her go
out on the balcony and so return.
She appeared in the open doorway,
his swimming trunks in her hand.
He took them.
81 brought you a box of candy"
he said CURLY. "There on the Ia
ble."
She was fond Of sweets. She
loosed the wrappings, opened the
box. "Bless you," she said. "You
never forget, do you Ned? l know
shouldn't eat them, but"
She chose caramel He buttoned
the trunks. She put the piece of
candy in her mouth; and mumbling
the words, she asked casually:
'Who did you see. this week."
This trick of hers speaking when
ner mouth was full. always exas-
perated him; it acted now like
detonator on his bottled anger.
81 had dinner with Mary Ann
last night" he said. willing to an
noy her.
She protested: "Ned, was that
wise? It takes so little to start
talk"
"Talk! Talk! Talk" he explod-
ed, his eyes red and wrathful. "I'm
sick to death of your talk! / wish
you'd"
She seemed suddenly to choke,
as though on the candy in her
mouth. The Doctor stared at her in
swift dawning understanding. He
took one step toward ner; then, his
face pale, his lips white, while she
coughed, strangline, he went
abruptly out OF the room, down to
! the little beach where they were
accustomed to swim.
He burst into the water with a
sort of violence, like man break
inc chains which bound him. He
dived and swan under water, far
out from the shore.
When he came to the surface,
he heard a motorboat approaching.
It rounded the point of the island,
its exhaust suddenly loud and near
at hand. Doctor Breeding swan
back toward the beach, to be clear
| of its course; and moment later
the boat slid past him into the emp
ty slip, and the engine died. AS he
reached the beach, Nancy, white
shadow in the darkness, came up
the path with Dan at her shoulder.
Doctor Greetings voice was calm
and steady as he called: "Hullo,
Nancy"
She had not seen him. "Oh, you,
Fatherl" she cried, startled at this
apparition.
eyes" He kissed her, at arms
length, careful not to wet her "Hel-
10, Dan," he said, and grasped the
young mans hand.
"Where's Mother?" Nancy asked.
"She was just starting to devour
box of candy when l came down
to SWIM" he explained. and they
went up to the house together.
At once Doctor Breeding went up
stairs.
And an instant later he called,
from the door of their room up
there, in tones of terror and de-
spair:
"Nancy! Nancyl QulckI Come
here!"
In the first shock of that desper-
ate alarm, Nancy and Dan stood an
instant motionless. Then Nancy ran
through the billiard-room toward
the stairs, and Dan came running.
The door into the big south bed
room which Doctor and Mrs. Greed
ing shared was open: Nancy came
to the door and saw him bending
over her mother. who lay across
the bed.
The girl, in her terror. cried
meaningless words. Then Doctor
Breeding, even while he made au-
tomato efforts at cesuscitation,
said harshly:
"She's dead, Nancyi"
"Dead?" Her voice was hollow
whisper.
"She must have :hoked on piece
OF candy" he painted. "Open the
windows, quickl"
They're open. Doctor" Dan told
him.
Nancy brought whisky In glass,
and Doctor Breeding forced it be-
tween Mrs. Breeding set teeth; it
spilled as though out of an over
flowing cup When he saw this. he
stopped his efforts, and stood erect,
looking down at his wife's body,
and then at his daughter. He put
| L.. he irl