The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-06-12

summing.
Here, in the soothing sun, you could
play with your boys round, strong
little bodies, and imagine them men
great men, splendid men, inspiring,
important and thrilling. When you
did this, you omitted imagining them
like their father. They must be more
than Davis ever would be. Davis.
your husband, who was only thirty
but for whom you no longer held IL
lusions Of greatness or Of real i'm
portance, though you loved him. OF
course you loved him.
He lacked something that, for one,
Jeb Braddon had. Jeb, who had been
at "the house" last night, as Beatrice
had learned when she phoned her ia
ther after dinner, to say hello. How
much further had Agnes and Jeb
gone" last evening?
Bee wished that Agnes would hurry
over.
There she vast They faced each
other in the sun, but Agnes immedi-
ately bent to the babies, rubbing her
hands briskly to be sure of their
warmth before she touched the brown
little bodies. Bobbie kissed back on
her cool cheek after she kissed him;
she swept with her lips the soles Of
Davy's chubby little feet, one after the
other.
"How's Jeb?" asked her sister, seat
ing herself before her.
Agnes held to one Of Davy's feet.
"All right, Bee," she answered.
did you go anywhere last night"
"Not us. Father and Mother went
to the Stinsons'; but we stayed home"
said Agnes a bit breathlessly.
"What'd you do?" demanded Bee.
"Bee, l guess Jeb and got sort
Of engaged"
Beatrice's gaze jerked up. Don't
you know?'
Il know he said we were, Bee"
Agnes leaned over and resorted to
clasping both Of Davy's feet, and pull
ing him gently along the mat.
Beatrice quickly touched bell be-
hind her. "They've been long enough
in the sum-" she decided suddenly, and
bundled her babies into robes. When
the nurse knocked, she handed the
children out and secured the door
again.
"All right now," said Bee, dropping
to the mat.
81 liked him a lot last night, Bee. I
let him know it."
"How about this morning?" Beatrice
demanded.
I'm going downtown to have lunch
with him today"
'But are you engaged? Did you say
you'd marry him?"
II didn't; for I didn't know I would.
don't know now"
"You mean you don't know wheth-
er you want to?"
II guess want to marry him, Bee"
"Then what in heaven is 1t you don't
know?"
"What It will be like to be married
to Jeb," said Agnes. l didn't want to
talk to Mother about 1t, at all She's
too unhappy. You aren't"
NO." said Bee quickly. "How was
Father when he got homer"
mo different. He made lot more
money in New York"
II gathered that. But you and
JebT
she thinks we ought to get married
as quick as we can arrange 1t. Oh
Bee, 1 never, never had such a day.
Rod came in the afternoon"
"Rod?"
II can't tell you about that. can
never tell anyone about thatI {.
Then Father came home; and Mother
was making ready for him. r. Bee,
they'll separate when 1 get married,
know"
"Then I should think you'd hardly
rush off, and marry"
"But that makes me want to, don't
you see? oh. If you were in the
house, you would"
II wouldn't" said Bee.
Agnes proceeded to Chicago on the
noon train. AS she neared the city,
she wondered, more practically, what
plan he had made for her and him.
self? For she felt that today, of all
days, he would have special surprise
for her.
Agnes started when she saw him.
How much more hers, since last night,
was this man at whom women gazed;
and for whom they turned, after they
had passed. Now he saw her!
Oh, this was something! She was
shaking from excitement as hardly
she had last night.
He took her away in taxi, and still
saved the tension of their restraints.
He named a restaurant where a few
of their set were sure to be. So they
sat side by side at little table, look
ing out upon the wide, gay room just
as If nothing at all had happened
since they had been seen together.
So many people gazed at them; and
Agnes knew that they whispered to
each other: There's Jeb Braddon."
Agnes hand on the seat beside her
4. Ii