The Coolidge examiner., 1936-08-14

Well, no matter; even If it was a
little disconcerting to keep remem
bering what the true situation was
No harm had been done. She had
been reserved through it all, and
had not, she assured herself, al
lowed herself to be anything but
impersonal with him.
Grandmother was gazing at him
again as if she could scarcely take
her eyes away. 1t was unfortunate
that he meant so much to her if
Grandmother approved Of him toe
highly. 1t might make it difficult
at the end of the year, to explain
why Deborah would be happier
without him. And Grandmother in
the meantime might think she
might expect Deborah moved
uneasily.
My dear boy" Grandmother was
saying, II cannot see that there IL
the slightest resemblance between
you and your father. You are SC
much taller than he was, so much
more -. perhaps I mean athletic
looking. But perhaps I shouldn't
have expected you to look like the
Grahams. My husband told me
years ago, after he had been East
to see you, that you looked very
much like your mothers people
Your mother was very fine wom-
an, my dear Stuart"
II always believed So"
"Of course you did. Although you
would scarcely remember her, ]
think?"
HE doesn't remember her at all. -
Deborah said quickly. "She died
when he was only three, Grand
mother. He couldn't possibly re,
member her."
The man looked across the table
His eyes were twinkling, amused
Deborah looked back at him, coolly
1t wasn't going to be exactly easy
to carry off this situation. But nc
matter how difficult it might be il
was better than marrying Stuart
Graham. There had been very lit.
tie assembling on Stuart Graham'S
part. even in Mr.. Holworthy's pres
ence. Apparently it hadn't seemed
necessary to him to pretend gentle.
ness and courtesy even for the few
necessary hours. 1t had been per.
fectly obvious that he hadn't
dreamed for a moment that she
could or would refuse to marry him
refuse TO go through with the hor-
rible bargain. When she did sum-
mon up her courage, after two
hours of listening to his talk with
Mr. Holworthy, when the words
sprang to her lips and she heard
herself saying in a queer cold little
voice that she could never marry
him no matter what happened, he
had been terrible. He had calleJ
her prudish. ignorant, insane.
Grandmother wouldn't have be-
lieved it, couldn't have believed It.
if she had been told. 1t would have
killed her to bring Stuart Graham
here and let her see him as he was
She and Grandfather had told
themselves for years that in mis-
erably unhappy world one star
would always shine as bright as the
sun; no matter what happened, the
Grahams were gentlemen.
Gary had guessed what Nigh!
happen. He hadn't been so sure o.
the Grahams after all. Deborah
remembered his words as he had
helped her into the rickety wag0r
down at their neighbor's farm. He
had tucked the dust-cOver around
her and. his old face worn and trou
bled, had said, eff you don't like
him. Miss Deborah, don't you have
anything to do with him. Wen gel
along some way. Wen just lool
around for another way.
This was the other way. The tai
young man at the head of the table
willing to sell his gentlemanly ap
pearance, his good manners. hi,
smiles, for year-for fifty thou
sand dollars.
OF course, since one must be fail
and just. he had not been consid
ering his own opportunities there il
Mr.. Holworthy'S office. not just a
first. After Deborah had stood W
and told Stuart in that Strang,
voice that she couldn't poSsibl,
marry him, after she had repeated
it again and again and made hin
see that she meant it, he had beer
in a wild rage. 1t was then tha
he had said such horrible thing.
to her. After a moment DehOral
had run away, into an outer office
anywhere to escape from Stuar
Graham. But Stuart had FOLLOWED
her. Stuart was bully. He wa.
still talking to her, pushing him
self directly between her and tht
door, between her and freedom
when this quiet young man witt
the steady gray eyes had risen from
chair and faced him. Bryn hadn'
moved, except that his arm cam,
straight up, and his fist hit Stuar
under the chin with a terrific crash
and Stuart had crumpled to tn,
floor.
Deborah. my darling, what is IL,