Evening star., 1936-01-12
CHAPTER xxx.


CHAPTER xxx.
V/AY enjoyed that Summer at
" Carvel Sometimes she re-
membered to be surprised at
i " her own peace and content.
Her first fearful shrinking from these
old friends melted before their steady
kindlinesS and the straightforward
pleasure with which they welcomed
her. I'D forgotten" she confessed to
Emily one day, 'how nice people were
up here and how much they like you'
and show it, too"
Remembering, are you?" Emily
asked, smiling family. Eyes, CarVel is
nice, Kay"
Even the gossip is really just their
way of being interested and friendly, l
think" Kay declared.
Emily shook her head amused
"Every one takes some satisfaction IN
other peoples troubles" she admitted.
s'That's as true in Carvel as anywhere
else. But I've been happy here. -.
KAY had her most complete sur
prise when she met Elmer Radford
again. She encountered him in the
post Office. Instead of overalls and a
broad leather belt hung with electri-
clans tools, he wore a decent suit, ana
his nails were clean, and he met her
with no least embarrassment.
"Hullo. Kay!" he cried. II heard
YOU were back Say, it's great to see
YOU" He pumped her hands hard,
looked at her with manifest approval.
"Staying long?" he demanded. You'd
better. Carvers getting to be quite
Summer resort, you know"
''In be here quite while, I expect,
Kay told him. And she could not
wholly stif1e her incredulous curiosity
s'You're looking fine, Elmer. MOI
climbing poles any more?"
mo, they dragged me into the ONCE
to help Mr.. Pastor" Elmer explained
KAY cried, "Why, you mean you're
assistant superintendent"
well, suppose So" Elmer assent
ed, chuckling. when there's any
thing he doesn't want to bother with,
do it. I'm sort of goat, that's all"
Emily later was able to give Kay de-
tails of Elner's progress. Lillian mas
told me about it." she explained. "Ap-
parently Elmer's pretty clever, Kay.
He worked out some device-1 don't
know what it was-that the company
Is using. 1t saves them lot OF money
somehow. They had him at Concord
for six months and then sent him BACK
here. Ned Pastor isn't well and he ex-
meets to give up pretty soon ana go
West to live. and he told me Elmer Will
probably step into his shoes. Sne
added: "Carvel's pretty proud OF Ell
mer, Kay. The company gave MN
stock, a bonus for this invention OF his.
He's going mighty WE'LL"
Kav saw Elmer more and more ire
ouently. Lillian and Elmer came
sometimes to have supper with Emily
and George, and Kay was likely tc be
there. Success, even the beginnings OF
success, had given the boy strength
without imitation. He bore hlmsei1
well, and he made no secret OF his
liking for Kay-and at the same time
never forgot her estate as a marrleo
woman. Once he asked If Bob would
come for part of the Summer, but Kay
said Bob was very busy, and 1t was
long before Elmer mentioned him
again.
Early in August Kay had word that
Bob was gone to Nevada, with fishing
as pretext. She told her mother, and
she tried to keep her head high and
her voice steady. But Mrs. Brannan.
with no word, took Kay in her arms
and patted her shoulder mutely, while
Kay wept the keen edge OF pain away.
I'm a fool to cry" she protested
through her tears. It's what he had to
do, what he was bound to do, what I
knew he would do. I'm not going to
cry any more. mother"
But she did and could not stop, and
Mrs. Brannan said, Cry, Kay, it will
be good for you"
"I'm an idiot!" Kay insisted. cts
what wanted him to do. I shall stay
in Carvel and marry Elmer, and go
on and On
Mrs. Brannan said nothing, while
Kay said many things.
She told no one else as yet, not even
Emily. She and Elmer saw each other,
at first at intervals and then more reg
ularly, and with George and Emily
they sometimes made excursions to the
nearby mountains, to some lake not
too remote. Picnic suppers, SWIM
ming parties or outings with no pre-
text at all. Emily was never active on
these occasions; she had always the
baby to tend, and she would sit beside
where he went sprawling and creeping
on the ground, while George and Kay
and Elmer turned to their own bents.
Toward the end of the Summer Emily
sometimes did not feel well enough to
20 at all, and once and then again
Elmer and Kay went without the
others.
Elmer took her fishing for bass IN
Coos Pond; they climbed Carvel Dome
together more than once.
On Sunday in mid-September they
had gone thus to climb the dome. FL
Yner drove his car up wood road on
the south side of the mountain till the
road became impossible, and then they
went on afoot. and Kay, small and
straight, kept pace with his longer
strides. She was flushed and painting
before they came to the top, where q
smooth ledge caught the sun and on
every side the forested hills extended,
and Coos Pond and the lake TO the