The Coolidge examiner., 1937-09-09

of you. Quent," she added welcom-
ingly, as he came up With the chill
dren hanging on his hands, we're
all ready to go-we'u be just in
time!"
Quentin and Mrs. Morrison were
looking at each other, smiling.
You'll have to introduce me.
Vicky."
"Oh. do beg your pardon! 1
always think that everyone knows
everyone else. Mrs. Morrison, my
husband, DR.. Hardisty. Quentin, do
you remember who this is?"
Il do" Quentin said, smiling
down at Serena, his white teeth and
white clothes in almost startling
contrast to the Indian brown of his
face and skin. Serena looked up
from the lavender shadows of the
white parasol that was slowly turn
ing behind her golden braided head.
"You were on your way to China?"
1T was before my husbands ac-
cident-yes. we had a wonderful
tripl" the woman said, smiling laz-
lily with sea-blue eyes, raising heavy
dark gold lashes.
And they're neighbors. Vicky
told him. They are the people in
the Tracy place!"
Next door," Quentin's face
broke again into his own pleasant
smile.
"You remember Gita. Quentin,
who plays with the children? Mrs.
Morrison is Gita's mother"
"Oh. 1 thought the name was
Stewart"
"Gitas father is dead" Serena
explained it. She continued to look
up at Quentin, and Quentin to look
down at her. You've all been such
angels to the child" she said.
She's been horribly lonely all her
life. alone with her amah. l brought
her amah with her, from China"
Vicky was baffled by the other
woman'S sleepy manner, by the
vague words that seemed to have
some meaning beyond their obvious
meaning. for Quentin at least, for
his face was absolutely radiant as
he continued to hold Serena's hand
and to look down at her.
She's had you, hasn't she?"
Vicky said sensibly. And she
touched Quentin's arm with that
wifely signal that says. THE chill
dren are ravenous. Let's get home
and have lunch!"
Serena was paying no attention
to Vicky; she looked only at Quen-
tin.
Il can't be much with my little
girl. You see my husbands an in
valid" she said, in child's fat
tone.
"Ah. that's too bad!"
They said he was slated for a
brilliant career. But he was thrown
from a horse. and dragged. about
four months ago. It's his back. and
he lost his eye. -
There was something extraordi-
narily incongruous between her un-
ruflled fawless beauty and the ter
rible thing she said; the white hand.
the white skin, the gold hair and
innocent blue eyes under the para
sol were apparently unaffected.
Tough luck!" Quentin said. Vic
toria pressed his arm again.
will you come and see him, Dr.
Hardisty?"
I'D like to-"
Il wish you would" Mrs Nor
rison said. We're always there in
the late afternoons" The frills OF
her parasol tumbled slowly as she
twirled it.
Daddy, I'm hun-n-ngryl Kenty
shouted. Quentin accompanied his
family to the waiting car. after a
cordial good-by from them all to
the new neighbor. Mildly, as he
took his place in the drivers seat.
the doctor observed to his wife that
he wished that the children would
not be rude
He's terribly hungry, Daddy. and
we're late"
II know" Quentin said. II know.
But she was telling US of her hus-
band; don't ina gine she often gets
to talking of her troubles"
Victoria glanced at his profile in
surprise, ready to laugh. But he
was quite serious.
But die you ever know anyone
to talk of dreadful-of ghastly
things, so calmly? That poor hus-
band of hers-ima gine being cut off
in the very beginning of your ca
reer. blinded"
Quentin, turning into their own.
made no comment, and Kenty said
animatedly:
why din Gita go to the club.
Mummy"
"She stays with her amah!" Su-
san supplied.
You speak Of the mans misfor-
tune" Quentin began Unexpectedly,
at lunch. II was thinking of hers"
Victoria raised interrogative eye
brows. She had been cutting chick
en- into tiny pieces on Susan's plate,
murmuring to the waitress, muir
muring to her mother.
'I was thinking" Quentin ex-