The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-08-27
CHAPTER IX-Continued


climbing right to the top in diplo-
macy when he got hurti They were
to 60 to Spain; that's one of the fat
places! There's lots of money; moth
ing could have stopped him! She
was packing her trunks when he
was hurt"
well, I don't suppose he espe-
cially enjoyed it."
"She told me-" Quentin said in a
tender undertone, not hearing one
word of what Vicky had said-"she
told me that just before the smash
she had been planning to buy GER
tain white shawl at the Sea Cap
tain's Shop in Shanghai. She says
it was the most gorgeous thing she
ever saw and that when their plans
all changed, and before she knew
whether Morrison's eye was going
to be saved or not, she used to go
every day and take look at the
shawl. So when it was all over and
he'd resigned from the diplomatic
staff, she went up there one last
time and kissed the white shawl
good-by!
Somehow" Quentin said, lost in
his own thoughts somehow the
thought of her going in there and
laying her face against that shawl
well, it gets you! I mean she's
nothing but little girl"
Sand you're nothing but a little
raw blind baby!" Vicky might think
hotly. But she never said it aloud.
No, he was in the grip of fever
now, and there was no saving him
until it went down. He could nei-
Their hear nor understand until then.
One day Vic met in the street a
woman who stopped her with a
smile. A pretty woman, but wear
ing too much rouge and powder,
lipstick and mascara, a woman sug-
costing gallant retreat from youth
and beauty.
Marian POOL" Vicky said. Mar
ian was animated; the beautiful
eyes worked with their old fire; she
had an adorable cattle king" in
tow. "My dear, he owns half of
BRAZIL" she said in an aside, in
PRODUCING a copper-colored stout old
person who spoke only a stilted
English and used that almost entire
ly for labored compliments to Mar
ian. Marian was still beautiful,
Vicky thought; she was not much
more than forty, but ten years ago
she would not have wasted any time
on Senior de Raa.
Now she was working over him
industriously, laughing at his lame
jokes, allowing the fat paw to
squeeze her own pretty hands.
watch me get present out of
him. He shipped his wife and
daughters on the last steamer, and
he's going Wild" said Marian,
drawing Vicky with them into
Marsh's beautiful shop. She called
the attention of the cattle king to
the cabinets of jade jewelry. Vicky,
who had left Gwen with a dentist
for half an hours Strengthening of
teeth, looked ipterestedly at one of
oriental jewelry and porcelain,
the worlds finest collections of
brocade and teak and ivory, brass
and enamel. A middle-aged sales
woman presently drew her aside.
EXCUSE me, madam, but did
your friend speak of you as Mrs.
Hardisty?'
''I'm Mrs. Hardisty," Vic said.
"And your husband is DR.. Har-
disty? I thought so. There was
something I wanted to ask you.
This is very unprofessional," the
woman broke off in a tone of smil-
ing and eager apology. Vic could
only continue to look expectation
and surprise. "You see," the sales
woman pursued, Christmas is very
close, and someone was looking at
a present for you in here yesterday,
and / thought :"
She had led Victoria into a small
adjoining salesroom where there
were a teak table and some chairs.
''Do sit down." she said, land I'll
explain. Your husband was in here
yesterday looking at some of our
lovely tnlngS, ana ne picked one
out for your Christmas present.
Now, often when a gentleman does
that" Mrs. Mooreweather went on
confidentially, 81 like to give the
lady just a little hint, when I can,
because sometimes, as we all know,
tastes do differ, and when a present
is very handsome-and this is hand
some-it's so easy to give a gentle
man just little hint, and say, I
think your wife would surely prefer
that and then she gets what she
wants, and we please a customer"
While the amiable endless patter
had been streaming on, Victoria had
been smiling vaguely, hardly listen
ing.
''Now, this must be a secret.
Where Is that? / thought-oh, yes,
] know where it isl" Mrs. Moore
weather was saying, as she drew in
and out of their frames great deep
black drawers filled with silken
beauty. ''This must be a little Sc
.cret between you and me-" she ran