The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-09-17
CHAPTER XIII

She was in pale blue, the broad
straw hat that dipped about her
face and lent an almost too pictur-
esque beauty to her appearance had
childish blue ribbon about it; the
pale scallops of the frail blue gown
swept the young spring grass. Sc
rena's eyes were at their bluest,
too, grave loving, reproachful.
Lover, I had to see you," she
said. ''Was this terribly stupid of
me? had to see you"
Quentin had involuntarily glanced
back toward the garden and the
house. He and she were sheltered
by dozen intervening hedges and
trees and angles of fence. He
looked at her unsmilingly.
81 don't quite like it," he said
deliberately.
''Why, went to see Victoria and
her mother often while you were
gone, why shouldn't II" the woman
said, in a sort of proud impotence.
Don't look so serious; nothing hap
pened! Darling, had to see you.
You know that I have to see your"
He looked at her without speak
ing.
''What is it, dear?" she asked
tenderly. what have I done?"
Quentin Hardisty spoke quickly,
almost with his professional man.
ner:
you've done nothing, of course.
nor'f toLn fhof fnnn-d0n'f cnnoE
like that"
"Oh, but l will speak like that"
Serena persisted lovingly. "Surely
I have the right just to ask you what
I've done, Quentin, how I've Offend
ed your" -........
"You haven't offended me at all.
II wrote you months ago-before
I went to Germany"
II know you wrote. me-" the
woman said, as he hesitated found
ering and confused. "Why did you
write me that hideous letter, Quen-
tin? I only began it; I couldn't fin
ish it. It's burned
"I'm horribly sorry, of course"
Quentin said gruff1y, awkwardly in
the silence.
"Sorry!" the rich sweet voice
echoed. "But what are you sorry
about, dearest dearest? Remember
what you told me in the beginning,
that you had been twice married
without ever knowing what real love
was, lover, that you and Vicky had
acknowledged that, had married
with your eyes wide open. Remem-
ber?"
"We can't talk about this here"
Quentin interrupted, in a hard, cold
voice.
"Where can we, them" Serena
asked, with a touch of steel in her
own tone. "You got back a week
ago today, I've not seen you until
now. What about tonight? Can you
come over about ten? Spencer's
tired; he'll be in bed"
give got to 60 up to San Fran
cisco tonight, I've patient at the
Dante hospital"
"Then I'll 60 with you."
"You can't. The Keats children
are all here; I'm taking them in"
''Then I'll go in and drive back
with you."
II think Kenty's planning to do
that"
"Kentyl AS if you couldn't put
him off! All, lover" Serena plead
ed, coming close to him, pressing
his arms with her own soft arm
and hand, tell me what's wrong,
tell me what I've DONE"
IT tried to tell you in that let
ter" Quentin said, looking down
into the tear-misted blue eyes raised
to his own. cts a horribly hard
thing to say, II think we both feel
it. It's all been ats the sort
of thing that can't"
Serena drew off little, still look
ing into his eyes.
"You mean that you're going to
punish me, for loving you, Quentin?
You're going to make me feel sorry
that loved you so generously, gave
you everything could give? You're
going to make me wish that I was
calculating and wise, like other
women? Are you going to fail me
now?"
SIT isn't question of failing you,
Sina. It's that-well, know we're
both sorry for the whole thing"
Quentin persisted miserably.
Serena was regarding him with
narrowed eyes; her breast moved
visibly on constrained breath.
"You mean for me to go on quietly
living with Spencer" she said, in a
level voice, land for you to go back
to Vicl1y. You mean that you think,
knowing what she might some day
know, Vic will forgive you, and
everything viii be lovely?"
ITO BE CONTINUED