The Coolidge examiner., 1937-08-26

at the very end-the one in lavender
linen?"
"Oh, that was Mrs. Billy McGrew.
Josephine McGrew - she's a nice
kid. But nutty!'
She's affectionate. gather?"
Quentin laughed, guiltily. giving
his wife sidewise, shrewd smile.
"A little"
Victoria said nothing. but her
heart was lightened again. 1t was
all so silly!
How'd you know that?" Quentin
presently asked. chuckling.
Il was on the stairs when she was
talking to you in the hall, got the
balcony scene
Caught with the goods, eh?"
Quentin asked.
"Red-handed. Victoria Laughed
in relief.
Poor little Jo," the man said.
after peaceful silence. She's aim
less, she's not very happy with Nc
Grew-he has nothing but money,
apparently She'll get out. some
day; she'll quit him cold She
wanted to say good-by to me
they're going to Biarritz, they have
place there-and she had to tell
me that it was all over, and we
would always be friends and all
that!"
What was all over?"
"Well, exactly. Nothing!"
He laughed heartily. engineering
the car through the complicated
turnings of Daily City. and Victoria
was silent for a while.
Victoria laughed. her fears all laid
to rest.
The five children were uproarious
in the nursery at supper time; their
long sleeps in the car coming home
Lad refreshed them. and they were
full of life and mischief.
The nursery was full OF noises
and thumps; the children's laughter
ringing high above every other
sound. Mollie brought Dicky to his
father. There's one thatll take all
the loving you want to give him."
she said. and Quentin sat holding
the quieter twin. loving the serious
exploratory glance that Dicky oc-
casionally sent over his shoulder, as
one who would be sure that these
big arms. these big knees were quite
safe.
Il thought girl wa always gen.
tier than a boy" Quentin said
Il knew you'd break that, Kenty!"
he interrupted himself. You jerk
it, and then Susan jerks it; why
don't you wait until you want to
use it?"
There's nothing gentle about Su-
san." Vicky said. the broken cord
already mended Bobs, the other
twin, having finished his entire din
ner with scrupulous attention and
thoroughness. now came to climb
up beside Dicky. Gwen was ami
matedly demanding if Daddy would
like to see her new dress for dane
ing school.
Somehow / never thought I'd
hear you talking about dancing
school, Gwen" Quentin said, his
arms full of nightgowned small
boys. but his forehead held up for
Ovens suddenly affectionate kiss.
"Oh. but you know l limp Dad
dy?" the little girl reminded him
animatedly.
Il kin limp" Susan shouted with
the usual accent on the personal
pronoun. And she gave an exag-
gerated imitation of a cripple's gait
to Ovens immense delight. "She
walks just as if it hurt her, Moth
erl" exclaimed Gwen.
After a while. Quentin. with the
sureness of long practice, slid the
sleeping twins into cribs and left
Victoria reading. Victoria called
after him:
when you've made your tele-
phone calls, Quentin, see if you can
get Dora, and find out how Dorothy
is, and remind the Findleysons that
they're coming to supper. Tell Billy
not to dress. and say to Sally that
of course if her fathers with her
we want him, tool"
And shake the hall rug and see
if there's any mail" the doctor
added. But he was grinning as he
went downstairs.
About an hour later, when a party
of six had just harmoniously settled
down to Sundays cold supper there
was an interruption. 1t began with
a ring at the doorbell, but that was
nothing in a doctors household; nor
was Meta's appearance moment
| later. What was unusual was the
appearance of the woman who fol-
lowed Meta; the sound of her voice.
For a moment Vic didn't know
the voice at all, or the little tinkle
of high laughter, or the person in
the lace-eIged hat and frilly silk
coat, frilly blouse, frilly sweeping
skirts who stood there. Then the
whole world turned upside down and
she got to her feet and tried to
speak. but couldn't hear her own
voice and tried again with better