The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-06-11

"Why, he's been so glum and 81
lent these last months hardly
know. Ever since you and I went
down to Santa Barbara last summer
he's seemed to feel he has griev-
ance." Again the beautiful affection
ate eyes filled with tears.
Victoria's heart ached for her
with fierce wrench of pain and
sympathy. She knew of what her
mother was thinking on these hot
days; she was thinking of her
friends at Tahoe, and up on the
klamath river, and down on the
cool shores Of Pebble beach and
Santa Barbara.
Presently Magda came back to
the question:
"You do see that it's hard for me,
Victoria? What would you do?"
'Oh, yes; oh, yes" Victoria
agreed. "It's-it's hard on us ALL"
lizard on you, too, dear?" Her
mother asked quickly, in a tone
that shrank away from pain.
Hard to see you unhappy and see
him unhappy" Victoria said, her
eyes watering.
There was a ring at the door.
Victoria was glad to go to answer
it; the conversation had gotten COM
pletely out of hand. She came in
with great box of flowers; there
were often boxes of flowers, but not
often as large as this.
Victoria ran about getting vases
for them.
"And what's in the box, Mother,
the little box?"
Mrs. Herrendeen was smiling SUI
perbly, shaking her head. The card,
twisted and wired in wet envelope,
was in her hand; the little square
jewelers. box with it.
''What's in it, Mother?" Victoria
insisted.
81 hate to look" the woman said.
ct know it's going to make me
angry"
Angry"
81 think so. Oh" Magda muir
INJURED, under her breath, che has
no right to do that!"
'Do you know who it is before you
even read the card, Mother?"
81 think I do. I think it's my
very rich friend, Mr.. Manners"
''The Spanish one?"
''He is half Spanish, believe"
Magda slowly brought forth the
card, glanced at it, crumpled it to
pulp. Victoria's eager eyes were
upon her as she opened the little
box, cutting its heavy cords and
breaking away the wax seals. There
were a cardboard box, a light
wooden box, a lined jewel case in
which a heavy diamond bracelet
was flashing and cleaning on a
satin cushion.
what does the note say, Moth
err"
"Just-well, nothing, really. Ri
diculous!" the woman murmured,
her expression partly amused, part
ly pleased, partly impatient.
cts beautiful" Victoria said, of
the bracelet. "Are they expen-
sive?"
"Only few thousand" her moth
er answered carelessly. She fitted
the bracelet carefully back in it's
case; replaced the wooden box, the
cardboard box, and yawned.
''Don't you like him, Mother?"
''Who? Ferd Manners?"
els that his name? It doesn't
sound very Spanish"
cts Ferdinand de Something
Manners. believe his mother was
an Argentine heiress. He's lived
there great deal"
'You might know he was Span
ish," Victoria said brightly, cor he
wouldn't think he could send mar
ried lady jewelryl"
"True for you, Miss Herrendeen!"
her mother agreed, going into the
bedroom with the box. Until she
could return it, she would hide it,
Victoria knew. Dad must know
nothing of this.
The afternoon dragged. After a
while Victoria put on her old white
serge skirt and white thin sweat
er, pulled a small white hat over
her bobbed head, and went to the
library to get a new book. When
she came back at five, her mother
was entertaining a caller. It was
a square, dark skinned man,
sprawled in a low chair, glass of
champagne between his big brown
hands.
This is my little girl, Mr.. Man.
ners."
Come, it was to be Ferdinand"
the man said, his voice and accent
instantly betraying the Latin.
1T was not," Magda countered
simply, smiling. She was in some
thing soft and cool and pale blue;