Carbon County news., 1937-09-03


afternoon drove the 20 miles to-
ward home. There was a sweet
spring quality in the air of the
April afternoon; a fragrance, soft
ness, a color; husband and wife
moved through it as through a
dream. The day had almost dis
appeared behind the western hills;
long lances Of mellow sunshine
streamed across the new grass and
occasionally caught a blossoming
plum tree. a pink or white haw-
thorn in a globe Of light. A thou
sand little homes, behind their
hedges, set in their fiower-packed
gardens, looked inviting, looked
happy; late children dawdled in the
shade Of oaks, deceived by the lin
gering daylight into forgetfulness Of
time. The violets on Vicky's shoul-
der were wilted; every now and
then she caught their exquisite dy-
ing breath, mingled with all the
other sweet and significant odors:
grass and turned earth, lilac and
new leaves, the pungent spiciness
of the pepper trees, the piny scent
of the blades Of the tasseled euca-
lyptus.
''Tired, Vicky?" Quentin said, as
they turned up their own lane.
''Only comfortably tired. It was
worth while, I think. Only, when 1
get this near home," Vicky said,
II always begin to want to see
the children; it's the only time I
worry! Just before we see them
ah, God bless them, there they
are!"
There they were, at the gate.
ready to leap upon the car and be
carried the hundred yards up to the
porch.
"Oh, it's so good to get home: it's
so wonderful to shut it all away"
Victoria was murmuring to herself
as, somewhat hampered by the
scrambling children, she descended
and smiled at the nurse who came
down to meet them. Marty all
right?" she asked. Miss Browning
nodded reassuringly.
Sound asleep" But when Vic,
trailing sons and daughters like
clouds Of glory, had fought her pain
full way upstairs, Harriet Browning
turned her good, middle-aged face
to Quentin. II wish you'd have a
look at Marty, Doctor. I rather
think-anyway, I wish you'd just
take look. He's sleeping beauti-
fully, he may sleep like that all
through the night. But he had a
sort of. restless time, about three,
and he coughed quite hard.'
Victoria saw the shadow on Quen-
tins face when he came to dress a
few minutes later. He was tired,
poor old fellow; he had been serious |
and quiet ever since his return, any |
way. All very well to say that a
man could escape from his sins |
scot-free; nobody ever escaped scot |
free from anything in this world, |
and especially a man as fine as |
Quentin couldn't escape! Whenever
his eyes fell on the Morrison house
he'd remember and be sorry. Even
when Serena had lingeringly, cloy-
ingly gone away, as Of course she
would some day, he wouldn't be
proud to remember that sickening
little interval of kisses and whisper
ngs and presents and stolen hours.
And some day, when Susan was
beautiful eighteen, fresh and sweet
and fine, some innocent question Of
lers about their old neighbors,
about Gita or Gita's- father or
Iita's mother-"You remember the
Dad: wasn't she terri
'ly beautiful? ?"-would strike him
n his soul, and make him vince,
md then the whole thing would
;eem to him like what Vicky had
.alled it: a fever that had caught
mind and soul instead of body.
So his silence at dinner did not
llarm her.
After dinner, when Gwen had car
led her school books upstairs, and
Gagda had gone off with old Judge
md Mrs. Trimmer to a movie, there
vas the usual interruption. The
lock had just struck ten; Vicky
lad been conscious Of pleasant
onviction that they were not going
o be disturbed this evening, when '
he telephone rang. From Quen- !
ms manner as he answered it she !
new that the fireside hour was
oomed.
'T've got the whole apparatus !
ere; you've got one? Good" Quen- '
in said. 'T'n be right over. You
aight get him upstairs" {
There was the usual little furry. s
irownie came down to say that
Iarty was sleeping nicely and his
ulse was much better. Quentin
ushed into the night, leaving the
vo women in consultation by the +
re.
The telephone rang sharply again.
or a moment, in the general con- S
1sion of her thoughts, Vicky could
OF seem to make out clearly just
no it was.
''oh, yes, DIR. Cudworth," she
aid, her face Frightening. And
miro at fhe-at tha--oh ves af | n