The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
uAer or OHARACTKRs
CHAPTER VII

IL is true that after the party had broken up, Jefferson showed Cicely neat pile of barely nin. bied sandwiches on the lower tray Of the tea-wagon opposite Miss Iinda's chair; and that Linda re- turning to the drawing room after hours of sleepless tossing for Q hook she wanted, saw through the open door old Miranda, sitting by the dying fire, her fingers strok- ing the sleeve of Barry's overcoat' which lay across her lap. Linda stole away without her book.
 Old Miranda was serenely chatty over the coffee urn next morning. She made no reference to her rrandsons leaving, but confined herself to caustic comment about some gossip of the town. Barry list- ened to her with an attention as ab. e0rbed and amused as if he had nothing to look forward to In the immediate future but lazy Christ- mas vacation.
 "The Duchess has 6 most repre- I1ensible weakness for scandal, Ti- tania." he said. Tt comes of living too much in army camps"
 "I've always found" said the Duchess, "that a pinch of gossip aids digestion"
 Barry spent the whole morning with his grandmother in her room lover some business matter, Linda understood.
 Linda went down to lunch trem- bling in anticipation of the ordeal before her; but she might have spared herself. :.
 At lunch the old lady was seized with a violent chill, and other symp- toms complicated by the quantities of sandwiches she had consumed the night before. She was put to bed, fuming with impatience, and gasping out protests which made her grandson grin appreciatively- for the Duchess had notable grasp of profane technique.
 When the doctor was called, he pronounced her ailment a nervous chill.
 "Too much excitement" he said. "eee that she stays in bed-no mat i, ter what she says-until the symp- toms have gone."
 After the first rebellious few mo- ! msnts, old Miranda's native con- < mon sense asserted itself. Assured that if she behaved herself, she might get up to have dinner with the captain before he left for the airnort. she became as docile as child, and soon fell asleep.
 "I'm afraid we'd better wait till I get back to tell her." Barry said soberly as he and Linda faced each other outside Mrs. Trent's door. "The poor old Duchess has had about all she ought to take for one day."
 :I'd rather" Linda said. "1'd like it that way"
 At the bottom of the stairway where they had sat for so long that day-was 1t only yesterday2-Barry turned, his eyes burning down at her.
 "Listen, Titania,' he said softly. "You haven't forgotten what l asked you-right here-the other day. have you? I said," he went on when she did not answer, Sup pose you knew that had to go away-almost at once; and might not come back for long time. would you marry me then-or would you still feel that we must wait until we knew each other bet- tera"
 "And you knew then," accused Linda, fighting down tears. "All this time you've known"
 1 T wasn't sure; but there was e l chance"
 long time. It mustn't be-"
 "Of course not Barry agreed smoothly. "But anyhow, what was 1t you said?"
 When she did not answer, he prompted, "You said, I would marry you if 1t were the last thing l didP'
 "Yes," Linda breathed, I did say that. But"
 And heaven help you if you were fooling me, woman Don't pussy foot, Linda. There's 50 little time
 sYes," said Linda. T meant 1t .. But your grandmother-it isn't fair to her."
 "WeIl tell her as soon as I get l hack. It will be easier that way