Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-01-30
PAGE SEVEN

for us-tonight is certainly a begin
ing-n you want 1t TO be. You've given
me something thought had lost
you make me want things thought
I was through wanting, long agol"
But such things we're sacred: she
could not breathe them to Elsie May
Yes. Well. Anyway" said Elsie,
you've got the gold dress"
When Cecilia put 1t on, Elsie could
see that the plain gold sheath on
Cecilia's tense eager body made her
hair blaze and dramati2ed her freckleS
and her bones. She did look like a
Saxon princeSS-a young, awkward
one-and Elsie was a little cheered. At
least, she thought, Cecilia would be
more attractive for her next encount-
er; after all, that was all the first man
usually did for a girl; he made her
possible for the next one. But Peter
McKitten took Cecilia's vitalized ap-
pearance as a matter Of course when
she wore the dress TO breakfast, and
told the story Of the troubador eve
ming.
You viii see" he said TRANQUILITY.
Duncan OReilly is but the first in
a long procession that will come to
pay tribute to your charms. my dear"
The next morning both girls arrived
at the breakfast table as their father
was leaving It, He handed Cecilia the
morning paper folded to an inside
page.
There is something here that viii
be OF slight, passing interest to you,
my dear" he said, and left with I'M
usual CELEBRITY
It was q news line to the effect that
Duncan OReilly. the noted Irish poet,
nad sailed Tor Europe last night on
the Berenparfa
While Cecilia sat staring into space
Elsie May took the paper and read
the news with relief.
He probably didn't think you really
cared she said dryly. He probably
simply thought you were toying with
one OF the long procession like father
said"
oh. Elsie Mayl" Cecilia cried. TT
could be. couldn't It? He could be f.
fleeing the country-before he got TO
care too muchl"
Why don't you take the next boat
and tell him your intentions were hon
Elsie May thought this would Ger
tainly shake Cecilia out of 1t. Instead
she was Mortified to see Cecilia slowly
stiffen into a challenged attitude, like
a warrior listening to a call to arms.
I suppose that's what a man would
do" she said in an ominously musing
voice, And what should do-were
gallant enough :"
It was impossible for Elsie May to
believe what happened after that I'M
til 1t was too late. She had heard Ce-
ella console herself with gorgeous
tales so many times that she thought
this one was just another, even when
they began to act It out The drama
OF packing a suitcase and coming into
New York for the day had not alarmed
her; II seemed like q successful de-
vice OF Cecilia's for distracting her
self from her despair. But things be-
gan to seem more complicated when
they went to the city bank to draw out
the $500 that Peter McKitten had de-
posted over period Of years in Ce-
ciia'S savings account. as he had done
Tor Elsie NAV, against their future
hope chests. 1t was unfortunate, too.
that Cecilia had a passport all in or
der ever since the summer before when
the McKittens had intended TO go
abroad for Peters SabbaticaI until the
Illness OF his substitute professor had
postponed their plans. But even with
all this. Elsie May had no sense Of true
menace until Cecilia began to look up
sailings.
They finally arrived upon g pier and
stood beside a porter with Cecilia's
slight, deruffled luggage, looking up at
a great white boat while Cecilia waved
her passport and tickets. saying
grandly:
Just tell father I was IN honor
bound TO go on a romantic pilgrimage
like a knight Of old. and he viii un-
derStandi"
Hell understand that YOU'RE stark.
staring crazy. Cecilia McKittenI" cried
Elsie May, but this was the last OF her
objections and the most feeble: at this
final moment 1t was impossible not TO
be bewitched. as well as appalled,, by
such audacity.
AS she walked down the dock, q
young man in a hurry brushed past
her. Weakly she staggered back
AGAINST an embracing couple n look
after him. It was Jim Delanoi Behind
him came q porter laden with colleg-
Iate-l looking Iuggage: beside him there
fastened IN older man with a stuffy
red face who stopned at the gangplank
for what was evidently a parting, al
though not on affartinnate word
CTo Be Continued)