Carbon County news., 1937-07-30
CHAPTER VIM Continued

ANY chance Of your going down
to Del Monte with me this after
noon?" -.
'Oh, darling, not on Sunday! Mol
lie off, and Nurse with all Of them
to handle, and the Carriers coming
to supper! They're bringing all the
children thought that since you
wouldn't be here it would be a
grand chance for a children's sup
per-"
t'H'm!" Quentin said nonconnit-
tally. Victoria, made vaguely un-
easy by his tone, sent him another
questioning glance. Quentin wasn't
quite like himself on this hot still
Sunday.
1.-THE other doctors are going,
Quent? You're to have your golf
in the morning?"
II don't know" he said irreso-
lutely. II thought I might tele-
phone Johnny. We might have our
golf right here. You'll get over
there and see her, won't you, Vic?"
'Get-?" She was completely at
sea, untying Susan's bib, as Susan
bllnted into her. ''Take your cooky
and run, darling" she said to the
child, land don't wake Baby-she's
out on the side porch!"
''Get over and see the Morrisons,"
Quentin completed it.
"Oh? Oh, yes!"
Somehow-somewhere, something
was wrong. Through the familiar
scene chill faint wind seemed to
blow; faint apprehension Of trou-
ble-of change. Viclzy couldn't an
alyze it, was only vaguely con-
scious that she felt it, but it was
there.
'T'n walk over to the Morrisons'
this afternoon for few minutes, If
you like, Quentin" she said, on an
impulse, after luncheon.
Quentin was stuffing his pipe; lie
did not look up. In their more than
. seven years Of marriage he had
never made a cali that Viclzy could
remember. Now, sauntering forth
into the garden in search Of dogs,
children, his tavorite chair under
the oaks on the long terrace, he
spoke carelessly over his shoulder.
''Oh, don't you bother" he said,
you've got enough to do! I'll wan
der over there, later, and afterward
ms, SriSIa S,o,Y en1,oa idoo xxJI1o4 co1sf
Of an outfit it isl
''You'd be a darling to do that!"
Victoria said. But oddly she did
not feel happy about it, and it was
from that Sunday that she dated
the change in Quentin. Not under
standing why, she nevertheless was
conscious of the fact that life some
how didn't 60 back, after that Sum
day, to what it had been before.
Just two weeks after the day
when Vicky and Quentin had first
met their lovely neighbor, her eyes
were suddenly opened, and after
that Victoria understood.
Quentin had said that he thought
he would go over to the club, might
play another eighteen if it got cool
er, might watch the polo. Vicky
saw him off, had cloud-clearing
talk with Mollie, who since her ma
rine was in port was given the rest
of the afternoon and the evening as
a special concession; helped Nurse
to the extent of opening all the little
beds, laying out night apparel, put
ting away various books and toys
in the nursery. <.a]
Finally they were all in bed, with
books, and Victoria's head and hair
jerked into hundred agonizing di-
rections by warm goodnight kisses
and embraces. Five minutes past
seven, and supper due within the
hour--oh, dear, not much room for
rest in there! Her chiffon was at
the cleaners. Perhaps that white
one that she had worn this morn
ing
There was a wide upper hallway
in the house, filed now with pleas
ant half-light, like the light under
water. Victoria, closing the. nurs-
cry door behind her, fingered for
a moment at its big open window,
looking out at the cooling and soft
ening day, breathing the freshened
air, resting her eyes on the green
ness Of the great trees.
So standing, she could look down
at the drying yard, and the berry
vines, and the fat stretch of me-
elected lawn where a COW grazed,
and the gate in the evergreen hedge
that divided the Hardisty property
from the small but exquisitely
groomed estate Of the Morrisons
next door. There was a small strip
of lane there, and in the lane Vic |
saw a white figure, with the level
light of the setting sun shining !
bright on pale gold hair and illtlnai-
mating the white parasol as if it were |
a lantern lighted against the |
dusky shadows of the lane.
Mrs. Morrison, of course. She
was talking to someone, apparently; |
she had the air Of person talking.
But her companion was quite invisi- |
Me against the hedge; it was tall |