The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-08-13
'BEAUTYS DAUGHTER

| oeA oNSI LlcIe, lateF, anu altSEWdiu
l can give you some idea what sort
of an outfit it is"
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 1t 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 a 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.
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 wide upper hallway
in the house, filled 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 flat stretch of ne
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 small strip
of lane there, and in the lane Vic
saw white figure, with the level
light of the setting sun shining
bright on pale gold hair and illuni-
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 a person talking.
But her companion was quite invisi-
BILE against the hedge; it was tall
enough to hide anyone who was
close to it on the other side. Vic
toria stood watching her and reflect
ing upon the unacceptable power of
the beauty that had been so sud-
denly introduced into their compact
little group.
Mrs. Morrison continued talking
in the lane; the revolving frills of
the parasol tumbling, tumbling.
Dusk was falling fast now; Anna,
coming upstairs, touched the switch
that lighted the hall behind Vic
toria. How many would there be
for supper, please? Victoria turned
about; considered. The Keatses had
said they'd stop in on their way
home with Kate, and DR.. Miller
would be here. Six, please, Anna.
No, seven; there'd be Gwen, Vic
remembered. Anna went downstairs
again, but when Victoria turned
back to the window the lights in
the hall had spoiled the lovely
dusk, and the white frock was gone
from the lane. She went into her
room after a peep at Madeleine.
Quentin was tearing off his clothes.
"Oh, did you just come up? !
hoped you'd gotten nap"
81 went for a stroll"
"a stroll?"
"Yep, walked little way. It
was lovely out. Feels hot in here"
| IL uOeS Ieel nOt. 1Ou uluI get
as far as the hospital, did you,
| Quent? That woman's coming on
all right, isn't she?"
The roar of the shower drowned
any reply Quentin might have shout
ed through the half-closed bathroom
door; when he came out again Vic
was getting into an old black lace.
"It's frightful to burn your shout
ders in just the pattern Of your bath
ing suit" she said. ST wonder how
that woman keeps so winter"
Quentin did not answer.
"She was down there in the lane
just now, parasol and all" Victoria
pursued, now doubled over to insert
her heels one at time into rather
tight slippers.
SEAT so?" Quentin asked, shaving.
"Yes. I happened to be looking
out of the upper hall window, she
was talking to neutrality-suspicious.,
maybe-but no, it's Sunday night.