The Coolidge examiner., 1937-10-07

the long way-I mean stick to your
guns, and not let what anyone does
make you anything but what you
are"
The only talk they were to have
on the subject for almost a long
year came about ten days later.
when the Christmas tree had been
sawed into short lengths that were
still draped here and there with odd
scraps of cotton and tinsel. and
when Vicky and Quentin had the
sitting-room fire to themselves.
after Magda had gone to bed.
Il was wondering" Quentin be-
gan, and stopped abruptly. Won
dering if you'd like to get away"
Get away?" She was honestly
taken by surprise.
yep. Take Gwen and Susan, or
Kenty, if you liked, and go on a
trip somewhere?"
Victoria sat down again. looking
at him. Her heart had turned to
ice.
How could possibly get away.
Quentin? What of the twins, and
Maddy?"
We'll. I think it's too much for
you," Quentin persisted gruffly and
stupidity. He sat with his big hands
locked and hanging between his
knees; his eyes were on the fire. and
his brow was slightly knitted.
81 see." Victoria presently said
slowly. But how" she asked. after
a pause-"how could we afford that,
now?"
To this. Quentin made no answer.
After time he said. irrelevantly:
You see. I may have to be in
town a good deal this winter"
You mean overnight"
Sometimes. He did not look at
her.
'At the club?"
well, no. Swanson has taken
little place on Pine street, and he'd
like me to go into it with him."
But l thought DR.. Swanson was
going to Los Angeles?"
He'll be back and forth. he
says"
II see," Vicky said again, pom
dering. Her heart was beating fast,
and she felt her spine cold-her
hands cold and wet 'Its Serena,
isn't it, Quentin?" she added. al
most involuntarily. She had not
meant to ask it: it was said.
Quentin glanced quickly across at
her, looked back at the fire. His
eyes narrowed, and she saw his
jaw stiffen.
"Uh-huh," he said simply, with
a little philosophic shrug.
"You like her terribly, don't
your" Vicky pursued. turning the
knife in her heart.
"Oh, it isn't that!" Quentin said
impatiently. If it was just my
liking her it wouldn't matter! Ev-
eryone likes her. l don't suppose
she's met man in ten years who
hasn't fallen for her. A man-her
mothers doctor-she tells me he's
one of the big men at Roosevelt hos
pital in New York now-asked her
to marry him when she was only
fourteen"
Really" Vicky said. And the
word-if he had been in any mood
to hear it, was like a sword blade
naked in the air.
No, it isn't what I feel for her."
Quentin. hearing nothing, went on
after moment. IT'S that-that
can't see any sense in hurting her
What about Spencer" Victoria
asked simply after a silence. She
has him."
What did you say?"
Didn't she love Spencer"
mo, that was funny thing, too.
She tells me :"
Quentin told the whole story ca
gerly, believingly. 1t was the story
Magda had told her daughter years
before; the story of the beautiful
woman wheedled into marriage on
the promise of love sure to follow
Spencer, and Ferdy so long ago, and
| all the other men to whom these
beautiful women later were to prove
false, had promised to love enough
for two."
She's as sorry as I am" Quen-
IN presently finished.
Victoria was silent for while,
looking fxedly into the fire. Then
she said temperately:
You feel that something must be
done?"
Quentin sent her startled glance.
We'll, Lord. Vicky, she can't 60
on this way, you know. Her life
over there is simply hell, that's
what it is. Morrison never has ap-
preciated her, he's completely
wrapped up in his own troubles, and
what has she to live for?"
What do you want to do. Quen-
tin?" Vicky asked at last, in a
temperate. expressionless voice.
His dark rumpled head was sunk