The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-07-16

violet Keats said in stunned voice.
II guess that about expresses it, !"
Victoria said, with brief laugh.
The thing happened quite simply
about ten days later. Victoria had
taken Kate down to DR.. Hardisty's
offices to have one of the younger
men there look at a small sprained
elbow. He stood looking thought
fully at Vic and the child for a
long minute, finally asked her, in
almost an absent voice, if she would
see him in his own office before she
went away.
Vic found her way to this guarded
and inaccessible sanctum made
strangely easy. Kate had a wrapped
molasses peppermint to console her
for recent indignities, and Vic sat
earnest and pretty in her new spring
clothes, looking in puzzled expec-
fancy at the doctor.
II want to talk for a few minutes,
and then you talk" Quentin began.
He drew four firm parallel lines in
pencil on scrap of paper, looking
at them, crumpled the paper and
threw it aside.
81 thought you said the other night
that you were lonesome, that you
were thinking Of going to Honolulu
because you were lonesome?"
81 said it to VII" Vic admitted,
after a moment. Her h e TT
thumped.
why do you say that you said it
to vi in that funny way?"
II didn't know / said it in a funny
way. / suppose I meant that !
didn't say it to you"
There was a pause, after which
the man recommenced:
''The thing is" He hesitated.
''The thing is that I want a home, "
he said. 81 want my little girl
with me. I told Violet about it and
asked her if she thought you'd take
the job. She said-did she tell you
this?"
"She didn't tell me anything"
"Well, she said, '.D'you mean as
nurse and housekeeper, or as a
wife?' I said, We'll, if you put it
that way, as a wife!' D'you get what
I mean?" he finished. 81 had been
saying 'housekeeper,' but maybe
what l meant all along was wife. "
He sat back.
81 see," Victoria unused, not NOV
ing her eyes from his. Color came
into her face and receded again and
they both laughed nervously.
"And-and, thank you'll" she said
then, little confusedly.
81 need a wife, badly" the man
presently added. Everyone knows
that-Violet and John, everyone.
You're the kind of woman I want
to marry, I admire you tremendous
ly. II like you very much"
"You mean without loving me?"
Victoria asked.
81 thought thought that was
how you wanted it to be-" the man
said, simply.
Victoria looked at him thoughtful
ly, her breath uneven, her face
scarlet.
Here's the thing" Quentin said,
as she did not speak. "I'd be aw-
fully proud if you'd do it, really I
would. If you won't I'm going to
get out for while-I'n go to Ger
many. But I'd much rather not
get out, on account of Gwen, and my
hospital work-everything. What do
you say?"
81 think you'd better try Ger
many" For few seconds Victoria
really thought she had said it. Then
she knew that she had said nothing
audible, but that she was looking at
him with her throat dry, and her
heart beating hard, and all her
senses in wild confusion. eff man
wanted you he could get you," she
heard him saying. "If man wanted
you he could get you"
81 say yes, of course" she said
steadily.
"Goodi" he said. "I'n come out
to dinner tonight and we'll tell vi
and Johnny. Good-by, Kate, give
me kiss-that's the grill No, this
is the way out"
Victoria left him standing there,
in his white coat, with the little IN
strument still in his big hand.
She was quiet that evening; quiet
during the days that followed.
There were but few between the
odd, sudden talk in Quentin's Office
and the hour when they two were
married. Only Catherine and the
Keatses witnessed the very simple
ceremony. Victoria, with a smart
loose coat and a small hat, was
like serious child, obeying, docile,
seemingly bewildered. She had ar
rested Quentin with small hand on
his arm, when they went into the
clergyman's study; had spoken in
quick fear and nervousness:
Quentin = you're sure, aren't
your"
The man looked down at her with
his wide smile.
''Why, aren't your"