The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-08-20

apologies for poor dinner and IN
different service. The winter night
was clear and cold; after dinner
there was a fire internationally re-
plenished by Quentin, and Victoria
and Spencer Morrison played back
CANNON, and then cribbage.
At first they played in the sitting
room, but presently Spencer sug-
gested his rather untidy study,
where there was an electric heater.
He and Victoria went in there, and
and she exerted herself charitably to
make the games interesting. Nine
o'clock, ten o'clock struck; Victoria
was overcome with sleepiness, and
she felt that she could decently sug-
gest going home. Her heart was
not on the game; she felt nervous
and distracted. Presently she rose;
they really must go now; after all,
she had houseful of small children
to consider, and Quentin must make
an early start in the morning.
Her host seemed petulant and an
cry that she should break up the
evening, but contented himself with
asking her to come over any day,
any hour, to get her revenge.
"Come tomorrow at about two, If
you can," he urged.
Doesn't Mrs. Morrison play?"
Vicky asked, with an inward smile
at the idea that she could find time
tomorrow, or any day, for an idle
afternoon game with a neighbor.
"Oh, yes, plays backgammon
very WE'LL" Spencer answered, with
his characteristic little bitter smile
twisting his mouth. "But she gets
no particular thrill from playing
with me-"
The drawing room was almost
dark when they reached it, but Sc
rena Immediately snapped up the
lights. Only one lamp had been
burning, and in it's light and that of
the fire Quentin and she had been
sitting in big chairs, at the hearth.
Had they been there all these long
two hours, Vic wondered?
Serena detained Quentin for mo-
ment at the door.
care you working tonight? Some
times I see your light quite late?
Last night you were late"
Last night I was playing bridge
with three men," Quentin told her.
"She watches his light" Victoria
thought, disappearing into the outer
blackness with a farewell nod over
her shoulder.
eff you're working tonight" Sc
rena said to Quentin then, without
the slightest expression in her voice
or her face, ''come over when you
finish and I will give you cup of
chocolate"
"Good-night!'' Quentin said. He
followed Vicky down the porch
steps. When they reached their
room he said that he thought he
would do little work: fifteen min
utes, maybe.
The next morning at breakfast
Vic said to him casually:
"You didn't 60 back to the Nor
risons' last night. did your"
"Well, yes, I did," Quentin an
swered, looking off his paper. ''I'd
meant to take her a book and left
it on my dresser. I ran over with it,
and she was making chocolate. She
says she often has a little supper,
after he's gone upstairs. We sat
in the kitchen awhile"
Well, what was a wife to say to
that?
After that night there was an
other change. And this one, to her
sinking heart, seemed to Victoria
much more ominous than the first.
Quentin was always good-natured
and gentle now; absent-minded; I'M
interested in what went on at home.
He no longer defended Mrs. Nor
rison, or seemed especially to want
to exchange family courtesies, din
ners, and evening meetings, with
the house next door. Whatever his
relationship with Serena had be-
come, he was content never to men,
ton it; it was their own affair now,
his and Serena's, and needed no
apologies, no justification.
From Vic's confused thoughts
there emerged surprisingly one con-
crete fact: she loathed Serena; she
would have been glad. to hear of
Serena's violent and sudden death.
And this made it increasingly hard
to endure Quentin's simple revela-
tons concerning her neighbor.
"She's always been just little
GIRL" Quentin would say. "She says
she still likes to get kitten and a
plate of apples and good book on a
rainy afternoon and curl up in the
attic and read. Imagine it, Vic,
this woman who has been adored
and spoiled by some of the most
famous persons in the world! Rothe-
say Middleton, for example-you
know that every woman in Holly
wood is trying to get him? She tells
me that when she married Morrison
she told him that she had to spend
one week every year with Middle
ton, and no questions asked! She
said Spencer almost lost his mind
trying to reconcile himself to the
idea, but in the end he gave in"
mot much to his credit" Vic