Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-03-17

warm, CldIeI COlOreQ 1OlQS OF some
soft material descended to her ankles
hadn't his wife called them sac
cordeon pleats?D a sash of black vel
(wasn't it unusually small?" and
sort OF bib Of rich lace, which rose into
high collar to her firm little chin,
gave her nunlike look. High cuffs
Of the same lace marked her wrists, and
her chestnut hair swept back and up
from her forehead in a smooth, thick
wave. She was-what would you call
it-quaint, but he liked it.
he said.
It thought you'd think so-that,s
why I wore it." she answered frankly.
The cook-housekeeper entered, but
tonlng an apologize sweater.
Good morning, miss" she said,
after slight start. I'D thought OF
luncheon right by the fire, sir, being
it's so chilly" she began uncertainty.
and Mr.. Applewhite nodded.
"A sound idea," he answered. Gould
you stay and share it with me?" he
asked his visitor, who still stood, clutch
ing the Bible to her lacy breast. I'm
quite alone"
I'D love to-" she said promptly.
Dry sherry, crabmeat souffle, hot
rolls and avocado salad, with a flaky
plum tart and the blacklist of coffee
sustained them pleasantly, and Mr.
A.pplewhite ate with relish, wincing
harried palms swished and slapped and
bent in the rain
She lit one of his offered cigarets
and slipped her coffee.
That about the Bible" she began.
ITS so true, isn't it? Make children
do things, and they don't like EN- aft
erwards. Like you. It's so silly"
AnfN1nu-,Staf-
gether tightly.
It's unfortunate, perhaps he said,
that we poor parents should feel a
sense of responsibility toward the chill
dren we bring into the world, but I'm
afraid that even their obstinacy and
ingratitude can't cure us of it. / sup
pose you admit that you had to be
taught to brush your teeth and to keep
away from matches and to read and
write?"
"Oh, yes" she answered carelessly,
Bible?"
II think that was probably a mis-
take" he said honestly But my faith
er was a religious man and he thought
it necessary"
That's the idea," she interrupted,
exactly. Probably if you'd had son.
you'd have thought something or other
else was necessary"
He threw back his chin defiantly.
Il have son." he said
Her mouth opened like a shocked
child's.
Obi But I thought you told me-"
Not at ALL" he contradicted her
testify. Il simply preferred not to men,
ton him: I had my reasons"
II see"
Her tone was as cold and dry as his
own and he resented it. What was all
this to her, anyway, he thought sud-
denly. young, flighty and probably
didn't know her name, even-didn't
want to. as matter of fact! He real
lied now that this namelessneSS on the
part of both of them had been the
chief charm of their odd, unconven-
tional acquaintance. What he did not
realize was that it made possible what
he said next
The something or other else in
my case, young lady" he said, hap
pened to be nothing more or less than
natural and reasonable desire to see
my son finish his education along lines
agreed upon by both of us, with no CO.
erclon whatever on my part-but a
great deal of expense, I may say" he
We'll" She said flippantly, 80
what?"
y,
that he had decided. over night, to
abandon this career-a career with a
very definite future-and take up an
idiotic fad he could i'll afford, I was
naturally displeased."
Huh! You didn't raise your boy to
be soldier-that was the idea?"
An archaeologist," he corrected her.
Expeditions. No standing, no certainty,
no financial security"
Dear. dear. dearI" she GraUIe6 in
an elderly, British accent that made
him jump. But you know. everybody
isn't always thinking about financial
security'-1 don't myself" she added
airily.
MOP" he queried, bitterly polite, per
haps not. But you have not, fortunate
ly, wife on your hands and no means
of supporting her"
oh! He got married. besides?
Naughty, naughty! He ought to be
spanked and sent to bed-his own bed,
mean, of course" she said, chuckling.
But this time Mr. Applewhite found
nothing attractive in her chuckle. Was
she an archaeologist, too?" she asked
sweetly.
She was an actress" he said
The nurse threw her lace-cuffed
hands in the air.
'Oh. no! Say it amt true, mister!"
she cried. Well, that ties it. That Ger
tainly ties it. Out into the snow, girl"
Mr.: Applewhite shifted in his chair
and frowned.
Nonsense" he said CURLY, you
could hardly be expected to appreciate
at any rate, the matter is settled.
I am quite aware that it is no affair
of mine. I regret mentioning it, Miss
1 think you didn't tell me your name?"
NO. I didn't" she answered. She
rose from the table. and threw her
lettuce green cape over her shoulders,
But I doubt if you'd want to know it,
if you knew what I thought of you!
Honestly, you're the limit. I'd never
have believed such people existed out
side of an old fashioned meller- dray-
mer. It's no wonder to me your daugh-
ter went to ChinaI'
He glared at her incredulously.
DO you want to know my name
now?' she shot at him, one hand on
the door latch.
Mo, I thank you. I don't believe
do" he returned in a cold fury