Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-06-07
CHAPTER FIVE


SARAH ANNE hailed her father
as she went down the steps Of the
school. He was walking swiftly, a
lean, tall man whose quizzical gray
eyes were focused on a traffic
light, as though he had to make it.
Now he stopped and waited for
her.
1.-THE Miller twins are being
rushed to the hospital with pneu-
monia," he explained. Mostly their
mothers nerves, I've a bunch. If
they blow their noses, she sends for
a doctor. But, anyway, their father
called and asked me to hurry"
The Miller twins didn't matter
to Sarah Anne. An hour ago she
would have been very sorry for the
nervous, overweight mother. To-
morrow morning she might be
again. Not just now, at four o'clock
on a green and gold afternoon in
June.
Jack comes home tomorrow
night" she said. isn't it lucky we
have an airport? For such a small
city it's amazing, but now we all
know the reason why. He's flying
back, of course"
Like the boy, don't your" her
father leased.
She laughed and grimaced. "Sort
Of. He found my monosyllables
adequate when I was so timid I
couldn't say Hello to most boys"
Jack is coming home. Jack is
coming home :.
To the recurring rhythm Of the
words she went down the street
and opened the wide white gate in
the stone wall which surrounded
the Drake estate. The terrain was
well Handicapped with blue spruce
and bushes, and glimpse of riot
Gus gardens far in the rear added
brightness. The house was a mas
sive. squatting affair, three stories
high, with grilled iron work. and
iron lanterns that stood in neat
rows across the wide veranda. AS
Sarah Anne raised the knocker the
heavy oak door, which was studded
with iron boltheads, opened. A man
IN blue livery said:
Miss Judith saw you from the
window and asked that you come
TO her apartment immediately"
That apartment was a restful
place, its walls covered with orchid
velvet which was drawn at night
to shut out sound and sight alike.
But now the long windows, in sheer
yellow silk, let in the tree-dark-
ened light. The furniture in the
sitting room was yellow, too. with
hare OF green here and there in
q wide cushion for counterpoint
ana massive steps which led up to
an alcove where the fireplace, a
lounge and more chairs waited
Iney were not yellow. They were
green, comfortable. cozy, and a
tea table with a lowered tea set
q companion one to Sarah Anne's
own, was set before the fire which
kept up a pretense of a blaze.
Beyond the sitting room was the
bedroom, which was done in white
with touch Of blue and rose.
5eautiful as the rooms were. Sarah
Jane never entered them without
being glad for her small, lowered
nook under the caves, in the shad-
ow Of the church clock.
i've ordered tea," Judith greet.
ca her. coming forward in a yellow
hostess gown that matched her
chairs and tables. "And we've choc-
olate> cakes and crumpets and
canapes, all three, because Mother
Is entertaining something or other
IN the drawing room. Sit down. and
cont say a word until you've swat
lowed half a cup. You're too ex.
cited" .--,' wv Ca
There, I drank the whole GIMP
Sarah Anne said presently. Nav ri
talk?" She didn't wait for an an.
ewer. Tomorrow night at eight
sky" '
"Goodl Did he wire your"
mo, his mother said So"
!, There should be some sort Of