Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-07-22

you myself at the end of the party"
When Brovard put them down at
the end of the lane that led to La
Vrangue they climbed meekly out of
"the carriage" and marched off very
sedately two by two in the correct
direction.
Stiil advancing in military forma-
ton they wheeled in through the old
carved gateposts of La Vrangue,
marched up the drive at the south
side of the house, and drew up in a
rigid straight line before the fuchsia
bushes that yelled the windows on the
left side of the front door.
Here it was possible to see without
being seen, to prospect, to make quite
certain what sort of party this was
before they committed themselves to It,
They saw beautiful drawing room,
denuded Of most of its furniture and
with its polished floor shining like
glass. A woman tightly encaSed In
black satin was sitting at the glossy
piano, playing the latest dull dance
fined little boys and girls were revolv-
ing sedately to it, with gloves on.
There was already distressing pro-
fusion of mothers and nannieS sitting
round the wall encompaSSing the
dancers with hedge of comment,
favorable or unfavorable according as
the children were, or were not, their
own
1t was easy to see what sort OF party
this was going to be A dull, tame,
stuckup party No playing Of the
Jolly rowdy old games that had come
down from generation to generation
of the Island children No singing of
the Island songs in the patois that was
now considered so Questionable. No
I1f ~ - aaLr oil 4faa
They've gloves on" whispered Colin
No further comment was necessary,
and they moved scornfully away.
But we might just take look at
the food" he added.
The dining room was as disappoint-
ing as the drawing room. 1t was true
there was food In it, heaps of food,
cakes, sandwiches, Jellies lemonade,
but 1t was placed ON buffet table
One would have to eat It standing I'D
upon an Administer carpet, instead Of
sitting down like a sane person to q !
great oak table In Stone-floored raj |
tered kitchen.
'sThis is no place for US, girls" said
Colin.
mo" they said with deep conviction,
and moved off, very sedately marching |
two by two, down the drive and out |
INTO the lane again.
But here any suggestion of sedate /
behavior was q thing Of the past. They !
sook TO their heels and ran. The sur
face Of the sandy lane flew away be-
heath their feet, the deep green banks
and high hedges whirled by as they
wildly towards the place
where they always felt at home-the
lea shore.
The lane circled the bay and brought
hem 10 the top Of a flight of steps,
'oughly hewn In the cliff, that led
iown TO the shore Here they paused,
with excitement, for this part
# the world was a long way from their
iome and they had not often been
lere, and then only In the blighting
are Of grownups.
Opposite them, on the other side of
he bay, they could see La Vrangue,
Is gray weather-worn eastern walls,
hat on this side had hardly any win
lows seeming part of the cliff itself,
nd down below them the shore lay
athed in all the magic Of a spring
fternoon.
It was one Of the widest and rock
st Of the Island bays. so full OF caves
hat the gray cliffs seemed rent and
lashed with clefts Of purple and deep
zure that were strangely exciting. The
ay was utterly empty. except for q big,