The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-07-19
CHAPTER xIII-Continued

Lille Was SullPac uiSiA, may vs.
Gay said. "You-"
'Fiddlesticks! Abigail Houghton
tossed her head. cts simple enough
to get married. And one male
Houghton is not much different from
another, / guess. They've all been
as proud as Lucifer and as stubborn
as mules. Don't you let that fret
you. When they love you, they love
you for life and that's not bad
fault in a husband. It's talking
that complexities things. That, and
too much considering other people.
I've got the seed-pearl necklace l
promised John for his bride sewed
into my feather bed. 1t won't take
Dong to rip out the stitches"
You're a darling" Gay bent i'm
pulsively and kissed the russell cheek
as soft as moth wing beneath her
fps. John will bring me. I'll
come"
The old lady went with them to
The door opening into the tiny hall.
Mind you shut the door tight,
Debby," she called after them.
"Good-by, Gabrielle"
"Good-by." Gay turned to smile
at Johns grandmother. The quizzi-
cal expression still narrowed Abb
gail Houghton's eyes, but her smile
was steadfast and encouraging.
Debby opened the outer door.
They went down steps and along
a shoveled path to a gate in the
picket fence. The harbor lay be-
fore them, touched with the last re-
Election Of the sunset. Why was it?
Gay thought. A moment came that
you knew you would always remem-
Der. This The dove-gray house
behind them mufled with snow, the
harbor below, stippled with fading
pink and gold. Nothing had hap
pened. Why did her throat ache and
quick tears sting beneath her eye
lids? Why?
Granny is a darling, isn't she?"
Debby asked as the gate clicked be-
hind them with a frosty snap and
they walked, arms linked, along the
cleared pavement between shoveled
banks of snow.
eyes," Gay replied. The ache in
her throat was still there. She want
ed John desperately, urgently, to
be walking here beside her. His
grandmother was right. They talked
too much, she and John. It was
dangerous to hurt each other with
words. A lovely thing was spoiled
if it was only little marred. When
he came tonight
''You aren't going tomorrow, are
you, Gay?" Debby asked, after a
moment.
81 think so. Yes"
"Well, I can't blame you, l sup
pose" Debby's voice was desolate.
''It's dead enough here, goodness
knows. I'll miss you, though, terri
bly,"
"Will your" Gay asked, drawn
from introspection by the sincerity
in the lovely young voice. "Why,
especially, except to be potter"
Because I like to look at you.
You're so beautiful. And I can talk
to you. / can't to anybody else,
Mother or Sarah, and the girls I
know are pretty small town. I'm
different" She gave an embar-
raised laugh. II guess all this
sounds pretty silly to you"
''No, it doesn't. How old are
you, Debby?"
Eighteen last month";
"How would you like to 60 back
to New York with me?"
Debby stopped, checking Gays
progress, too, looked at Gay, speech
less, her dark eyes wide and shin
ing.
why not?" It had been an i'm
pulsive suggestion. But why not?
She was an attractive youngster.
1t would be fun to take her to New
York. why not?" Gay repeated.
Debby exhaled her breath in a
sharp explosion. "Goshl" she, ex-
claimed breathlessly.
Would you like to 60, Debby?"
would II"
"Come along" Gay laughed and
tugged at her arm. Were block
ing traffic and probably getting
frosted ears. There are your
courses" she went on consideringly
as they resumed progress again.
"But you could 60 to a good busi-
ness school or have a tutor. I'd
like to have you. My mother and
step-father are away a great deal,
but the apartment is always there"
do you know what this means to
me?" Debby asked seriously. 1--WE
never been further than Boston in
my life."
II can imagine. Your eyes are
popping out of your head. Do you
think Will your mother let you?
Would she object?"
She's got to let me-" Debby said
passionately. Nothing as impor-
tant as this has ever happened to
me. Come onl" Clinging to Gays
arm, pulling her forward, Debby
took a series of skipping steps along
the sidewalk. Lets hurry home
and ask her!"
Dusk was falling when they came