The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-06-07
CHAPTER TX

The sun, dropping toward the no.
rizon, laid dazzling sheen on the
snow, which covered the wide lawns
sloping away from the gray stone
towers and turrets and Victorian en-
bellishments of the house, but when
they entered the grove the glow was
dimmed by the foliage Of ever
greens, striped and fligreed by the
trunks and bare branches of trees.
Rabbit tracks printed the path be-
fore them, whorls, scalloped indenta-
tons, like waves on sand, where the
snow had been blown by the wind.
They ploughed through, kicking up a
fine white mist that sprayed their
faces with singing cold.
"It's like a Maine snow" John
said, as Gay became silent.
eyes, isn't it?" she said brightly.
"Dry and like powder. We don't
often have them like this"
do you ski near here?" Why
wouldn't she look at him? Her arm,
linked through his, was unrespon-
sive beneath the thick fur coat
sleeve. When he glanced sidewise
and down, he saw only tendrils OF
red-brown hair curling out under her
cap, the curving line Of her cheek
half-buried in fur. He had thought
that here, alone, out of doors, he
would find her again, but she had
| ignored or deliberately misinterpret-
ed his diffident attempts to effect
reconciliation so that he no longer
made an effort to break through
the brittle gaiety of her mood.
"We have" she replied. "On the
slope just beyond the grove, be-
tween the Janeway place and ours.
It isn't very exciting though. Coast
ing there is more fun"
"The Janeway place is beyond
the grover" John asked Why should
he apologize again? he asked him
self. Gay had known that he was
obligated to DR.. Sergeant until the
coming October. She shouldn' t have
made plans for him which she knew
he would be unable to endorse. She'd
always been able to buy what she
wanted. Well, in this instance, there
was something more important than
money. It was his services the doc
tor needed. Besides
eyes. 'Highcliff,'" Gay said in
reply to his question. ''It was
show-place until Dunedin was
built. Originally don't remember
but I've seen photographs-people
spoke Of it as an Italian villa. It
looked like a steel-engraving with
terraces descending in a series to
lake and balustrades and urns and
weeping conifers. Our family are
parvenus in comparison with the
Janeways. The land was granted
to one Of Todd's ancestors in 1880.
That's why they can live simply
now, without observing all the silly
conventions that Aunt Flora strug-
giles to maintain"
A hemlock branch, weighted with
snow, cut across the path.
"Duckl" he cried and reached for
ward, too late, to thrust 1t aside.
He caught her as she stumbled.
'Heavensl" she gasped and
looked up at him, snow covering
her face like q mask. She blinked,
then laughed, gay laugh, free from
constraint. "You look like snow
man." she said.
He blinked to clear his vision.
"You look like snow-maiden." He
laughed with her. mo, that's too
poetic. You look as though you'd
fallen head-first in barrel of soap
flakes. can't see anything but the
tip Of your nose. Here. Wait"
His arm held her while, with the
other hand, he brushed the snow
from her face. As he bent toward
her, he saw the laughter dim in her
eyes. A haK-smile trembled across
her lips.
"I've been-Can you forgive me?"
ooh, darling Yesl" His arms
held her but did not draw her to-
ward him. 'But," he said steadi-
", "you must understand"
81 do. I've been despising my
self for-I'm hateful to you because
I love you. That long stupid din
ner and then Aunt Flora. told
you that we Grahams don't accept
disappointments gracefully. 1t was
a disappointment"
"But you knew ! was obligated"
She smiled ruefully. Her eyes
were shy. 81 wanted it so much,"
she said. "When ! was away from
you, / thought that when we were
together again, you'd want it as
much as I did, that being together
u,o,,Id voooy, more tn vory than keen
ing a promise"
II do want it. You know that,
Gay"
Eyes, I know. But
I could not love you, dear, so well
Loved I not honor more"
you're making fun of me-"
mo, John, I'm not. Have ! quot
ed correctly? Dad read the 'Idylls