The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-05-03
CHAPTER V-Continued

3
Sympathies were treacherous.
John and Gay looked at Kate as
though she had given them a re-
prieve from death. Seeing the graft
tude and affection for her shining in
Gays face, in Johns, she felt with
uncomfortable sharpness that I'M
justified sense of guilt. She walked
to the icebox, stopped, jerked open
the door. She had been right to call
Todd last night. But knowing that he
was now, at this moment, on his way
to the lake, was no longer the sus-
tanning relief it had been. She felt
like a traitor. She felt as though
she should be taken out to the clear
ing behind the cabin, stood up against
the woodshed, and shot.
The long low roadster sped down
hill, across a bridge in swampy
hollow, up a gently rising grade.
Todd Janeway, his blond head bare,
his body slumped with fatigue
against the leather upholstery, his
eyes smarting from the sting OF the
wind, glanced at the speedometer.
Better take it easy, he thought,
slackening the rushing speed OF the
car.
Lucky he'd left word at home
where he was going last night. He'd
expected to hear from her. He
wouldn't have been surprised if
she'd walked in on Tory Wales par
ty. A week, she'd said, and Gay kept
her promises. But it had been Kate
who called. She'd said Gay didn't
know she was calling. The tele-
phone connection was bad. He
hadn't been able to hear very well.
When he'd learned that Kate wanted
him to come, he'd concentrated on
getting the directions she gave him
fairly clear in his mind.
CAY Steady, Janeway. The
thing to do was to concentrate on
getting there. He'd know soon
enough what the trouble was. Or
maybe there was no trouble. Kate
hadn't made her reason for his COM
ing very clear. Maybe Gay wanted
him to drive them back to New
York. The trip up in Hates coupe
couldn't have been too comforta-
ble., That was something to tie to.
But Kate had told him Gay didn't
know she was calling
He was too weary, now, to think
clearly. Perhaps she'd just been
tired, as she said, worn out with
preparations for the wedding, ex-
hausted by all the demands upon
her vitality and patience. She'd
wanted it, though. He'd been a lit
tie surprised, last June when the
engagement had been announced.
that she had agreed to the hue and
cry both families raised for we'd
ding. She'd told him she wanted
everything to be right and proper
and in accordance with tribal ira
ditions. He'd been surprised but
touched and pleased, though he hat
ed the fuss. He hadn't realized,
then, that she was substituting the
symbols Of marriage for something
that was lacking, the one thing that
made it right. That was before he
had watched her grow more and
more remote, not sharing her
thoughts with him, making excuses
for not being alone with him, shut
ting him off behind a wall of light
mockery through which he could see
her but could not touch her, not ac-
tually, not the Gay herself, whom
he loved.
This must be Mortified. Better
ask directions from here. He pulled
in at filling-station at the side of
the road. A gangling boy with buck
teeth and shock of sunburned hair
appeared in response to the bleat
of his horn.
"Can you tell me how to get to
the Lawrence camp?" Todd asked.
The boy was lost in admiration
for the car.
''How far do follow this road?"
Todd asked brusquely.
ooh, eyah. Bout a mile and a
half. You'll see the name on the
mail-box."
"Thanks."
Todd tossed coin to the boy, re-
leased the brake and pressed the
accelerator.
A mail-box. Todd slackened the
speed of the car. A figure detached
itself from the vines and underbrush
at the side Of the road. A long
arm waved In greeting. KateI
HelloI" he called and brought the
-. - ~1I a