The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-02-15
CHAPTER v

JANETS eyes. were filled with
horror, as she said The words: Dad
engaged passage on the Titanic!"
The tragedy she revived In my
mind sent icy tingles creeping
over me. Twenty-seven years ago!
/ wasn't born then, but l knew the
story Of the ill-fated ship that met
death, in the form of a great ice
blue berg drifting down from the
north, her passengers, men, women
and children, exchanging laughter
for terror and suffering or a grave
beneath the sea.
Janet was going on:
"Everyon. knows what hap
pened. Cary and / were put into
one of the boats; mother and dad
went down-with the ship. Cary's
never gotten over the horror of
what, he went through. Some per-
sons can't believe that a child of
that age-he was five-can re-
member such an experience, but he
does. Nancy. He's not a coward,
really he's not, but the family" her
voice was bitter, has never given
him a chance to forget"
Her eyes appealed to me for I'M
Outstanding. What was I to say. /
saw Marks hands clench tightly
and Kaye move uneasily. I rushed
into speech.
I'm sure he's not, Janet To
strive to overcome a horror like
that must have made him. brave
and strong in other ways, even
though he's not able to eradicate
that memory from his mind"
Thank you, Nancy. I'm so glad
you see it that way. l couldn't have
borne to have you work beside him,
despising him for what he cannot
help" Her voice frightened, visit
full smile flashed out at us.
Come, we've been serious long
enough. Let's go down and forget
it ALL" She lifted the trapdoor.
- Coming. Cary, coming" Her voice
rose loud and clear; she darted
down the stairway and disappeared.
Kaye slipped her arm through
mine an6 exclaimed:
you're a peach, Nancy. You've
given Janet a new lease on life.
We've been a couple of pigs,
though l never realized 1t before.
But we won't be so any more, will
we. Mark"
Mark, just starting down the
stairs, stopped on the second step
to answer. ! was startled at his re-
semblance to his elder cousin.
Their faces were entirely dissim-
liar, but the shape of their heads
and the way they were set on their
shoulders were uncannily alike.
Rather not" he said, in a low
whimsical voice. "Old Janet, when
she gets started, knows how to
make a fellow feel like a pup. But
dis chile done learned his lesson,"
His gay lsugh trailed back to us;
and he disappeared from view,
leaving Kaye and me to follow at
our leisure.
We found Cary, Janet and Mark
waiting for us by a large window
in the upper hall which gave a
view OF the garden. Bare and cold
it looked under its rapidly disap-
pearing blanket of snow, but from
its high hedges. trellises and out
lined fiowerbeds I could imagine
how lovely II must be in the sum-
mer.
The tour OF the house ended, the
four insisted I put on a warm coat
we had worn shawls and capes
kept in the attic for that purpose
on our visit to the captains walk
and inspect the stable and grounds.
"I'll never get any work done at
this rate" murmured to Kaye, in
discussion. as she handed me my
coat.
'Nonesensel" she blithely re-
turned. You're not going to be a
slave, you know. Part of the time
you're to play with us"
"Play-at the salary you're pay
ing me" Such liberality was as
founding.
"Phooey! Granddad's rolling In
filthy lucre. and the rest Of us
aren't exactly broke. so why should
you care?"
IT'S very evident you have never
known the need OF a dollar" / re-
torted. Don't think l don't appre-
clate all this; / do, but don't
want to take advantage OF your