Evening star., 1941-05-18

We're ready to go!"
Lucy nodded, scrambled to her
life suddenly. He stopped his scrate
posingly, stretched his wings and sti
screamed Historically.
Lucy snatched Mr.. Sparks up, but
not before Cynthia had kicked at
him frantically. He wouldn't hurt
you,' she said as she hugged the
little rooster against her.
"Oh, wouldn't hep" Cynthia cried
angrily She toosed her head at
Mary Crews soft laughter. Then
her manner changed suddenly. Il
feel" she said to Mary, that I
ought to apologize to you for the
things I said last time we met.
After all, since we're going to be
neighbors, we really ought to be
friends, don't you think?"
"Neighbors?" Mary's voice was
hardly audible, a hoarse whisper.
Court is so ridiculously attached
to the farm that I can't make him
give il up. So I'm surprising him
and having 1t all remodeled by the
time he gets back. Quite a task to
accomplish in only three weeks. but
the architect is really thrilled about
it, OF course, I'll have to get rid of
that awful furniture, and" she
threw spiteful glance toward Mr.
Sparks, still in Lucy'S arms, "the
chicken houses will give way to
the stables we're building later"
"You mean you and Court are
going toto"
We're going to live there, yes"
Cynthia purred. Triumph lit her
eyes.
Courtney will be glad!" Lucy ex-
claimed. And YOU won't be lone
some for him any more" she said
to Mary, then stopped as Mary red
dened and Cynthia burst out laugh
ing.
Come along. darling" Cynthia
said again.
Mary Is Desolate.
A crushing sense Of desolation
filled Mary's heart as she watched
them go. Cynthia's sort, she was
thinking, always knew exactly how
to get what they wanted. Cynthia
would change Courts beloved farm.
his way of life, everything, and he'd
like il Shed mold him into the
pattern of man she wanted, and
there wouldn't be anything he could
do about it. And Lucy, poor sweet
little girl, would be brought up in
some boarding school, without the
sustaining affection she had right
to expect from Court. Shed grow
up into a wise-cracking, sophisti-
Gated young woman, hiding deep
inside the bitter loneliness and hurt
and bewildermert that would be
hers.
Mary Crews hid her face in her
hands How could she bear it to
have Court and Cynthia living
there, at the Dollover Farm? She
could marry Ricky, go to Mexico
with him, as he had wanted her to.
She began for the first time to
think seriously of Ricky's proposal.
X
Lucy trotted over to the Crews
farm the morning of the auction,
her small face puckered with worry,
almost fearful.
When Mrs. Crews asked her II
Court knew Cynthia was auctioning
off the furniture, she shook her
head vigorously. mo. He doesn't
know it at ALL" A deep frown was
all that kept the tears from brim-
ming out of her eyes
Seeks Ricky's Help.
"Oh, but that's horridl" Mary
cried Her eyes met her mothers.
I'm going to call Ricky and ask
him to go to the auction with me.
Well buy the incest pieces. Some
of them are really valuable and,
anyway, Lucy has a right to some of
them She hurried to the phone.
Well, Lucy Mrs. Crews said
kindly. have you had letters from
Court?"
"Ob. yes!" Lucy said excitedly.
He says he's got a surprise, too,
something about living on the
farm
My dear" Mrs. Crews said, when
Mary returned from phoning, you
know we've got all the furniture
we need" She shook her head rue
fully.
Some of these pieces will be
good investments Mary replied
stubbornly. Anyway, If Ricky and
I get married."
"If you marry Ricky and go off
to Mexico with him-you won't
want any reminders of Court"
Mary flushed to the roots of her
hair. But I've got to do this-for
Courts sake she said. Come
along, Lucy, Ricky's going to meet
us at the farm"
Lucy kept thinking of what Mrs.
Crews had said about Mary marry
ing Ricky and gong to Mexico with
him. She wished that Courtney
would hurry back.
The day Court returned Cynthia
and Lucy met him at the station
and they all drove out to the farm.
Court could hardly believe his
eyes when he saw the house. He felt
too stunned to speak for a moment.
TIT was rather untidy looking,
Cynthia, I know he gasped at last,
but you-you shouldn't have done
all this. I can't afford it to begin
with"
"Oh, but father paid the bill,
darling. It's our wedding present"
At Loss for Words.
He tried to find something else
to say but the words wouldn't come.
Lucy's warm hand crept into his
and he gave it comforting squeeze.
No wonder, beneath her gladness at
seeing him, she had looked so
scareG