Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-06-27

per-underStatement Tor sheer genius,
isn't it?"
Henry started to eat brook trout.
mo such thing as sheer genius" he
remarked. IF you could see through
it, it wouldn't be genius"
She thought that over, undecided as
to whether it was stupid or astute.
More than meets the eye-all done
with mirrors, Henry?"
Exactly" he said.
Laurie noticed that two women at
the next table were looking at Vance
Devlin and his wife. She heard one
Of them murmur, How on earth do
you explain it? Why did he ever marry
her in the first placer" The other
woman shook her head: They say it's
Is years. And he's so marvellous.
Strange!" When they rose and went
out Henry asked:
Did you hear that, Laurie?'
I've heard it hundred times" She
looked across the room again, feeling
free now to observe Georgia and Vance
quite openly. She had view of his
fine, slim back, his dark, close-cropped
head inclined Slightly toward his wife.
This evening in front of an open fire
Laurie would sit with Vance at the
little Connecticut inn which was their
own discovery; there would be no
other gusets. The proprietor, himself,
would bring wine and the excellent
table d'hote and they would talk bit
Of French with him and pretend 1t
was Paris. And when he was out OF
the room Vance would take her fin
gers and kiss them one by one.
And his words would flare like rock
cts, leaping with golden sparks above
everything in the World-illuminating
dull or dark spots, Transforming the
commonplace into magic. But Oh
Vance, Vance! Since we love each other
why do you never say anything about
Georgia! Surely I have a right TO
know.
He was rising now, helping Georgia
with her wrap. He looked especially
grave and slim and youthful as he put
the short fur jacket around Georgia'S
wide shoulders. She was a big woman
who should not have worn short
fur jacket. The little black hat cooked
on one side of her head was perhaps
good French model but it lost all
smartness contrasted with Georgia'S in
wardly she dropped a glove which the
waiter fastened to pick up; she stopped
to smile and to thank him so heartily
that he and Vance both looked en-
barraSSed. Then she retreated from the
dining room with firm and self-con
sciouS dignity; her skirt was a little
too long, her face all at once too
ruddy. Vance followed, glancing neither
to the right nor left. 1t was like
prince offering "noblesse oblige" to a
peasant. For moment the dining
room was absolutely silent. .
Gracefully Laurie drew on her
gloves. Shall we go2"
Yes" said Henry There's no rea-
son now, for staying any longer" She
glanced at him quickly but his face
was inscrutable. When they were out
in the street-out in the exaggerated,
unreal sunlight-he asked: If you're
walking home may I go along?"
Offhand she could think of nothing
to say but yes. And after all he had
taken her to luncheon-to the res
taurant she had named. But she had
hoped to be all by herself until late
evening. She had meant to lie on the
chaise lounge after a fragrant bath
and to think hard about what she
would say to Vance this evening. For
she had determined to ask how much
longer he was going to remain kind
and loyal to poor Georgia.
Laurie was not hard. She pitied the
dull, inept, matronly woman with the
generous pity which youthful beauty
can well afford to squander. And yet
she meant to strike quick and clean
tonight. The love she and Vance had
together was more important than
pity, more valuable than kindness. To
postpone sharing their future would
be like denying the glory Of spring or
starlight. -.
Did she feel this sudden courage be-
cause Of the bright April day? Partly;
but more because Georgia had awk-