The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-02-17
FIRST LOvE-AND TRAGEDY
CHAPTER VI

A few days later when they were coming home from school they over took Willy Macintosh. He looked very solemn.
 Whats the matter, Willy?" Paris asked.
 My pa is awful sick" He blurted the words, and tears stood in his brown eyes.
 What's the matter with hiln?" asked Renee.
 T don't know. Terrible bad though. He's going to have an operation today
 "Oh, my goodness!"
 They walked slowly, keeping step with Willy, who delayed as much as possible. When they came to the crossroads where the big white Mac intosh house stood in grove of trees they saw a buggy standing at the gate.
 That's Dr. Gordon's buggy '' Willy said as if to prove his story. T guess he's performin' the oper- ation."
 Well, Willy, hope your papa'll-" Renee's speech was cut short by dreadful sound. A long-drawn cry came from open windows. It was more like the howl of a dog. It mounted and mounted as though it would never stop, then broke into several short, quick sobs and died in a long moan. Renee turned pale and caught Paris by the arm.
 Good gracious, Willy" Renee spoke in loud whisper, didn't Dr. Gordon give your father chloroform?"
 T -I heard Mama say he c-couldn't take chloroform because he's got heart disease"
 The terrible yells began again. Willy threw his books into the ditch beside the road. His face was crimson, and he was crying aloud. Then he began to run to- ward the house. He's got to quit that, he sobbed Hes got to cult that I'll-Ill kill that old durnfool doctorl"
 NParris and Renee watched Willy as he dashed up the walk and flung himself at the front door, He wrenched and pulled at the dor, but it was locked. He ran around toward the kitchen door crying, He's got to quit that-Ill kill him-Ill kill him!"
 Come on, Paris, let's go home. I'm scared. I never heard a man cry and holler before, did you?"
 The next day at school Paris overheard Miss Colt say to Miss Venable that MT Macintosh had died from shock. He wondered just what that meant. It was a long time before Paris could for get the sounds he had heard that afternoon. Whenever he saw Dr. Gordon dashing along the road behind his two high-spirited bays, he was reminded of it, and al Ways he was divided between two feelings-one, a sort of terror of the man who cut people with knives, and the other an excited admiration. But it must be won derful, to be a doctor, anyhow, he decided. Dr. Gordon must be a very fine doctor. Everybody said SO. ..Z...
 One thing, however, he was cer- tain of. He was afraid of Dr. Henry Gordon.
 Paris and Renee would have fal- len quickly into their accustomed summer pastime had it not been for the sudden, inexplicable strictness of Sven, her father. "There is danger in mixing classes" he told Gudrun. 'More-now that both of them are growing up.'
 The next week he forbade Re- nee to roam the place with Paris as she used to do, thrashing her soundly in the storm of tears and refusals to obey him that followed. Of all this she told Paris nothing until, one stolen afternoon, they went up through the spruce plant ing and down the other side to the pond-their secret lake" as they always called it.
 Renee stopped beneath the branches of the big crab apple tree and entered the canopied space beneath.
 Paris" she said softly.
 He knelt beside her. Whats the matter, Renee?"
 She told him, her hair, silver in the green shadows, falling over her face to hide the tears. So you