The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-03-21
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CHAPTER XXXIIT

NCAb AdH 0AAAC AAuO q SuAA AANAAA
Mrs. Skef1ngton--a peremptory in
vitation to tea.
Mrs. SkefIlnoton sat near the
FIRE which gle I'd behind an elab-
prate apparatus of brass fender,
andHons, and screen.
Paris bowed over the long
skinny hands.
I'm awfully glad to see you"
Glad to see you, too. / hear
you've been skinning the state out
of q hundred thousand dollars"
II didn't"
"Pifle. OF course you did. Dog
gone smart trick. Congratulate
YOU
Paris laughed. Mrs. Skefing-
ton began to fuss with tea things.
I'm sorry the Colonel didn't live
to see it. Hundred thousand!
Bless mel"
Paris sobered
''All right, all right. Spout your
story. Did that fellow, Drake Nc
Hugh, actually have anything to
do with this?"
Everything. I was in Europe
80 I heard. Smart. Didn't
think Drake had that much gump-
ton
well, his wife Randy
"Oh no! So that's it. Little
gals got the brains, eh?"
"She is smart. She's a fine girl,
Mrs. Skefington."
IT dare say, I dare say. Peculiar
though - whole business. Mans
legs cut off. Girl marries him.
What for?"
Paris would have resented this
from anyone else, but he under
stod Mrs. Skefflngton.
Fond of those two, aren't your.
yes"
'Loyalty's scare nowadays. Dy-
ing out, along with most every
thing else worth talking about"
tn tell you about this eral-
estate business If you really want
to know"
"of course I do. That's why I
sent for you today"
"Well, this really began when
brakes accident happened. Randy
wrote me, or cabled ME T."
When he came to the end she
peered sharply through her gold
trimmed glasses.
That's alp"
Absolutely"
II believe you"
Thanks His tone was dry,
but he smiled,
We'll, you needn't be persnick-
ETY. about it. I doubt if anybody
else will
"I don't think I care much"
II hope you don't. The Colonel
yell, you know how the Colonel
would have reacted to all this,
What you going to do about that
drty little newspaper
Nothing"
well, don't know. I think
acrsewhip would help a lot"
"Au that's happened between
Drake and me is well, not for
< nGs Row. He was kicked around,
Ma Skef1ngton, you know that"
4 expect he behaved a good
deal like a Backyard, now, didn't
hs?"
NO"
$50 you think brakes really O.
pretty good fellow, do you?"
Hes a very close and very dear
friend. I love him more than any,
body in the world, Mrs. Skeding-
ton"
"H'm. Want to bring - what's
hec name?"
Randy. Name really is Miriam
da."
Want to bring her up to see me
someday? I guess I'd better know
your friends If you are going to
have them"
"T'n be delighted, and thank
you"
Paris"
Eyes, ma'am."
"Get out of this town."
"Itn never let you alone. 1t
was a better town once"
"Are you sTe?"
you're going to tell me I'm like
all old people. remember also
what was raw and crude about 1t.
But there were a few peopel-like
.he Colonel, like Macmillan st.
George, like your grandmother
they leavened the lump. They're
gone. Something's gone with EN-.
Place Is finished"
"Oh, now"
Let me talk. A town can be
the temporary camp of tradition,
Of a good way OF life. 1t can be
an outpost for long time. Some
times the thing that made 1t live
moves on - goes somewhere else.
And q town like this - the way it
is now-wil go after you because
you're better"
But, Mrs. Skeffington, Kings
Row isn't really my principal con-
Germ. It's the hospital, my work
there. The patients out at the
end OF Federal street are just as
important as patients in Baltimore
or Boston, or Zurich, or Vienna
There are - I haven't said this
even to myself"
Go on"
"There are plenty Of specialists
In my field in the important cities,
and in the famous clinics. But I'm
the only one here, at present.
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