The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1944-01-07

country and the people and her hus-
bands work. Mrs. Lattimer-her
names something else now but I've
forgotten it-hasn't ever really for
given her for marrying. 1t was
somebody Porter, wasn't It? And l
gather she thinks Sue Is just being
perverse in being happy on thirty
five hundred dollars year. ] must
say the little I saw of Sue when you
were at school together I never
thought the child had 1t in her ="
Anne's eyes fastened on her moth
er's vigorous scrawl were little
misty suddenly. Poor little Sue
hating 1t like poison, and too proud
and too loyal to Russell to let her
mother know 1t. Anne looked up,
not quite sure she was seeing prop.
erly. Sue herself was crossing the
lobby toward the desk.
SIS Mr.. Taussig in? she asked
brightly. "Tell him Mrs. Russell
Porter is downstairs"
She turned and saw Anne. Her
face flushed a little.
ooh, hello Anne!"
She turned quickly to the telephone
operator. "Never mind. Thanks"
Her smile as she came over to
Anne was too bright to be altogether
convincing. "How are you, darling?
What an adorable dress, and l love
your shoesl i haven't had any really
decent clothes since my trousSeau
wore out. What are you doing?
Why don't you come out to the Club
and play golf with us, and have
lunch?"
"I'm going out to Valera Central
to see how they make sugar." Anne
said. "Mr. Taussig's going too"
Sues transparent little girls face
fell. "oh, really2 When will you
be back?"
"This afternoon some time, sup
pose"
"Why don't you bring him over
to our house to tear"
Sue frightened instantly.
"Not me, angel" Anne replied.
"Frankly, I don't like your friend
Mr.. T. And the less see Of him
the better I like him."
"Oh, Anne-you're being perfect
ly FOUL" The tears sprang to her
eyes. 'tHe thinks you're splendid
intelligent and beautiful. He
said so the other night. And even
if you don't like him, couldn't you
be nice to him just for us? It's so
horribly important. / don't think
he's very attractive either, but"
"Sssh," Anne said.
Mr.. Taussig was getting out Of the
elevator. He didn't see them until
he got to the desk. Then he turned
and came over beaming cordially.
"Good morning, Mrs. Porter" He
held out his hand. "I've been try
ing to find moment to pay a party
call, to thank you for one of the
pleasantest evenings I've had for a
long time"
He hardly more than noticed
Anne. She sat watching Sue being
cornfiower-eyed and breathlessly ca
ger. She'd hoped Anne would play
golf that morning, but 1t was won
derful, really, having such a mar.
velous chance to see sugar mill.
Sand if you're not too awfully late
getting back, Mr.. Taussig, why don't
you bring Anne over for tear"
1t seemed to Anne to have the
most convincing spontaneity.
"I'm afraid Miss Haywood Is too
popular to waste much Of her time
on me-" Mr.. Taussig replied urbane-
ly. "But ! shall certainly come. With
Miss Haywood, or without her, if
may"
'That would be lovely!" Sue cried.
Mr.. Taussigs turned to Anne. sAnd
you, Miss Heywood-are you ready
for an educational tour Of the Is
lands chief Industry"
It was wonderful, Anne was think
ing. Mr.. Taussig was a perfect
emulsion of paternal kindness and
gentleman Of all the world. He
probably felt that way too, she
thought just as he could stop
and pick up cat and stroke it while
he was doing business in deserted
store on an empty street bust
ness that whatever it was was suf-
ficiently nefarious to interest an I'M
der-cover agent from the War De-
partment in Washington. On second
thought she'd tell Miguel about him
and Sue. Sue was hell-bent for !.
call 1t collaboration, she thought.
Like butterfly collaborating with a
boa constructor.
Mr.. Taussig could be charming,
however, when he put his mind to it..
She was aware of that as the big
shiny black limousine, with Graci-
ella between them and Diego Con-
caro- in the folding seat in the mid
die Of the car, sped, it seemed peri
lousy fast, through the narrow curv-
ing road, canopied with fiamboy-
ants and Indian almonds, toward
Central Valera. He was not only
charming, he was amazingly well
informed. He knew the names Of
all the trees-the siIk-cotton tree, the
lignum vitae, the violet tree, the
candle-tree, the Tabeuia. He knew
all the flowers too, and when they
stopped at the market for a mo-