Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1946-03-22

waiting Tor? It's worth il"
No, she could not say it. If she be.
Ieved this war was worth winning,
that was what she ought to say, but
the truth was that she simply did
not believe it that much. That was
what had held them all back during
the accommodating horrors Of the past
twenty years. They knew what war
was like, they could let anything
happen in the world If only they
could keep out Of another. She need
not blame herself, Elizabeth thought,
as though she was the only one. She
stood there on the balcony, epitomiz-
ing her country.
| Turning around, she walked into
the house, entering through a hall
so as to avoid meeting the children
in the den. With the disappearance
of the sun the air had grown chilly.
A fire might be welcome. She stood
by window in the living room,
looking at the darkness as it gath
cred swiftly over the lawn. A maid
came in to turn on the lights.
Don't you want me to draw those
curtains too, Mrs. Herlong?" she
asked.
Elizabeth turned. why yes, I'd
forgotten them. I'll do this win
dow" She pulled the cord that
drew the curtains together, and as
the maid went out she turned from
the window. How well-ordered ev-
erything looked, and was. Nothing
had happened this afternoon. Moth
ing had happened except within her
self. Everything that had made her
feel so strong and happy as she
drove home through the canyon was
still there. A voice in the doorway
startled her.
"Say, mother, we're getting fam
ished. Isn't the boss home YETI"
mot yet, Dick. He's very busy
these days, you know, on the new
picture"
II know, but I'm starving"
IF the boss isn't here by seven
thirty, We'll sit down without him."
she promised. Its getting cold,
Dick, will you light the FREE"
"Sure will" Dick knelt down and
applied a match to the gas rod un-
der the logs. He glanced at the
cocktail tray. want me to mix the
Martinis?"
II wish you would"
"Okay." He went first to the door
and called the others. "Want to
come in here? Fire going"
"In a minute" Cherry called
| L. o1r GGC1% - Lo~le Eref
those magazines we're so awfully
dusty. Is the boss in?"
"Not yet, but mother says we can
have dinner at seven-thirty anyway.
So hurry up"
The gas flame sparkled up to ig-
mite the logs piled in the crate. Dick
swished the gin and vermouth.
Though he was not allowed to drink
cocktails himself, he enjoyed the
feeling of adulthood it gave him to
play bartender. What nice boy he
was, Elizabeth thought as she
watched him. Dick asked,
Like a drink now?"
II believe I would. I'm a bit
tired"
He poured it out for her, and
watched while she tasted it. "How's
that?"
Every good. You could get job"
"Ill be needing one if that physics
guy gets much tougher. Oh hello
there" he said as Cherry and the
two others came in. They greeted
Elizabeth, and Julia said,
"That fire looks wonderful. 1
wish we had those gas lighters at
our house, they start the fire with
no trouble at all. You have just ev-
erything here, Mrs. Herlong."
"Why thank you, Julia"
"This is the most comfortable
house I was ever in. We've been
having such fun all afternoon"
"I'm getting weak in the middle"
said Dick. Il wish you'd ordered
some crackers or something"
"Ill have hors d'oeuvres tomor-
row night. We're having a guest
for dinner-I mean an older guest,
from the studio"
1--WE were all going to ride down
| DedCIl lolllollo" AlSill, Soia
Dick. It'll be all right if Cherry
and 1 leave right after dinner, won't
it,"
For Cherry, but I'm afraid
there's another prospect for YOU
For me? WHAT" he asked in
alarm.
Elizabeth gave him an urgent
smile. 1t was a relief to turn her
attention to her ordinary day-by-day
affairs, to observe her children as
normal healthy youngsters hungry
for their dinner, to reach for ciga-
rette and have both Dick and Fudge
strike matches for her. She accept
ed the light from Fudge, and smiled
across it at Dick as he blew out the
match he had struck.
"Dick, our guest tomorrow night is
a Mr.. Kessler, from Germany. I've
never met him, but he's working on
the picture"
another refugee?" inquired