The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-02-14
CHAPTER XVI

morning, "Pegl Where - are - the
car keysp"
Aren't they on the hall tablep"
"of course they aren't on the
hall table or I wouldn't be upstairs
looking in your pocketeookl"
Aren't they In my pocketbooks"
u wouldn't be asking you Il they
were In your pocketoookr
''Thensr guess they must be In the
car, dear"
Il wonder Il he'll break q blood
vesselg" asked Kitty idly.
II don't think 81" said Pea, but
he has sort Of q fixation about
leaving the keys IN the car"
Ben delivered q loud forceful lee.
ture down the stairs and through
the hall on the theme that even IL
Peg had lived In DoremuS ell her
life and never locked q door, these
were no times to leave keys In q
parked car.
Peg suggested, as he reached the
dining-room door, that II he felt so
concerned about the tires perhaps
he'd better walk to the dentists.
And carry home Q case Of soda
under my arIne" demanded Ben. He
slammed the front door behind him
like an injured man.
He hates going to the dentists -
said Peg extenuatingly, but he
hates worse to admit It. Wen, must
be IN and doing"
She sat on at the breakfast table
for q moment though, enjoying the
peaceful usualness Of the Saturday
morning. It felt and looked so exact
~ as Saturday morning always did
that Peg dared to hope peace had
descended after the hard week Just
past.
Al usual, Peg had thought up
IA several little odd jobs for Ben
to DO and, as usual, he had foiled
her. Shaking the dentists APP
pointment out Of his sleeve on this
occasion. She felt reasonably OPP
timistic about the evening, too,
even though Kitty had looked
thoughtful when she told her Mag
Seaton had called and said she
guessed she and Randall could
make 1t after all. Ben had said Il
sounded like o witchs broth to
him when she told him the list OF
people who were coming, since II
included people she'd asked be-
cause she wanted them, people
she'd been indebted to for 50 Ions
she was embarrassed about 1t, anc
one or two who had been asked
chiefly because they'd be mad Il
they weren't.
shall I invite Mac?" she haC
asked Ben.
why not?" Ben was surprised
He'll come anyway. You might
as well be decent about it anc
ask him"
Peg wondered why she always hac
to be the one to be decent about
things but accepted her fate philo'
sophically.
Late In the afternoon Peg said
Ben, maybe 1t would be q good
idea IL We planned to play poker
tonight Oh dear, wish
knew how Kitty really felt about
Collins turning up as he did. Ok
you think it meant anything2 VIVA
did he say?"
Nothing" said Ben. And nat
urally. didn't ask.
Naturally" thought Peg bit
terly.
"Poker's not a bad idea. Safet!
firstl Well 1t looks like an activ,
evening for me, mixing drink
and counting poker chips. I CUES
I'd better take a nap"
I'D hate to have you veal
yourself out" responded his wife
OF course. If we don't do any.
thing you say you feel like &
hermit, and if We do. you fee
overworked. so it's rather hare
for me to do the right thing"
How do you talk! You do the
right thing by instinct"
Peg refused to succumb to such
blatant cojolery and said besides
she thought it would be nice FOL
Kitty TO meet some new people.
After all these years." said Ben
you still amaze me. Nothing scare'
youl Even at this point you aren't
ready TO let well enough alone"
oh 60 take a nap" re.
torted Peg. She was afraid hi!
last point was all too well taken.
KITTY dressed for the party
IA with more care but less con.
ldence than usual. She was pri.
vately afraid that If she looked
too well Mag Seaton would inter.
pref 1t as q defiant play for Ran.
dali. whereas II she looked tor
casual she knew Pegs Doremui
friends would consider it a col.
lective slap in the face. She aehiev'
ed what she hoped was q working
compromise and hoped for the bes
but when she was finally ready, Kit.
ty looked at herself in the glass anc
sighed. It wasn't any fun to dresl
for no one In particular, and reluct'
ant admiration II any in general.
Pegs own fears subsidized durinl
the early evening. Saturday nigh
was party night in Doremus anC
/ NgA bASoS kAAA dASANCQ al BOOS
humor. She relaxed and began Il
enjoy herself. as she always did al
her own parties.
That's the beauty Of it," she saiC
animatedly re-entering the CONVEX
sation. mo yeast at ALL"
Kitty smiled responsively. but {
responsive beam was all she haC
to contribute and she felt a littlI
out Of things. She had no persona
testimony TO offer on the hellish'
ness Of Red Cross pajama pant
patterns, who the vipers were witt
snatched all the new books from
the Doremus Library. or what II
punishment would be for thosl
who let their young jump quar-,
antine for mumps. Mac seemed Il
be keeping Mag Seaton safel,
amused and although Kitty ap
preciated 1t, she wasn't ovel
grateful. She thought he owed he
something for the performance
l he'd pafff IN tina safOlk ~ OalIf,. o