The Wilmington morning star., 1947-08-25

I something cool. and we can al
talk her ear Of later. She's goinl
! to be here all summer. Isn't
l wonderful"
And she bore Gail off, leaving
: Kate, Charles and Greg still be
side the path that led from thu
! rickety unpainted picket fence ur
) to the house. On each side of tn,
path there were great bushes O.
the small, exquisitely fragran
deep red roses that grow with
such prodigality in south Georgia
and upper Florida. There were
blossoming shrubs and beds o
white narcissi, and against the
house great masses of the amaryl
lis that grows almost white in this
climate.
i Norah was chattering cheerfully
as she led the way into the house
A wide hall bisected the house,
ending at the back porch; on eli
ther side there were three rooms
4 porch. Upstairs, Moran led Cal
to a big square room that looked
out over the freshly plowed tielc
and beyond to where the tender
green of new willows marked E
wandering stream. Wherever she
looked there were peach trees
blooming riotously.
The room was furnished with
dark, ugly furniture. Not antiques
just old! Cheap old furniture
that had been tended and kept
strictly because of its practical
value. A huge bed, puffy with a
feather mattress beneath a hand.
tufted spread; a chest of drawers:
a dresser, with more drawers: a
washstand with a bowl and pitch.
er with great splashy red and
blue flowers painted over them.
Gail looked about her in barely
suppressed amazement and dis
may, but Norah, without noticing
her perturbation, had gone to the
washstand and peeped into the
pitcher. II did remember to fill
the pitcher fresh for you, Gail" "
she said. Don't bother to dress
flor supper - we don't out here.
And after supper I'll help you un-
pack"
That's very kind. but" Gail
began automatically.
"Please let me help you, GAIL"
Norah INTERRUPTED with an almost
childish eagerness, and flushed a
little as she went on, Laugh at
me if you like, but you can't guess
what a thrill it's going to be for
me to see all the lovely clothes !
know you must have!"
Gail was touched and a little
embarrassed, but before she could
answer, Norah went on as though
a little ashamed of her impulsive
confession, "1'n help Kate finish
supper. Come down when you're
ready"
When Norah had gone, Gail sat
down Or the edge Of the bed and
looked about her with a sinking
heart. The room was big and
clean and airy; it was shabby and
old and, to Gail, quite comfort
less. She looked with incredulous
eyes at the tall pitcher sitting
neatly inside it's huge bowl; at
the clean towels, some OF them
neatly and painstakingly darned,
folded across the rack above the
pitcher; at the tall, old-fas shioned
oil lamp On the bedside table,
with a box of kitchen matches
beside it. She looked up at the
ceiling and around the walls for
the electric switch. Because, oil
course, she told herself a trifle
wildly, there must be electricity
in this-this awful barn Of place.
and bath and - but
she looked uneasily at the stout
pitcher and the big bowl and the
fresh cake OF scented soap on the
soap dish and the kerosene oil
lamp-and quailed.
Never in all her life had she
been without electric lights and
She doubted if Lissa
even knew that there were places
devoid of those conveniences. She
felt as though she had stepped out
of her own small, safe, luxurious
world into an outpost of civiliza-
ton inhabited by savages. And
then she brought her thoughts upl
sharply. Her father was no saw
age; he was an educated, cultured
man, accustomed to what she and
Lissa had accepted as the ordi-
nary amenities Of civilization.
Kate, too, had spoken with the
air and the voice of a well-bred
woman. Norah was charming.
Greg - But she wouldn't think
about Greg. for there had been
something SO hostile in his man.
ner toward her, his contempt so
brutally frank, that just thinking
of him frightened her.
But how, she walled in her
frightened heart, could she possi-
bly, stay here in this crude, COM
fortress place? The tender beauty
Of the early spring that pressed
close to the windows, as though
silently offering its comfort, only
emphasized the contrast. The
house was so big, so barnlike, so
ugly. For moment she put her
face in her hands and tears
threatened her. But she mustn't
cry now; she mustn't let her host
and hostess see that she was dis
tressed or appalled, at what they
were offering her. Her own good
breeding demanded that she ac-
cept gratefully whatever they
were able to provide.
But a whole summer here-oh,
it was impossible! 1t was unbear-
able! And why, since her father
was rich-not yet had she begun
to doubt Lissa's calm assurance on