The Willamina times., June 06, 1940, Image 2

THURSDAY. JUNE 6. 1940
TIMES. WILLAMINA. OREGON
two keys t o a cabin
J
B Y
L ID A
T H E STORY THUS F A R
Charming, wealthy G abriella (Gay for short) G raham , engaged to Todd Jane-
Way. returns to a cabin in the Maine woods accompanied by a friend. Kate Oliver.
The Idea of a stay at the cabin occurred to her when she received a key to It
following the death of her godfather. Uncle John Lawrence. The two girls notice that
someone Is living In the cabin
Kate suspects that G ay knows the Identity of the
mysterious occupant.
The m ystery man i eturns.
He Is John Houghton, a young
doctor whom Gay had known In previous years. Im m ediately aggressive. Gay asks
him by what right he la in the cabin. His right, she finds. Is greater than her own.
H e. too, possesses a key, but more than that. Is heir to It from his Uncle John. Gay's
godfather. Gay Is high handed with him. and he states courteously that he w ill leave.
Looking at him In the doorway, her old feelings return. She knows that he Is more
necessary to her than is Todd Janeway, the man she la to m arry. G ay asks John to
reconsider hts decision to leave. The next morning brings a different feeling, and
John decides to remain for his vacation—one more week. The night before Gay and
K ate are to return home to New York John gets an urgent request to call at a
nearby farm . Gay accompanies him while he cares for the patient.
Returning to
the cabin at a late hour. John stops the car.
He tells G ay that he loves her.
and she admits that he Is necessary to her happiness. Meanwhile, worried by their
absence. Kate has called Todd Janeway In New York. She knows that Gay and John
feel a strong attachm ent for each other, and wants Todd to come to Maine where he
can ta lk to Gay.
Todd arrives while Kate Is alone.
She breaks the news to him.
Todd, w arm hearted and generous. Is heartsick but refuses to become melodramatic.
G ay and John, who have been canoeing, return to the cabin, there to find Todd.
John leaves tem porarily and Gay tells Todd that she has fallen In love with John
Todd, understanding that It Is unavoidable, tells her he is sUU her best friend. Christ­
mas comes and Gay Is home In New York, awaiting John s a rriv al for the holidays.
CHAPTER VII—Continued
—10—
“Worm!” Gay exclaimed. “I hate
you. Aren’t you up rather early
yourself?”
“I didn't heed the ads.” he said
mock-tragically. “I failed to do my
Christmas shopping early.”
“ Poor Robert!” Gay smiled.
Though to her father’s family it was
a mystery, she understood very well
why her mother had married Rob­
ert. He had, as her mother had, an
ingenuous zest for living. He was
no longer the handsome figure of a
man-about-town he had been when
he became her step-father. He was
getting stout and somewhat florid
and his blond hair was receding at
the temples, but his spirit was buoy­
ant, his nature restfully uncompli­
cated and his enjoyment of good
food, good sport and gay company
remained undiminished. He was
kind, and fond of her. His expres­
sion, now, as he looked at her across
lace and silver and c o stal flowers
which splintered the light into glit­
tering sparkles, was admiring and
interested.
“Go to it, kid,” he said. “I’m all
for romance myself. If you need
moral support you can count on Un­
cle Robert.”
He was a dear or maybe in her
blissful state she felt tender to­
ward all the" world. She blew him a
kiss and went on along the hall.
In the drawing-room Suki was
hanging wreaths made of silvered
leaves and bunches of blue glass
berries. She knew it was Suki be­
cause Togo’s province was the kitch­
en. It occurred to her that it was a
little incongruous that small heathen
Suki with his flat lemon colored face
and black bead eyes should be dec­
orating the apartment for a Chris­
tian festival.
What would John make of it all, of
Suki and Togo who had been with
Robert for years, of Mathilde whom
her mother had brought back from
France, of her mother, of Robert,
of Christmas Eve at the apartment?
What would he make of the Vic­
torian elegance of “ Dunedin” when
they went tomorrow? Could he, as
she did, ignore Aunt Flora’s disap­
proval, the curious but premeditat­
ed coolness of the relatives who
would be there? Panic seized her
again. Her spirits sank with the
descent of the elevator. She regret­
ted, for an instant, that John was
coming. Now, at this moment, while
their meeting was still in the fu­
ture, the feeling they had for each
other was secure. Now—
But that was absurd. She shook
off frightening fancies. Her spirits
lifted when the Negro doorman
opened the door for her.
“Merry Christmas, William.”
“White Christmas, Miss Graham.”
"It’s nice, isn’t it?”
“Luck fo’ certain.” The Negro’s
face was slit by an ivory grin. “Good
times cornin’ pretty soon.”
The train from Boston, unless it
was late, was already in. Gay made
her way through the concourse of
the station toward the gate where
John would be waiting. Expectancy
gave wings to her feet. She hur­
ried on, jostling and being jostled,
heedless of admiring glances cast
at her, impatient of any delay. Then
through people passing, she saw him
and reluctance checked her eager­
ness. Her flying pace slackened.
She advanced slowly, caught in pan­
ic again, walking mechanically, all
feeling suspended.
He did not see her. He stood be­
side the gate, his eyes searching
through the groups that eddied past
him. But was that John? She hadn’t
remembered—It was the overcoat
he wore which made him look so
tall. She’d never seen him in the
winter before. The new hat he wore
was not becoming. She didn’t know
him. It wasn’t that tall young man,
obviously ill at ease, whom she had
come to meet. She couldn’t move
or speak to him. She felt paralyzed,
frozen inside.
He saw her and smiled. She start­
ed toward him as he started to­
ward her.
“Hello.” He removed his hat,
smiling diffidently.
“Hello.” Her voice sounded thin
and unnatural. She felt her mouth
stretch in a mechanical smile.
He bent to kiss her. She lifted her
face. A redcap, carrying luggage,
bumped into them so that his lips,
glancingly, touched her cheek.
“ We must find a taxi.” She did
not look at him. “ I didn’t bring a
___ ”
car.
His hand cupped her elbow but she
led the way. A porter followed with
his luggage. “ Did you have a good
trip?” she asked after an interval
of silence.
“Not bad. We were on time.”
“I’m sorry I was delayed. I left
the apartment in time but traffic
wTas heavy.”
“That’s all right. I haven’t wait­
ed long.”
They stood waiting for the porter
to call a taxi.
“How are you?” he asked.
She glanced up at him, then quick­
ly away.
“Splendid, thank you. Isn’t it nice
to have snow?”
“ If it keeps on like this the trains
won’t be coming in on time.”
“No, probably not. Have you had
breakfast?”
“No. It doesn’t matter, though.
I’m not hungry.”
A taxi slid in beside them. The
porter opened the door. John put
her in, supervised the stowing of
his luggage, sat beside her. The cab
moved out into traffic. She glanced
up at him. He was looking at her.
The hurt bewilderment in his eyes,
the difficult smile that moved across
his lips, restored warmth and a
feeling of tenderness.
“Hello!” she said softly.
“Hello!” His arms went around
her. Their lips met and held. Pres­
ently she drew away.
“Is this scandalous behavior for
New York?” His voice sounded hap­
py, relieved.
“Who cares?” She winked to clear
her vision. “ Oh why are we always
such idiots?”
“I didn’t know you. You looked—
I was terrified.”
“So was I. Darling, that hat—”
“ Don’t you like it either?” He
turned to open the window. “We’U
throw it out.”
“Idiot!” She pressed close to him,
her face against the rough cloth of
his coat. “It’s all right, isn’t it?”
“The hat? You change your mind
SO—
“ Us, I mean—Your being here—
We’re going to have fun.”
“Of course we are. Breakfast
first, though. I wasn’t hungry when
you asked me, but I’m starving
now.”
“Are you?” She laughed. “So am
I. Let’s send your luggage out to
Mother’s apartment and stay down
town all day. We’ll have breakfast
at Child’s and walk in the snow and
drop quarters in all the Santa Claus
kettles and sing carols on street cor­
ners and—”
“ You darling! I’m so happy, so
glad to be here.”
“ Are you? Darling! John!”
John got up as Gay’s mother rose
from the love-seat on which they
sat.
“So I suppose I’ll have to forgive
you,” she said, smiling up at him
with Gay’s smile and Gay’s trick of
crinkling her eyes. “I was pre­
pared to dislike you intensely.”
“Now, Kitty,” her husband said
with indulgent fondness, “you’ve
never disliked anybody. It’s your
all-inclusive love for your fellow-
men which keeps getting you into
trouble.”
“That’s unkind of you, Robert.”
She linked her arm through her hus­
band’s. “What will John think of
me?”
“ I think you are very kind,” he
said, realizing that the reply was
inadequate, seeing and resenting the
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amusement in her deep blue eyes,
so like Gay’s.
“ Kindness is an endearing trait in
a mother-in-law,” Robert Cameron
said cheerfully. He consulted his
watch. “ My dear, we must be on
our way.”
“We're going to the theater with
the Davenports," she said in the
way she had of seeming to share an
intimate confidence. "They’ve just
become grandparents and need
cheering.”
The Japanese house-boy came into
the room. She spoke to him about
calling for the car. John watched
her pleasant manner with the serv­
ant. She was prettier than Gay,
he thought, but less beautiful, small­
er, softer, more rounded. Her hair
which had been dark was, prema­
turely, turning white. Cut short and
curled, it looked like a wig for fancy
dress rather than a symbol of age.
Her skin, in the diffused light which
filled the long high-ceilinged room,
had a honey-colored tint and her
small pretty mouth was painted the
exact shade of the coral azalea
against her shoulder. She didn't
look like anybody's mother. It was
difficult to realize, in spite of cer­
tain points of resemblance, that she
bore so close a relationship to Gay.
She turned to him as the house-
boy slid noiselessly out of the room.
to
She felt paralyzed, frozen inside.
"We must get acquainted tomor­
row,” she said, laying a small jew­
eled hand on his arm. “But no—!
You and Gay will be leaving for
‘Dunedin’ fairly early. Christmas
dinner, there, is always at two.” She
glanced up at her husband, smiling
through narrowed eyes.
“ If we’re to see any of the first
act at all—” her husband said a
trifle hastily.
“ Yes, darling.” She turned again
to John. “ Perhaps we’ll see you
later. If not, good-night. Suki will
take care of you. You are very
welcome here. We want you to feel
at home.”
He would Like to feel at home.
But how could he, how could any­
body feel at home in this room? It
was as artificial as the silvered
wreaths which hung in the windows,
as the Christmas tree, silvered too,
reflecting its fantastic dazzle of blue
lights and twisted glass icicles in a
wall formed by mirrors, cut into
sections by strips of chromium.
“ Well, what do you make of it?"
He turned guiltily, conscious of
some possible rudeness, then re­
laxed. Gay was walking toward
him, so lovely in the dress of deep
blue velvet she’d worn at dinner
that his breath caught in his throat.
She came up to where he stood and
slipped her hand through his arm.
“What were you thinking?” she
asked, smiling up at him with
amusement in her eyes. “You
looked startled when I spoke to
you.”
“ I was afraid someone had caught
me being critical of the decora­
tions.” He turned again to the panel
above the fire. “What is it?” he
asked. “ Flowers? Fruit?”
“ It’s a color note.” Her smile
deepened.
“Then it doesn’t mean anything?”
“Not to me. Don’t puzzle your
head over it, my sweet. If you do,
you’ll go quietly mad.” She led him
to the davenport which stood facing
the fire. He sank down beside her
into soft leather upholstery. “ Moth­
er had all this done to occupy her
mind when she found she hadn’t a
wedding to arrange. Besides Ced­
ric needed the money.”
“Cedric?”
“The earnest young man who had
the brainstorm. It has made him.
He has more commissions than he
can handle. He regards Kitty as a
cross between Lady Bountiful and a
fairy with a wand, which is very flat­
tering. of course. How did you get
on with her?”
"She's lovely to look at," he said
guardedly, “and very kind.”
Gay looked up at him.
“ But—? I want you to tell me
what you think of everything. No
reservations. They lead to misun­
derstandings.” Her face was grave.
"Be frank with me, John.”
"I’ll try to be frank. It sounds
ridiculous, I know, but I think I'd
feel more comfortable if she hadn't
received me so courteously.”
“Why?” Gay asked in surprise.
“ Well, after bracing myself to face
the opposition I expected, it’s a lit­
tle disconcerting to have your moth­
er, figuratively, at least receive me
with open arms.”
She laughed in genuine amuse­
ment. “ Did you want to fight drag­
ons, darling?”
“ I suppose I did.” He laughed
with her.
“Well, cheer up. There’s Aunt
Flora in the offing."
“ Who is Aunt Flora? Is she a
dragon?”
“She’s my father's sister, a wid­
ow. She's lived with him since
Mother’s defection. No, she isn’t a
dragon. She’s pathetic, really. She
persists in observing the conven­
tions of a polite world of society
which is past and gone. And she
expects other people to observe
them. She won’t receive you with
open arms. Not that she blames you
for the recent catastrophe, though.
She tells me that I am my mother's
daughter.”
"You aren’t like your mother, ex­
cept in certain superficial points of
physical resemblance.”
She looked at him, considering,
looked away.
“Have I offended you?” he asked,
realizing that he had spoken with
more warmth than the comment re­
quired. "I didn’t mean—Your moth­
er is charming. I—”
“I wasn’t offended.” She took his
hand in hers. “ I was wondering
how I could explain Mother to you.
No, I’m not like her. I wish I
were. Mother is really very logi­
cal. When places or people bore
her she sees no reason why she
should pretend that they mean any­
thing to her. She was bored with
Dad and so she divorced him and
married Major Summerfield.”
“You mean—Mr. Cameron is her
third husband? I heard her speak of
a Major Summerfield at dinner, but
I had no idea—”
"She’s on friendly terms with both
Dad and the Major,” Gay said but
her smile wavered a little. “She
doesn’t dislike them because they
bored her. She was very sorry to
have had to hurt them but she saw
no reason in continuing a relation­
ship which was no longer agreeable.
You look horrified, John." She
dropped his hand. “ I don’t sup­
pose you can understand.”
“I was thinking how—confusing it
must have been for you,” he said
slowly.
“It was, until I was old enough to
understand Mother’s point of view.
Now, it’s all very simple. Mother
has never cared deeply for any­
one. It isn’t in her nature to cling
to things, though she’s loyal in her
way, and generous and kind. That’s
why she looks as she does. She has
no regrets for anything that has
happened.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
PH O TO G RAPH Y
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In tricate A ccounting
N ew S hin to M ats
<L On some German destroyers,
torpedoes are fired with the
mouth. With his eyas at the range
finder and his hands on the tube­
aiming controls, the gunner mere­
ly has to blow into a “peashooter”
to actuate the trigger.
<L One electrical accounting ma­
chine on the market today, only 47
inches long, 33 inches wide and 43
inches high, contains 55,000 parts
and more than 75 miles of wire.
ar—
=S
<1 Despite rationing, the food con­
sumption of a country at war in­
creases about 20 per cent, due
principally to the fact that army
recruits develop bigger appetites
because of their increased physi­
cal activity.
T
Is your child a
NOSE PICKER?
I t may he Just a nasty h ab it. hut sometime«
n<ne picking la a «lgn o f soinothlng naafler.
I t may mean th a t your d iild haa round
worms — especially If there are other symp­
toms. auch aa fidgeting, finicky appetite,
restleaa sleep and itching In certain partA
People don't like to talk about bowel
worm«, so yon may not realize how many
children have this dreadful Infection. They
"catch" It from other children, from dogs,
or unwashed vegetables, o r Infected water.
I f you even suspect th a t your child haa
round worm«, got J a t n b ' b V r .a u ir u o a
right away I Jayne'» la the Ixwt known
worm expedient In America. I t la backed
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J a tn b ' b V ra w irro e is ploMant tasting
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as a mild laxative.
L ouisiana S u rveyors
T a ck le T o u g h P roblem
Garrulous Fool
General land office surveyors of
Louisiana have undertaken a task
A fool’s voice is known by mul­
forced upon them by “ a natural titude of words.
phenomenon” more than a century
and a half ago.
Long before the Red River valley
became populated with planters, the
a8 to 62 yrs. old, who are restleaa,^
sluggish river was blocked by trees
moody, nervoua, fear hot flashes,
falling into the water and gradually
dizzy apells, to take Lydia E. Pink-
ham's Vegetable Compound. Fa­
stacked up in rafts.
mous in helping women go smiling
The waters of the river backed
thru "trying times” due to func­
into bayous and into natural land
tional “irregularities." Try ill
formations, forming lakes. The
problem of the authorities today is
—who owns the lakes?
WNU—13
23 40
Detailed accounts of the beginning
of the log jam are lacking in gen­
eral land office records, but one re­
port estimates that the raft in the
Red river grew at the rate of one
BUSINESS organization
mile a year during the 35-year pe­
which wants to get the
riod between 1793 and 1828.
most for the money sets up
Other reports of an exploration in
standards by w hich to judge
1806 tell of one obstruction in the
what is offered to it, just as in
river “ forming an almost impene­
W ashington the government
trable mass, which extends from the
maintains a Bureau o f Standards.
bottom to two or three feet above
• You can have your own Bureau
the surface of the water, a thick­
o f Standards, too. Just consult
ness of 30 to 40 feet,” and stretch­
the advertising columns of your
ing up the river for nearly 300 yards.
newspaper. They safeguard
Removal of the obstruction was
your purchasing power every
begun in 1873.
day o f every year.
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