The Gold Hill News, Gold Hill, Oregon
IIR IIS Ih IE V I E S
• M T M I O I NOSIlS — WNU S « V K (
C HA PTER X IV —ConUnurd
by • • •
Kathleen Norris
they've been writing to each other,
and that they’ve made it up."
"P eter and Gertrude?"
“ Yep."
“Oh, I'm g lad !” Sheila exclaimed.
"Honest, are you?”
“Oh, honest 1” And she looked at
him in surprise
Frank was eyeing her with a teas
ing expression.
“ I thought you liked Pete?"
“ W e ll. I don’t."
“ You’re not jealous, anyway," he
said. And after a minute he added,
"1 don't believe that after five years
of being engaged, you’d suspect a
man of anything, would you, Shei
la?”
“ I wouldn’t be engaged for five
years," Sheila answered.
"You wouldn’tl Why not?"
"Because— ” She was thinking it
out. "Because I wouldn't want any
man to feel—sure of me, for five
years," she formulated it slowly.
There was a silence.
" I don’t think any man wouldl”
Frank presently said, with a not
quite natural laugh. And after a
minute he added dryly, "Fortunate
ly for me. Bernadette doesn't agree
with you.
"So you don't think you could be
faithful to any man for five years?"
he asked, as Sheila did not speak.
" I didn’t say that. I only meant
that—if I loved a man, I wouldn't
want to wait five years—to—to be
his w ife,” Sheila answered simply.
"You wouldn't want to be sure?”
" I would be sure.”
Frank mused on this, watching her
steadily.
“ What would you call being sure?"
“Sheila thought a while before she
answered, looking down, biting her
full, red lower lip,
“ Dividing the world into two
parts,” she said, after a pause, "him
she was that he was getting well
there had seemed to be no other
and expressing her heartiest good reasonable thing for Sheila to do.
“ Frank may be dying, and you can wishes for his m arriage to Miss
But Angela and Mrs. Carscadden
talk about bint like th at!" Sheila Kennedy.
were no sooner out of the house
Sheila had half-heartedly agreed than Sheila was dressing She trem
said, her face ashen white. Her
to this. She would have preferred, bled for sheer joy as she put on her
dress was still dusty and rumpled
her face dirty, and she had a deep herself, to do nothing in regard to best clothes. They were not hand
purple bruise on one temple. But Frank. Without being able to ana
some clothes, but the blue coat had
there was a flaming beauty—a force lyze exactly how she felt, she sensed been brushed and pressed by her
—in her aspect, as she faced the oth that there was mystery, there was own hands, and there was another
er girl, that made Bernadette draw provocation, about complete silence. dark-blue hat. Looking at herself
But a nice letter was simply a nice in the cramped little m irro r over
back.
“ Pretend that you love him, why letter; it ended everything. Every the sideboard, she knew she had
thing was ended, of course. But never looked any better.
don’t you?" Bernadette said, in
somehow Sheila had had a feeling,
frightened dogged voice.
No subway today. It was the first
“ I don’t have to! I thought you deep in her heart, that there would day of real spring. Winter could
be
one
more
act.
d id !”
come back again, but today was
She wanted to see Frank once languid and sweet and soft, with
“ Your kind always pretend that
they love everyone," Bernadette more, to be sure that everything blue in the sky, and florists’ win
said, in bitter contempt. “ I t ’s all was all right between him and Ber dows bursting with new blossoms
love, and how a boy isn't understood nadette, to close up their own sen and freesias, lilac and lillies. Roses
sational experience with one little, were everywhere; potted little red
at home, and things like th at!”
* roses, on feathery light branches.
“ My kind!” Sheila echoed, with a friendly talk.
But the manner m which Joe and
bewildered look about the stricken
Sheila took the elevated road, and
M a had discussed the propriety of sat looking out of a window, only
circle.
"Yes, your kind! The kind that even a letter had shown Sheila plain half sensing what she saw and
goes to a place like Atlantic City ly that the thought of a call was heard. Children, mad with spring,
quite out of the question. So she were running and screaming in the
with a rich man’s son!”
“Look here,” Joe Carscadden had dutifully written, almost as dic streets below her.
Church bells
said, suddenly taking a part in the tated by her authorities.
rang, and the whistles of boats
The first days following the acci sounded newly sweet and soft from
conversation.
“ Look here. Miss
W hat’s-your-name. You be careful dent had been a time of strange las the river. Windows were open to
what you call my sister, will you, situde and weariness to her. Sheila day; the world was all abroad.
or you'll find yourself in trouble! had lain on the big bed, in the cen Some of the walking women carried
Sheila isn’t responsible to you for ter room, dreamy and silent, or she small sheaves of blessed palm, and
what she does—no, nor the newspa had come out to take the kitchen some of the men had little crosses of
rocker, listening to the talk that had it pinned on their coats.
pers, either!
“ I ’ve just been talking to her,” gone on about her, very gentle and
Sheila walked from the elevated
Joe continued, warming at the sweet, but apparently broken in train to the Me Cann house steadily,
sound of his own voice, “ and she's body and spirit.
yet without any hurry. She was
During these days the house had going to see F ra n k ; nothing could
been working hard in a hotel down
been
full
of
company.
Every
rela
there at Atlantic City, with no more
keep her from seeing F ran k; there
idea that Frank Me Cann knew tive and friend the Carscaddens had, was no need for haste. The day
and they were legion, had come in was singing in her heart like a glo
where she was than— ”
“ Than the babe itself!” Mrs. Cars and out of the kitchen as if it were a rious song; it was a thrilling day,
cadden supplied, as he paused for club. M arg'ret had come, panting and yet it was a soft day, too, filled
from the stairs; Lizzie had come; with languorous charm.
breath, and for a smile.
•
“Joe, you believe me, don’t you? Neely and Lew had come. The tea
Sheila stammered, bursting into pot had never cooled, nor run dry,
CHAPTER XV
in this exciting time.
tears.
After almost a week of it, Sheila
“ Maybe they won’t let me see
“I believe you,” Joe said, angrily, had appeared suddenly to awaken. h im !” Sheila thought. But she knew
“ and I ’ve had enough of these rich She had washed her hair, had put that F ra n k ’s father and mother were
folks that pretend they want to help her wardrobe in order. The sensa away; they had gone to the big
a girl, just because she’s honest tions, the thrills, were all over. Now Charity D rive lunch—their names
enough to return fifty dollars their for a job, and a stretch of unroman had been in the paper. And when
daughter didn’t even know she’d tic routine and duty.
Joe had telephoned this morning, to
And first duty of all, and in an
lost! I don’t care if my father and
ask as usual for F ran k, Mrs. Me
yours were friends in Albany,” other sense, last, the nice letter to Cann’s voice, Joe said, had been
Frank
had
been
written.
Joe went on wildly, " I don’t want
quite cheerful—Frank had been out
my sister to have anything more
Unexpectedly, and bringing all the yesterday, and had sat up for sup
to do with you!”
thrills back with a dizzying rush, per with Miss Kennedy the night
“ Joe— Joe— ” the judge began sor
before, and she and the judge had
rowfully, placatingly. Joe shook off
no anxiety in leaving him today.
the friendly hand.
Sheila anticipated no trouble, and
“ I ’ll bid you all good d ay!” he
sure
enough,
everything
went
said, heatedly. “ Come on. Ma. Come
smoothly. There had been some
on, Sheila!”
thing in Sheila’s spirit all day that
They went out, Sheila and her
had promised smoothness; she had
mother and brother, into the night.
had no doubts of what the outcome
" I f It isn’t Pete, who is it?”
“ The way it was, M am m a—” Shei
of today’s venture would be. M am ie
la began.
admitted her, and if there was any —and the rest. Never going any
hesitation or doubt in her manner, where that you didn’t hope to meet
Helping her mother and Joe with
Sheila did not see it. The girl, fol him, never doing anything without
the dishes, she was back in the
lowing her, walked straight through thinking whether he’d like it or not.
home kitchen, back in an old faded
the great spacious hall, and mount Hoping—hoping that everyone else
gingham apron, with her bronzed
ed the stairs, and crossed the upper would hate him— ”
hair tied up severely in a handker
hallways to the doorway of F ra n k ’s
"H ate him!
Love him, you
chief.
Sheila had returned from
room.
mean?” Frank ejaculated incredu
church, she had enjoyed once again
The door stood open; Sheila saw lously, as she hesitated.
the delights of a leisurely home
open windows, and pots and jars
"H ate him—so that you could
breakfast with the fam ily, and she
of exquisite flowers, beyond. She be
make it up to him by loving him
was now retailing to them, for the
gan to tremble now, and felt as
all the m ore,” she said.
hundredth time, some of the lesser
much like crying as smiling as she
details of her adventures.
Frank could only stare at her.
walked into the room. M am ie did
Mrs. Carscadden now having fin
“ I don’t love Bernadette like that;
not announce her, m erely stood at
ished the dishes, was at the sink,
I ’m glad when anyone else admires
the door.
occasionally mopping its already
Frank was alone, dressed, seated h er,” he finally observed. “ And she
well-mopped surface absently. Joe,
in a great chair piled with pillows, feels the same way about m e.”
really listening, was pretending to
“ Then you’re different,” Sheila
his bandaged left arm strapped
read the pages of the paper.
across his breast. Over his silk commented m ildly.
“ Don’t tell me how it was, Shei
“ How do you know that love is
shirt he wore a loose blue silk coat;
la ,” her mother said resignedly, “ I
his hair was neatly brushed, he like that?” Frank demanded.
can bear anything but that.”
" I t is for m e.”
looked thin, and a little pale.
Sheila put her head down on the
" I t would be for you?”
Sheila was back in the home
As Sheila walked slowly to his
table and laughed.
" I t is. H er head was singing;
kitchen.
chair, her unsmiling eyes fixed on
"No one was iver good as you
him, he glanced away from the win she felt her hands cold and wet.
can make yourself out to be, whin Frank had instantly answered. Shei dow, and instantly a sort of magic
A silence.
ye’ve bust up two good engagements, la ’s letter had been written on a seemed to be shimmering about her,
“ You mean— Peter?” Frank asked
and thrown a fam ily like the Me Wednesday night; on Thursday aft and she felt hardly conscious of what respectfully.
Canns into grief and sorrow!” Mrs. ernoon, when she had been alone in she was doing.
" P e te r!”
Sheila
cleared
her
Carscadden observed.
the house, the postman’s whistle had
“ Why, look who’s here!” Frank throat. “ No, not P eter,” she said.
“ It may not be your fau lt,” her drawn her down to the door and said, with his broadest smile. "W ell,
"You mean you don’t love Peter
mother continued oracularly, “ but there had been the miracle!
I am glad to see you! How are you? any more?”
there’s few cud get thimseives mixed
A letter from Frank. Sheila would Sit down, sit down. No, pull your
“ I never did. We just had a—a
up in trouble the way you do an’ not have believed that any six pen chair nearer. I ’m all alone.”
case,” the g irl explained, “ and he
kape such an innocent face on you. ciled lines could be so wonderful.
Sheila sat down, and looked at promised he’d come to see me, and
Whativer you’d be doin’ to get into Seven lines, for he had written, "sit him.
he didn’t come, and that made me
one of thim Zeppelins I don’t know, ting up for the first tim e," across
"Do you know, I ’ve been thinking mad—I thought more about him than
an’ that you’d come down near New the top.
about you, and wank, to see you?” if he had, m aybe.”
ark, New Jersey, is no more than
He was glad she was all right, Frank asked. And as she did not
"W ell, come on— ” Frank said en
you deser’rved! A little befoor that,” and it was fine getting her letter,
answer, he went on, “ Funny thing, couragingly.
“ You’ve only made
Mrs. Carscadden continued, in a and next time they tried flying they
I was talking about you, only last half a confession I I f it isn’t Pete,
droning, resigned sort of monotone, would take out some insurance first.
night. Bernadette was here— Miss who is it?”
" it was disappeared you were, an’ And he was hers affectionately.
Kennedy, you know— ”
"P e te r was the—the first gentle
no one had spache or sight of ye for
It was that last word that shook
" I know.” Sheila’s voice was very man I ’d ever known,” Sheila, in
days. An’ befoor that again, it was
stead of answering, said hurriedly
merried in Boston, Massachusetts, her to the depth of her soul and faint. His nearness, the sight of the
and nervously. “ I liked him, for
ye were, by a justice of the peace, turned the whole world bright. Shei hard, blue-shaven ja w again, the th at.”
or was it a disthrict attorney, Joe?” la had thought of nothing else from flash of his white teeth, the half
"So much so that he didn’t keep
that moment but the prospect of see smile in his Irish eyes, were too
“ It was neither, M a ,” Joe said,
ing him. Instantly she had known much for her. The tones of his his word to you?”
and Sheila laughed again. She was
"H e lost my address.”
that she must see him, and her life voice made her heart feel as if it
not deeply concerned; she was
“And forgot your name?"
had centered about this meeting; she were melting wax.
thinking of something else this
" I forgot his,” the girl said hon
had gone no further in her thoughts.
“ I said to Bernadette that you
morning.
She would see Frank again; his were the darnedest kid I ever saw,” estly, laughing. “ But you see we’re
She had made up her mind to dark face and his slow smile; they
F ran k said. " I said I had the fun not in the telephone book, and he
something the day before yesterday, would talk together. The mere
niest feeling of—being responsible said that the only Carscadden that
and since the instant of her decision thought had made her happy, and
looked possible to him was in Brook
for you!”
the world had been singing for Shei she had floated in a world of
lyn.”
“
Is
this
your
room,
Frank?”
she
la. She was going to call on Frank
"Y o u ’re dodging the issue,” F ra n k
dreams,
awaiting
the
opportunity
to
interrupted.
M e Cann.
pursued. "You can't do that when
escape unquestioned from the house
“
Nope.
I
’m
up
on
the
next
floor;
The terrible day cf the plane crash
you’re talking to a law yer, you
and go to her marvelous hour. A fter it's not so grand as this.”
was now almost two weeks in the
know. Come on—out with it—whom
“ Whose room was this?”
past; Sheila had had no communi that, let him m arry Bernadette as
do you like?"
soon as he liked 1
“ Well, this used to be an upstairs
cation since with the Me Cann fam
" I might know what I thought
It was on this particular Sunday» sitting-room.
Then Pop put the
ily.
The unfortunate pilot of the
about it, without being—it,” Sheila
two
weeks
after
the
airplane
smash-
plane had been buried, the physi
kitchen and the dining-room into the stammered.
cians had reported Frank as making up, that she knew her chance had basement floor, and turned the old
“ I t and it I What d’you mean by
good progress toward recovery, and come. H er mother and Angela were dining-room into a lib rary, and gave it?”
newspapers had turned to other m at going to church in the afternoon. Mom a sitting-room next to that, and
"W ell, I might know what being
ters. Joe Carscadden had telephoned Some special Lenten sermons far this has been a sort of spare room
in
love was, without being in love.”
the M e Cann house almost every down-town on Eighteenth Street ever since. And beyond the bath
day, and had extended sympathy drew them away from home; Joe of room, there—the room where they She was suddenly scarlet, the clean
color flooding up under her trans
and made inquiries for the whole course would be somewhere with set m y arm —is G ert’s room.
parent skin like a flame.
fa m ily , and it had finally been de Cecilia. The presumption had been
"And that reminds me that she’s
"Yes, but you aren’t guessing I ” he
cided by her mother, Angela and that Sheila would spend the after coming down to dinner tonight,”
Joe that Sheila should write Frank noon quietly resting; nothing had Frank went on. "And Pete’s home, answered shrewdly. "B e a sport,
a "nice note,” telling him how glad been said about it, simply because got here yesterday. And we think Sheila. I won’t tell on yo u l”
(TO BE CONTINUED)
—14—
Thursday, Juno 13. 1940
Items of Interest
AROUND
th. HOUSE
the Housewife
W all outlets tor electrical de
vices used in the kitchen, pantry
or butler's pantry should be pluced
at table height. This permits the
use of shorter cords with cooking
utensils, eliminating coils that tire
likely to get in the housewife's
way.
• • •
Cakes or cookies in which honey
is used as a sweetening require a
rather moderate tem perature for
baking. I f the oven is too hot they
w ill burn.
• • •
Don't bang porcelain or enam
eled kitchen equipment against
stoves, tables or sinks.
It will
chip or crack if it is roughly han
dled. Many of the more modern,
attractive pieces require special
care.
Rather Why Not
I had rather it should be asked
why I had not a statue, than why
I had one.—Cato.
.Standing on a heavy rug or rub
ber m at w ill go a lung way toward
preventing futigue during long pe
riods of ironing.
• • •
Ire cubes or desserts ure frozen
fa s te r in a mechanical re frig era
tor if a quarter-cup of w ater is
poured on the freezing surface be
fore the trays are put in place.
• • •
Cloths saturated with polishing
liquids if stored away in a closet
often cause spontaneous combus
tion. Keep these cloths in a cov
ered tin container.
• • •
To prolong the life of a large
rug. shift it uround every six
weeks or so. This prevents con
stant weur on those sections cov
ering the most-traveled part of
the room.
Consistently Inconsistent?
Inconsistency is the only thing
in which men are consistent.— Ho
ratio Smith.
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