Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-01-05

She found the cane and brought it to
him. He had his coat on now and was
carefully smoothing his silk hat. lie did
not look up as Helen stood the cane
against the hat rack and then went back
into the sitting room.
Would he go out without telling her
goodby? Except to ask for his cane, he
had not spoken since he had started in
to dress. And now was he going to leave
her this way?
Only the loud ticking clock accentuated
the silence. Why was he lingering out i'm
the hall? Was he still smoothing his
hat? Or was he trying to decide whether
to come in and tell her goodby or to go
on out without a word?
To Helen the moments seemed endless
before she heard his resolute steps toward
the hall door. Then the opening and
closing of the door-and he was gone.
With an effort to swallow the lump in
her throat she ran TO the window. A
moment later she saw him cross the
street and wait on the corner. But he
did not once look up his eyes were fixed
on the approaching car. Did he feel that
she was watching him?
Still without an upward glance, he
sprang. on the car. When it had disap-
peared Helen turned back and gazed
around the room. So this was to be her
New Years evening?
There was only one thing to do-wOrk!
1t would be useless to try to read. No
book could hold her attention now. And
to sit down and brood to give herself up
to her sense of desolation and self-plty
would only mean that she would cry her
self i'll.
Quickly she got out a waist, the collar
of which needed altering, and resolutely
went to work. Della was off for the
afternoon. Winifred was asleep. Never
had the place seemed so silent and lonely.
Try as she would, Helen could not keep
her mind on the work in her hands.
Persistently her thoughts followed War
rem. Now he had reached the house.
Now he was there, She pictured them
greeting him.
Would they ask about her? Or, know
ing why she had not come, would they
deliberately avoid mentioning her name?
| When they were seated at the table how
marked would be her absence-with all
the family there except her! And War
ren-could he laugh and talk and enter
| into the spirit Of 1t all? Would her alb
sence cast no shadow on his New Years
dinner?
| And then her mind went back over the
| past year, over all their disagreements
and the constant warning OF their tenn
| peraments.
Then the whole two years Of their mar
riage passed before her. She saw the
gradual drifting apart, the Iessening Of
| common interest. II they had drifted so
! far in two years, what would be the
! third? What further arrangements did
the new year hold? a year they had
begun in this way-how might II not end ?
Oh. If this was only not New Years!
OF all days, how could Warren leave her
alone today? She tried to think 1t only
q foolish supersttion-the belief that
any unhappiness on New Years day
would shadow the rest Of the year. But
the tears so blurred her eyes that she
could hardly see to thread the needle.
What was that? Helen started from
her chair. II sounded like the opening
Of the hall door. Surely it was too early
for Della! But how could any one else
Then the sitting room door opened.
"Oh, warren Warren!" as she rushed
toward him with a sob OF JOY.
There, there" patting her clumsily on
the shoulder as she chung to him. Now
don't be a little goose Carries down
stairs in a taxi. She says she's not going
back until you come with us. Now II
she's done this much you can meet heI
half way, can't you?"
"Oh, yes-yes! OF course ! win"
That's the girl! Now hurry up and
get ready, they won't sit down until we
come"
She drew his head down TO hers and
kissed him with fierce, tender, little
kisses.
"Oh, you couldn't-you couldn't have
left me alone New Years evening-could
you?"
We'll ] haven't, have I? Now. dom
be foolish Run along quick and gel
ready, they're waiting dinner for Us
now"