The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-12-15

and yet at times he goaded her into
making some just retort.
"That's pleasant Speech sarcas-
tically. Il suppose you know this is a
nice way to begin the New Year" as
he kicked aside the paper he had
dropped on the floor and started into
his room to dress.
"Oh, Warren, you don't know how |
regret all this-hoW | wish | could go.
But how can latter the way Carrie
treated me Christmas. can't go to her
house for dinner. | don't think | ever
| can-and certainly l can't now"
! A CUTTING RETORT.
We'll, you're not Furnishing any
| boy but yourself. Don't get it into your
| head that anybody is going to care.
| Carries dinner will go off as we'll
without you, and probably blooming
sight better than if you'd go and make
a scene as you did Christmas
Helen bi; her lip. Ever since Christ
mas day at his fathers when she had
Indignantly carried Winifred out OF
the room to get her away from the
malicious teasing of Carries children
Warren had called it a scene" He
was always accusing her of making
scenes'-that was a favorite stock
phase of his because he knew she
shrunk from it.
| He had gone into the bedroom and
| slammed the door. He was dressing
rapidly. She could tell by the sounds
| of his moving about the room and OF
drawers being hurriedly opened and
closed
In few moments he would be gone
And she would be left to spend her ev.
ening alone-New Years evening. All
day the tears had been very near but
she forced them back. Long expert
ence had taught her that tears only
irritated him to further harshness.
In a few moments he came out
Warren was always we'll groomed but
he looked particularly we'll in even
ing dress.
"Where's that other cane-the one
| Just had new furrule put on?"
isn't it on the hall rack"
He strobe to the hall. mo, it's not
here. If you would just leave things
where
"Oh, then Della must have put it in
the closet Wait. I'll get it."
ANXIOUS MOMENTS.
She found the cane and brought il
to him He had his cot on now and was
carefully smoothing his silk hat. He
, 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
goodbye? Except to ask for his cane
he had not spoken since he had start
ed in to dress. And now was he going
to leave her this way?
/ Only the loud ricking clock accen-
! tuated the silence. Why was he lin
! gerins out in the hall? Was he still
smoothing his hat? Or was he trying
Z TO decide whether to come in and tell
her goodbye or to go on out without
word?
/ To Helen the moments seemed end
less 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 in 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 atten-
ton now. And to sit down and brood.
. to give herself up to her sense of des-
olation and self pity. would only mean
that she would cry herself ILL.,
Quickly she got out a waist. the
collar Of which needed altering and
resolutely went TO work. Della was eff
for the afternoon. Winifred was asleep
Never had the place been so silent and
lonely.
Try as she would. Helen could not
keep her mind on the work in her
hands. Persistently her thoughts fol-
. lowed Warren. Now he had reached
the house, Now he was there. She pic
tured them greeting him.
Would they ask about her? Or,
knowing why she had not come, would
they deliberately avoid mentioning
her name. When they were seated at
the able how marked woul be her alb
sence-with all the family there ex-
cept her, And Warren-could he laugh
and talk and enter into the spirit OF il