South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-10-08
BY MABEL HERBERT URNER

! breeze hardly stirred the thin cur
tains. There was no moon. and only
a few stars shone in the dark. cloudy
sky.
often Helen had found peace in the
soothing stiffness Of the night. but
now her thoughts were too tumultu-
Gus and the ache in her heart too
acute
She had lost her engagement ring
and now Warren was leaving her to
go abroad. The lear that he was
growing farther from her, which was
always in the background Of Helen's
thought. was stronger than ever
And what had she to hold him?
Her very love seemed to irritate him
Her need Of him, her clinging weak
ness, her dependence. her dread Of
/ being left alOne-all these things
served only to estrange him. In her
heart she had always felt that the
! type of woman that could have best
held Warren, would have been the
fearless. the Independent, the indiffer-
ent type.
often sic had tried to assume these
| traits. She had tried to appear cold
and indifferent-but she could never
keep 1t up for long. And Warren
always saw through this pathetic little
ruse. After all she could only be her
self.
Towards dawn the air grew chilly
and damp, but still she sat there
Suddenly there was the creaking
sound OF a step, then the bedroom
door opened and Warren came out
Hello, what're you doing here?"
\ Pathetic Sight.
Nothing, dear" starting I'D. e
l just couldn't sleep"
He touched the button by the door
and switched on the light Perhaps
there was something in her white
drawn face as she shrank blinking
| from the sudden glare that touched
him, he said with unaccustomed gen
| tleness:
You'd better come back TO bed
you'll catch cold" He felt her arm
| through her thin nightgown. why
you're chilled through, How long
have you been out here? What's this
Your sleeves all VET"
She tried TO draw away, but he
held her
You've been sitting there crying
| half the night-that ito" The words
| were sharp, but the voice was. for
| Warren, strangely gentle. 80 that's
the way you act when you think I'm
going away for a few weeks Well
YOU are n little fool! Now none of
| that"
Helen had turned suddenly and hid
her face in his shoulder. her slender
| body quivering with soundless sobs
lie switched out the light again. and
| for a moment stood awkwardly
smoothing her hair
Nov. that'll do. You've cried
enough for one night Come on back
to bed and get some sleep or you'll be
sick-then you can't go at ALL"
Through film Of tears. Helen
looked up Only the light from the
street lit the room. but ne could see
| her eager. quivering usefulness, and
for once it did not irritate him.
All right. Kitten, | guess we can
! fix it for YOU TO go. Now come on to
| bed and don't think any more about
it,"
But, dear-the expense" faltered
Helen, who, womanlike. now that she
had her hearts desire. felt that per
haps she could put il from her. you
know / don't want to make ii hard for
you-maybe 1 shouldn't go after all. &"
Now you leave the expense to me-
I'll see to that. 4And if it'll make you
feel easier, you may as we'll know
you were scheduled to go all along.
But lot Of things went wrong at the
office today, and / felt bit .bearish-
] that's all. Now come on to bed-or
Wen both have double pneumonia"