The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-06-18

~ CATCHES" s1es So. here.
don't try to I'M
pack tonight. Just take out what you
need and get TO hed-don't stay up for
me. Here, I'll MT want this" taking a
steamer cap from his bullying over
coat pocket.
Wait. dear; do wear your muller.
It's much colder here, and you're not
used to it yet"
But Warren, scorning the muttler,
buttoned his coat with vigorous,
Gold? This is fine-not that Internal
dampness we got in London"
Anxiously Helen followed him to the
hall door, and stood there until with a
final nod he disappeared into the ele-
vator. Then she turned back to the
dusty, dismantled apartment with a
feeling of utter depression.
How strange and unfamiliar every
thing looked! AS she switched on the
lights and went from room to room,
Helen almost wished herself back on
the steamer Even their stateroom
seemed now more familiar than this
And their London apartment she pic
tured with an almost homesick throb
After the excitement of travelling,
there is always LET down" in getting
home. And now, instead of feeling
of relief at having left war-menaced
country, Helen had lurking longing
to be back there.
How she dreaded the unpacking!
Every article would bring rush OF
memories of those weeks in London
that now seemed so wonderful.
Never had her home life appeared SO
hdmdrum, so duly uneventful. She
shrank from taking up its daily routine.
Yet with the feeling that such thoughts
were disloyal, she tried to crush them
out.
She had turned on the heat and the
sizzling of the radiators emphasized
the loneliness of the place. Everything
was covered with dust. She gaZed
about helplessly-where should she be
gin?
When she had changed her travel
ing suit for an old kimono. Helen went
out to look for a dust cloth. AS she
swung open the kitchen door there
was a sound of dripping water, start
lingly loud in the stiffness
Stumbling against sharp corner o
the table, she CROPPED in the dark TO
the light. One of the faucets in tn
pantry sink was leaking! No, it wa
not turned off. Had it been dripping
all these weeks?
Nora was too careless. They SHOULD
never have left her to close the apart
ment, but Warren had insisted that
would be all right.
How had she left the refrigerator
A strong, musty odor greeted Helen
she opened it. Far back were a COZ
pie of shriyeled tomatoes. In a greas
brown paper was piece OF baco
green with mold And her last war;
ing to Nora had been to leave nothin
in the iceboX!
There were no clean busters. MOI
had left them all in the bottom OF II
broom closet, black as floor cloths.
Not having the heart to investlga
further, Helen turned off the kitch'
light. In the hall closet rag bag, 81
found one of Warren's old undershir
which she took for buster.
Even the toilet things on her dress
Nora had not put away, and tie air hi
u furnished the silver and rusted t
ID pins in the cushion.
Ie The first thing tomorrow she Wou
IN call up that Danish employing
ID agency. She would never take Nc
is back, of that she was now grlmly
to termined.
y. The snow blew in from the outs'
~ sill as she raised the window to sha
is out the dust cloth It was piercing
cold. The wind was growing strong
Of It ratified the window panes with a
es NAL whine. Oh, why had Warren &c
Up down to the Office on such mig
is How desolate it must be in that gr
ed deserted building with only the MI
i'm Waterman on guard.
on She pictured him unlocking his q
IN office with the silent covered type"
ed ers, the closed desks and safe. he
ne taken her there once at night, and
re- had never forgotten that impression
ap- deathlike stiffness, of tense suspen
ac' activity.
Her nerves already ,aut, she star
: violently as the phone shrllled out
was Warren! He was calling her
lust to break the awful LONELINESS
NY that office. She few into the Il
OH room, falling over an open sultcas
, her eagerness.
NO "Hello!" joyfully.
w. Number, please, SNAPPED cent
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