Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-10-06
BIG TIM Der
CONTINUED from Page Three

"and Wen do our best a child fro
Quently survives terrific shock 1t
would be mistaken kindness for me to
make light Of his condition simply to
spare your feelings. He has al even
chance. l shall stay until morning.
Now. l think 1t would be best to lay
nm on bed. You must relax, Mrs
Eyre. | can see that the strain Is tell
ing on you. You mustn't allow your
self to get in that abnormal condition
The baby Is not conscious Of pain. uo
Is not suffering half so much In his
body as you are In your mind. and you
mustn't do that. Be hopeful. Wen
need your help. We should have q
nurse, but there was no time to get
one"
They laid jack Junior amid down pill
lows on Stelln's bed The doctor stood
looking at him. then drew a chair be-
side the bed.
go and walk about little, Mrs.
Fyfe,' he advised, and have your din
her. III want to watch the boy
awhile"
But Stella did not want to walk. She
did not want to eat. She was scarcely
aware that her limbs were crnmpcd
and aching from her long vigil In the
chair She was not conscious of her.
self and her problems any more. Nv
cry shift Of her mind turned Oh her
baby, the little mite she had nurscd at
her breast, the one JOY untincturcd
with bitterness that wns left her. The
bare chance that those little feet might
never nDftnr H., To-,
little voice never wake her In the morn
Ing, crying "Mom-mom," drove her dis
tractcd.
She went out into the living room,
walked to a window, stood there drum
ming on tho pane with nervous fingers.
Dusk was falling outside; n dusk was
creeping over her. She shuddcred.
Fyfe came up behind her, put his
hands on her shoulders and turned her
80 that she faced him.
II wish l could help, Stella" he
whispered. II wish I could make YOU
feel less forlorn. Poor little Riddles
both of YOU"
She shook of his hands, not because
she rebellcd against his touch, against
his sympathy, merely because she had
come to that nervous state where she
SCARCE realized what shc did
"Oh," she choked, 81 can't bear It!
My baby, my little baby boy, the one
bright spot that's left, and lie has to
suffer like that! If he dies it's tho end
OF everything for me-"
Fyfe stared at her. The warm, pity
ing look OIL his face ebbed away, hard
aNpI into hto all IL III A
expression.
NO. he said quietly; at would only
be the beginning. Lord, but this has
been a dayT'
lie whirled about with a quick ges-
turc of his hands. a harsh, raspy laugh
that was very near a sob, and left her.
Twenty minutes later, when Stella was
lrresistiDly drawn back to the bedroom,
she found him sitting sober and silent
looking ut his son.
a little past midnight Jack Junior
died.
Stella sat watching the gray lines of
rain beat down on the asphalt the
muddy rivulets that streamed along the
gutter. 4 forlorn signing Of wind In
the bare boughs Of gaunt elm that
stood before her window reminded her
Achingly OF the wind drone among the
tall frs.
a CHASTITY two weeks had interviewed
since Jack juniors little life blinked
out. There had been wild moments
when she wished she could keep him
company on that journey into the I'M
Int toe III
times 1t hardens. Always 1t works
change, n greater or less revamping Of
the spirit. 1t was so with Stella Fyfc
although she was not keenly aware Of
any fortnight metamorphosis. She
was for the present too actively in
yolved In material changes.
The swapping Of that last link served
to deepen and widen tho gulf between
her and Fyfe. He went about his bust
ness grave and preoccupied. They sell
tom talked together. She knew that
his boy had meant lot to him, but he
had his work. He did not have to sit
with folded hands and think until
thought drove him into the bogs Of mel
.ancholy.
And so the break came With des-
perate abruptness Stella told him that
she could not stay; that feeling as she
did she dcspiscd herself for unwilling
acceptance Of everything where she
could give nothing In return; that tho
original mistake Of their marriage
would never lie rcctlfled by perpetual
,tlOn Of that mistake.
"Whats the use, Jack?" she finished.
'"You and I are 50 made that we can't
be neutral. We've got to BIO thorough
lily In accord or we have to part. There's
no chance for us to get back to tho old
way Of living. don't want to; CANT.
I could never be complaisant and 7fgree-
able again. We might as we'll como to
full stop and each go his own way"
She had braced herself for clash Of
wills. There was none. Fyfe listened
ito her, looked at her long and earnestly
and In the end made a quick, impatient
gesture with his hands.
"Your LIES your own to make what
you please Of now that the kids no