Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-05
MOONLIGHT AND MONEY.
BY Marion Rubincam.
A NEW woR RY.
Chaptar LII.

Bv the doctors orders, Louise was
20 stav in bed until very late in the morn
ing. So, next day, she began new re-
gime. with Anne serving her coffee and
eggs at nine. Anne showed herself un-
expectedly competent. She had been
waitress and downstairs maid before
now she became fairly good general
nurse.
You seem to like this" Louise OBJ
served. watching Anne deity place the
breakfast tray so 1t was most comfortable
"Ycs m. said Anne, beginning tc
straighten the room. IL don't mind even
waiting on your mother, though she is SC
cross sometimes. But, laws, sick folks has q
right to be fussy"
HAS Mother been very Ill these last
little frightened.
The doctor told me WASH t to worry
YOU, she said by way of answer. She
hasn't been herself, but ] gIeSs she ism 6
as sick as she looks. She never does look
well, you know"
Louise slipped her coffee thoughtfully.
She suspected it was something more than
temporary breakdown, but she had been
so engrosSed with her own troubles that
she had not paid rs much attention TO
the Older woman as she would have done
some months ago. She decided to ask the
doctor when be came
When Anne left, she picked up Harry
letter OF the da' before and read II again;
Already she Flew it by heart. lie wanted
her to con-. back and she wanted, On
so much, to go back. But she knew what
1t me8 Mt.
She lay thinking about 1.-THE cold
house. the early riSings, the rushed break
e.. Al bsIl~ baf flIcH oVorV mail. the
lack of money and the desperate attempt
20 cook an appetizing dinner from made
Quate supplies. The hundred little IN
ronveniences that so with poverty came
y1p before her. tiny things which only
woman who has gone through financial
misfortune can appreciate. Each little
thing IN itself was nothing taken to-
gethcr they loomed so largc they made
her shuCder.
Suddenly she got out of bed. slipped
into her dressing gown and went to her
desk. She wrote briefly and hurricdly,
before her courage or her resolution could
desert her.
Dear Harry: Please don't ask me
10 come back can't yet. If it were just
ne. | would come But We have 10 think
nf other thlngs-oi the baby, for instance.
Don't try to see me. | couldn't stand ii.
Ill LET you know when | want you to
come here. II you stay away and don't
even write, it will make II easier. | can't
come back. not IS thing a-e now.
She signed her name without adding
even phrase OF affection for fear she
would break down Then she rang for
Anne 10 mail the letter and slowly dressed
herself.
''1he most sensible thing you ever did,
her mother commented when she told her.
I'm af aid my answer was harsh,
Louise SAID.
He deserves ha~shncss, :" Mrs Driscom
commented, her voice resping and hard.
" But you re SO soft yourself, you'll prob
ably regret your very sensible resolution
and telephone him you didn't mean it.
Louise was hurt, but she said nothing.
The figure sitting at the lunch table looked
old and almost feeble and intensely bitter.
She wondered why Der mother hated
Harry so.
When the doctor came that afternoon,
she faced him resolutely.
There nothing wrong with me, DR.
Drake. she said, her gray eyes fixed
on his face. But there is something
awiully wrong with Mother. Please tell
me exactly how she IS. won worry near