Evening star., 1920-11-28

were inflamed with little threads of
| blood running through.
| Br-r-r-r! Cold! he said, hunching
his great shoulders and rubbing his
palms rapidly to generate warmth be-
tween them. "Cold"
She stood back against the cistern.
"Ah-h-h-h" He flung out his heavy
legs. slipping down in his chair. chin
in necktie. "Ah-h-h"s The smile
grew on his face as the indoor
and he closed his eyes and lay back.
Supper. GIRL" he said. finally.
She leaned to him her ear tuned to
his breathing, second Of doubt fash
ing over her as. he lay quiescent.
"Steve--Stevey, are-are you tired? ?
Is that alPs the-the natter"
Tired"
or-or have you been taking a
, Drop"
Quit your gassin'."
Her incertitude went out like =
tcandle-light.
ugh" she said.
Supper first. girl. and then all the
She ran her tongue around the rim
of her dry lips.
There amt going to be no supper"
Supper, there's a good girl. aTup-
pee, he used to call it. Tuppee-da-
'"rhere-there amt going to be no
supper" r.
He opened his eyes. regarding her
"Eh?' '-'o--'
You heard what said"
"EhT
II told you last night what would
happen if-if you came home this
way IL told you. And ! mean it!'
"Aw, now. Annie girl. supper nrst.
and then"
"I amt here to be your dog! Maybe
you think l am. but amt"
Il don't think-girl: don't"
There amt money enough on this
| earth to make me live through them
| first two years with you again. with
your 'supper-girl' talk. I'm woman,
| if you want to know 1t. same as you're
a man. only being woman the brunt
| is on me. I've lost my baby Just the
truth is known. little bit more, see
fng's ] bore him.
At that he fell to whimpering
against the back of his hand.
"Tve got the same kind Of heart
beating in me that you make so much
a woman. I don't soak it in alcohol
| when trouble comes. I'd sooner stick
| a knife in me right here before you.
Steve Kineady. than live through
| them first two years with you again.
I told you last night: Steve Kineady.
F., without having the pledge signed in
| your hands and your eyes clear. and
before God, mean 1t. Imean it,"
| He held up a hand SO lax at the
wrist that it fiopped.
Annie" he said. leaning beyond the
chair arm and with the wateriness
overlooking his eyes. "I'll be all right
! in a minute. Annie girl. Little sick.
that's all. Weather. Get supper. girl.
I'm all right: Dadee's all right, girl.
| 'Giddy-app.' he said that night to me
out Of a clear sky, when he lay fever
ing. 'Giddy-app.' Beat that! "Giddy-
Withholding herself there against
the wall. she yearned toward him.
pressing back with tight lips the sobs
against them.
! "Steve-Stevey@
| He was constantly with the back of
his hand daubing his lips and the
corners of his eyes.
"Steve-Steve, don't you know baby
| can-can smell it on your breath now
the same as he could II he was alive
l-Stevew
who's doin' this. you or me?"
"Steve. amt your wife? Don't I
! count for nothing? Is all the man in
you layin' out there in-in the little
| grave? Amt you got nothing for me
that's left? Amt we got each other.
Steve: amt"
"Its a germ. the doctor said. a
germ. that's what meningitis is. a
foreign germ that got him."
| 'But, Steve"
"That night in Liddy's bed the little
! fellow. SO used to his own little bed.
teok-"