The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-12-17
CHAPTER CxLvI

aged right arm lying in a strange me- chanical "cradle" above the coverlet. Oh Betty, dearsRI'm so glad I re- membered Miss Moss. Tony made me by playing detective and asking Jeanie where she'd met you first"
 You clever Princess Anne-to fig ure that Miss Moss is my friend in need" murmured Betty, with shin ing eyes
 been allowed to be that friend, Betty B.,'II answered, remembering what Betty had called herself the time she helped me buy Virginia's house pres entAthe very day had first reached out humbly asking for the friend- ship I had once been too stupid to take.
 Betty must also have remembered. For a minute she lay quite still, smil- with a husky little catch in her throat:
 T asked you to promise that if you ever needed a friend you'd come to nee1s the friend, and you've come so far-to me"-
 Her voice trailed off, and in an- other minute my splendid, brave, proud Betty was sobbing for all the world like a tired little girl.
 I slipped to the floor at her left side,'and pillowed her head against my heart, smoothing her soft hair and murmuring to her as if she were my own little sick gir-.
 After minute or two Betty lay still, and then a muffled voice spoke:
 I'm so tired, Anne-so tired!'
 "I know, dear" I answered. "You've borne the pain and the fear all alone. I used to see you press your hand to your lips and wonder"
 Betty sighed and snuggled closer.
 "It was vanity
 "You big baby, You regular woman, youW I replied. "But I'm sure it was more than that The
 "It was awful Anne!' Betty shud- dered. That scar burned like fire, and it seemed to be dragging my hn- gers back and twisting up my arm, l couldn't brush my hair metlmes. And kept thinking if I lost the use of my hand-I used to put it to my lips to cool the pain.'
 "The paiuis gone, dear. And your arms going to get we'll" I said.
 --Betty's long gray-green eyes flashed me a quick. but intent glance. It made me realize how strangely our parts were reversed. Here was com forting, brave, self-reliant Betty as if phe were a helpless little girl instead .of the splendid woman she had all ways shown herself to be. But in spite of my consciousness of the all most nightmare queerness of it all, knew this was my chance to score an important point, so went on lelehl- lessly.
 Betty, now that you see how well your arm is being taken care of, don't you see also how wrong it is to worry over the other things that have been such stumbling blocks to you"
 "I try not to think, Anne. But it's hard lying here. And I know now I'm a coward, too-about pain. So that makes it seem all the worse my driving poor Athertor into the war by telling him what I'd do if I were man. He didn't want to go-and he had to because he knew I'd despise him"
 ''fJow, listen, dear" I interrupted gravely, "Atherton Bryce died splen- dfdiy You gave him a chance to go like a man-with his airplane for funeral pyre. Not just dropping of sickness dying miserably, rusting. You made him a hero-thats what you did for him"
 "I know it, Betty B. There's man you were square with. And l know how square you can be with some people,"
 Are you scolding, Anne?a I'm sick, you know. scolding from you
 "Yes. I'm scolding. dear: You can be square You were with the man who is dead -"
 ''And you think I'm not - with
  her flushing cheek in my shoulder.
 ,'.Not with Terry. Not with Betty" l replied.
 How do you mean. Anne"
 'sWhy, dear, you love Terry And you aren't brave enough to risk life again. You're living in a gray-ghost world of pain and remembering. And Terry's out in what ought to be sun light, but what is all darkness be- cause he's so lonely for you"
 nT1bf bear iti I told you once that all ways hurt the people I 1ove-that friendship was the best. Ever since I saw Terry tumble down that hill an No Mans Land with shell and flame back of him. I've felt as if I'd seen my poor Atherton falling-fall- ing in his flaming car. It was an omen."
 'swell, if it was an omen," I ven- tured daringly, "I can only interpret 1t to mean that Terry was saved for yuu-and the other, not being meant for you, had to go. Betty, omens are stlly-stupid. It's all so long ago, can't you forget and start over?"
 .oTriedl Betty, you're selfish woman after all. You aren't big enough and brave enough to ask your friends for help. because you'd rather rnembering Atherton that kept You from Terry. It was being stupid and proud and afraid about your arm.''
 'Anne"r
 sYes," I went on pitilessly. But you play Lady Bountiful to every one except the man who loves you so ten derly, so-gloriously that You owe him everything. You let Terry starve in the dark, because you aren't brave enough to take what you want Your arms going to be we'll now. But even ff 1t weren't, don't you know how Terry would love taking care of your" "Anne! Anne-you hurtF'
 ..I know, dear-but it's true; all true"
 n held her close and said no more A little clock licked in the silence, and a window curtain rustled against the sill.
 "Anne," whispered meek little voice at last, you might get Miss Moss and take her for a walk = and tell Terry I'm alone. But would you mind powdering my nose hrsL! think Eve been-crying a little.
 CHAPTER CXBVII
 Leaving Betty alone with her mem- ories, her hopes and her dreams. l