The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-09-30
(Continued.)

AOOhlAluSo.t
CHAPTER Lv.
Once upon time 1 learned a quo
tation from Robert Louis Stevenson. |
1t returned to haunt me now.
$50 long as we love, we serve; SO
long as we are loved by someone
would almost say thht we are indis-
pensable and no man is useless while
But hadn't q friend in all the
city-and L hadn't served Neal. So
I was just about useless.
Those were ugly gray moments L
spent leaning against the rerectory
understanding at the closed door be-
yond which Neal was telling Jim the
secret from which l. his sister, was
shut out-and shut out because of
my own stupid failure to see that Neal
was in dead earnest and not all eXcit-
ed by Numbering about his promo
t1on and his "crushes."
Suddenly, in very shame, tore
myself from my telI-tale position and
fairly planted myself in chair across
the room. After ALL if Neal had
needed me-had actually wanted to
confide in me--he would have made
another effort. No, he preferred to
go to Jim. No one needed me.
$50 long as we love, we serve"
weIl--whom, then, was 1 serving?
Not Neal Not Jim, either, for If
there was indeed the gambling fever
in his blood, L didn't know how to
Jim and Neal-rny two boys-were
together in the other room. was
outside alone All my efforts to
bring them close had never awaited.
But when they needed each other
-gravitated together without me.
me. / don't even know how to help
my husband. I'm useless - and
alone" L told myself, and sat mo-
tionless-beyond mere tears.
From far away a voice came to me.
But 1 was so numb with pain that ]
couldn't bring myself to respond. I
Just sat there. silent and still. Again
the voice from behind the closed door.
1 didn't reply. L didn't matter =
no one needed me. But to myself, ]
made a breathless vow:
80 long as L live / will never ask
what the secret is that Neal and jim
name. So long as L live I won't pry
They've shut me out. WE'LL they
shall see that can accept even thai
with dignity"
Maybe martyrs look foolish to 9th
er people Nevertheless they suffer
/ can bear witness to this-they suf-
fer tortures.
And now the closed door opened
and in came Jim and Neal-together:
well, little dreamer, now abou
dinner" demanded Jim.
His tone was jovial enough, but i
had the inSistence of hungry mar
when mealtime comes. I came bacl
to earth and seven o'clock with {
start.
There was not single thing ready
I had forgotten all about dinner.
The worst of it all was that thi
was the one thing for which 1 wa
needed. The one way L could. serv'
my husband and my brother--by pre-
pairing their meals. L might he a
miserable about it ever 1 liked, blu
revolt wouldn't free me. / was tn
cook-that was alI-the cook.
I got up mechanically.
Nothing ready, But TIL hurry
Will you peel the potatoes for me
Nea1?"
began distantly, but ended OF
that hoinely note in a sudden yearn
&g to1fihd Neal again, cosy and jolly
the red-headed boy L knew. Surel
he'd come back if got him in
Kitchen apron, laughing as usual owe
thb-thumbs he developed when he go
a. vegetable knife well in hand
could find the brother l come nea
losing if once I got him out in tn
kitchenette. Jim would lie on tn
couch and read his paper. | wante
to shut him out noW-and pc aIon
with Neal. But Neal didn't share m
desire.
Think I'll go out for dinner. Nc
hungry yet. Take a walk first"
muttered uneasily.
"Righto," Jim replied in complet
Understanding.
but, Nea-you won't want to g
when I tell you the news" l broke il
"Oh, company" NeaIs hand wa
on the door knob.
DO you want to be out when Jim
little sister comes to dine with us
I don't think Phoebe would like thu
D very WELL" / said, trying for pei
fectly natural manner, with the usu'
Iresults-my mouth seemed to twI
and send out stilted. unnatural word
"Oh, Phoebe!'
Meals voice was still steady, he
SO by a cold determination to act lii
a man and not break down and BLU
her like a -boy-of that felt sure. +
took his hanad from the knob, ar
tthen-turned toward the door aga
with new purpose.
ct think I'll just run over to IL
Rochambeau and call for Phoebe
said he.
Jim looked up from the paper !
was reading. His eyes caught Nea
and held them for a second. The
as he took up his reading again
spoke-dryly:
II wouldn't"
Neal opened his mouth as if to pr
test closed it again. and walked ov
to the curtained recess where he hui
his clothes.
Instead of reaching in and hangil
up his hat, he disappeared behind Il
curtains with it. AND nothing mo
was said about calling for Phoet
The silence remained unbroken, sa,
for The rattle of Jim's paper as
fold9d back the sheets. 1 went o
to Git the dinner. Nothing else w
required or expected of me.
Alter a moment Jim appeared
the doorway.
Ill help you" he said. ST sc
the boy out for a breath of air
NEEDED it,
hat was ALL And asked
uuetions. Had 1 not vowed that
Ioni as I lived L wouldn't questi
Jiu or Neal about. the secret frc
whth they had shut me out?
Chapter LVI.
h stern silence Jim helped me pl
pah dinner. His eyes, had that
mdt indescribable look of reno
ned that comes INTO them when h
redly not here at all-but over
Frhce again. I felt that he "
drdming himself back to the de
VIII n he flew through the clouds