The Washington herald., 1920-05-11
Helene MarriedLife ',sszy 80 :;s szsssrls

aged forehead in a bewildered way
that struck me as Infinitely pathetic.
l was stirring chords Of memory
too soon.
That Internal head of mine" he
muttered, half impatiently. when
try to remember anything, 1t hurts
abominably."
/ felt remorse
Don't try" whispered, "and
don't bother about the likeness to
that other girl. Just like me-for
myself"
There was no coquetry in my
voice. although the words sounded
so. was desperately in earnest.
didn't wish Jim's love to revive
through any sense of duty, or
through the fact that he was bound
to me, and must therefore, willy
nilly, play the game.
How sweet those violets smelled.
From the park outside, too, came
the aluring scents of spring.
What shall i talk ,about?" I
queried, wanting to break into that
enchanted silence-and yet half
, afraid.
Yourself" said Jim, smiling into
my eyes with his own magnetic
ones.
/ drew my chair a little closer to
his couch. 1 determined to crush
down all nervousness.
There's nothing specially inter-
esting about me-" / tucked the big
rug more closely round the patient,
so that he might not catch a chill.
My parents died when / was quite
child. / can't even remember my
mother. / spent most of my early
life in boarding schools. And
they're not the happiest places for
a child, either"
A memory of those rather bleak
years swept over me. Then / con-
tinued:
'"When / was about II, a relative
of my fathess adopted me-" Here
/ smiled grimly. TT wasn't a very
happy arrangement A case of out
of the frying pan into the fire. you
know. I wasn't happy, though in
sense they were kind enough peo-
pie. But the place was never any
sort of home to me.
Il begged them to allow me to go
upon the stage. You ought to have
/ seen their look of holy horror! Any
thing to do with the theater was
anathema to them. They absolutely
forbade me-
! Jim's eyes were sparkling with
real interest. And 1 went onS
Il stuck the life out with those
people for about six months. 1t
was dreary time-but no doubt IL
did me a lot of good. 1t was what
the Scotch would call a dispensa-
ton"
Jim smiled-his rare, attractive
smile.
And what happened at the end of
the six months?"
Il ran away, and went on the
stage" Ny own smile was rather
rueful at tho recollection of that
period. AT first I had a pretty
CHASTITY time. II seemed as though
all Of the downs and few of the
ups were mine"
II couldn't get a job for quite a
while, except very minor things,
such as walking on nearly
starved"
Jim reached out and touched my
hand.
you poor, little grit" he whis-
pered, very tenderly IF only 1
lSObiu nave hCApcu you, ana TAKEN
you away from all the sordidness-''
| nodded.
"Yes. that's the word-sordid!" ]
repeated. at was almost as bad
when finally I did get a tiny part,
and went on tour. Those dreadful
lodging houses, run by stout, gos-
sipy landladies whd themselves had
been in the profession the
painful shortage of money '
the discomforts OF cheap travelling
the heartbreak and the
weariness."
But you arrived at last, didn't
your" queried my patient sympa-
thetically, holding my. hand in his,
and giving 1t tiny squeeze.
| AT last-after a long and uphill
climb. I'll admit now-looking
back-that the Joy OF making good
was worth all the previous strug-
gle. But 1t was hard at the time"
I sighed, little.
"of course 1t was" said Jim.
soothingly. patting my hand, IF
there's one thing / admire about
you more than any other, it's your
grit. couldn't imagine you run
ming away from anything .difiicult,
or playing the part Of coward. Miss
Helene!'
My conscience gave a disturbing
twinge. The part of coward? Since
Jim's accident. had not many
times been cowardly,: and afraid to
texplain my true position in his life