Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-23
A Little Journey

TN HER own room, Anne was making
1 preparations to leave. She moved
about the room like an automator
gathering only the barest necessities to.
gether, and when her small bag wat
finally packed she went to the drawer Of
her dressing table and took out hel
purse.
Every impulse in her cried out
against taking any of Steele's money
with her, but there was Elinor to be
considered end she must have money
to tide her over until she could get
work. In her pocketbook she found
S45 in bills, and some small change.
Her balance at the bank came to nearly
S4OO, but she placed her bank and
check books on the table where they
would be sure to be found. She could
not use a penny Of that. and what she
was taking with her she would pay back
Just as soon as she could.
Ten minutes later with a cape
thrown around her, and in a small hat
from which Aoated black veil. she
was going down in the elevator. and In
half an hour she was sitting in the
stuffy dny coach Of one Of the suburban
trains.
Any one who had taken the trouble
to look at her closely would have seen
her small face white and set under the
protecting mesh Of the veil. Her eyes
gazed straight ahead. like a sleep
walkers, and when she alighted at q
small country station, she slipped
quickly around to the back and began
to walk swiftly down a narrow street on
either side Of which were small frame
houses. each with Its own little grass
plot and all absurdly alike.
She turned in Mt one OF these and
as she rang the doorbell, emotion swept
over her for the first time. She felt
sudden trembling through all her body
and a singing sensation in her eyelids,
and as the front door was flung open
she had to fight for composure before
she could speak.
"Who is IT." snid a woman's voice
"It's so dark, can't see n thing"
"It's I, Mrs. Higgins" and Anne's
voice trembled over the words.
u0 Hcst HloiHtHt tHe WVhoH uhu
drawn her through the small dark hall
and into a square box Of a parior,
and Anne had sunk down into a chair,
fighting against tho deadly faintness
that was threatening to overwhelm her.
The woman called Mrs. Higgins
brought glass of water, and Anne
drank it. thirstily. Finally she looked
up with faint smile.
II haven't been well," she explained
apologet ically, "and I walked up from
the station. ] guess It was too much
for me, How % the baby? Is every.
thing all right?'
Her eyes were fxed on the older
woman 8 face and there was something
about the expression Of 1t that brought
Anne suddenly to her feet. "Tell Inc
She isn't sick again, is she? She
seemed so well when was here a week
ago.
"She was well, she seemed fine until
yesterday, but last night I noticed that
she had tn ken another cold and was
feverish. ] sent for the doctor this
morning, and ] expect him again in a
few minutes. I'm glad you've come
Mrs. Temple. DO you want to 20 right
upstairs and zee her?"
On the way upstairs Mrs. Higgins
tried to be reassuring. you mustn't
get yourself all worked up and excited
you'll need all your strength If the doe
tor finds that It's serious"
But, Anne did not answer. She could
not. She was half wild with fear and
anxiety. Elinor was i'll. Elinor, her
own little baby Suppose something
happened to take her away!
o, God" she prayed agonizingly,
don't let her die :"
| And then at last she was besid,
the bed and was bending fcarfully over
the small flushed face on the pillow.
TOmOrrOW-The ViriI