Evening star., 1922-07-16
By Edith Barnard Delanc

They walked on through shad-
owy place. came out into the starlight.
again. you are 30 strong" whispered
Anita.
Because came back here to look
after them all? I'd have had to pay.
anyway. It's life that's strong. You
don't get away from life. Life makes
you Day. even when you think you're
lodging payment. Honest-life 10. II
gives, but 1t makes you pay for value
received. One way or another"
They were passing the house next
door, where the surly girl and the
cruel lad lived. One thing you es-
| capped" Anita said. "You must be
thankful that you had no children"
4 \
MIRIAM stood still, looked at her.
" would give all the rest OF my
life" she said. "if / might have put
| child of mine into the arms of the
man loved. 1 would go into any
bondage IL I might only serve a liv-
Ing child Of my own, and il would be
freedom. blessed freedom"
Anita shuddered. "Ah. you're not
like any other woman! No one else
would say that. honestly, Children
are care and anxiety and mostly sor-
row-do YOU think anybody deliber-
atefy chooses that, today?"
Il know they do It's a small price
to pay for the Joy OF it. child"
Never! It's not worth it. / don't
believe any one honestly thinks it is.'
Miriam walked on. Come with me
| tomorrow" she said, II think per-
haps you'll understand better then"
So, in the morning. they walked the
road together again: this time Miriam
had a great sheat OF blossoms in her
arms. They came to a quiet place on
hill, snd there they met the man
OF the night before There was a
small box at his feet, carefully
wrapped, and in his hand spade. He
begah to dig. and as the yellow earth
became a mound Anita drew back,
shudderins.
"one was q boy and one was a girl"
the man said. Twins. The others
| is all girls
Yes" said Miriam. softly. Two I"
love. Two to remember"
We'll do that" said the man. Both
of VI will do that"
Anita's hand went TO her throat.
They waited until the mound was
higher. until the man stood waist
deep In the earth.
Il guess it's enough" he said. look
ing up at Miriam. They're SO little"
She gave him the boughs of bloom.
/ Make them a soft bed" she told
him. He took them-blossoms that
would never be fruit-and lined the
grave with them. Anita watched his
mired fingers touching their pink and
whiteness. caressing them. laying
them SO that no steme protruded.
Then he clambered out, and knelt
beside the box on the ground.
would you want TO see it?" he
asked.
0nH, yes" Miriam murmured stoop-
ing; Anita had all she could do
not to draw back. But she could not
take her eyes from those soil-grimed
hands with their nails broken by toll,
as they unfastened the paper. The
hands were shaking, shaking: the
man did not look up.
It's velvet. See-white velvet"
Miriam knelt and touched the soft
fabric. "Oh. lovely. lovely" she said.
Twins" the man said. his voice
husky They're layin' in there with
their arms around each other. They
look like little dolls.''
TT isn't everybody has twins" Mi
riam said. You've had them"
That's what my wife said. I'm
glad We had them, anyway, Ben she
said" He laid the little box down
upon the soft bed of flowers.
Anita, feeling as though the wings
of her spirit were beating against her
heart, stumbled away into the woods.
Last years leaves underfoot; dead
thrush in the path: ferns unfolding.
and the earth falling from the spade.
back there . Life, that was
life, everywhere honest life
that gave and gHse. and made you
pay Bread of understanding
Z" sWater of comfort
Michael
She found their little house locked
and unlighted: she guessed that he
had not used it since her flight. She
found him on the old couch in his
ONCE. an arm thrown over his eyes in
/ the gesture Of sleep that she remem-
bered. Her picture was still on his
desk, but the Uttered untidiness Of
his papers, his crumpled clothes the
| weary relaxation of him, ali i'm
pressed her as never before with the
pitiable helplessness of the male, his
unconscious dependence on woman
made comfort.
Michael, Michael-o Oh. on her
knees-just to touch him.
THE eyes that met hers were like
that other mans. who had lost
and suffered, blackened from a fire
that had burned too hot and too long.
"Nita"' he whispered. Then, sitting
up. "Nita! It's Nita!'
Not q sob-speech first. and her
hands upon him. Michael. I've come
back. I'm sorry, Michael. i didn't
understand
"Understand?"
ITS you 1 want, Michael and life
to be together. I'm willing to pay"
His grasp on her arms hurt her. but
the hurt made her glad "Nita! What
are you talking about? Pay"
"Pay-yes! I've found out. Michael
1--we thought, oh thought. 1 was
wrong. wanted happiness. and l
|