The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-12-08
RS. BALDWIN" be-
SeM gan one of the women.
N .srnev were cleaning in

gan one OF the women
AA "They were cleaning in
the sewing-room today. Mrs. Bald
win told us
.aThat's all right - that's all
right" he fastened to say. Don't
disturb yourselves. III
sit some place else
He withdrew, gently closing the
door behind him. He considered
= moment, rubbing his chin, then
proceeded to the opposite end OF
the hall, where the nursery was.
It was deserted here. Lucy's
white. stenciled bed stood in the
corner: there were a rack for her
books, a clothes pole for her small
wraps. her dolls house, a diminu-
tive chest Of drawers, small play
table and chair. The room was
clean. cheerful and in immaculate
order.
BY the window was a low rock.
Ing CHAIR, anu 4A4IO- tins = @-AAAR
lowered himself and unfolded the
ovening newspaper he had brought
upstairs with him. But he found
IN it nothing to interest him. The
printed sheet slowly dropped to
his knees, and he turned his eyes
to the window. The garden was
below, scrupulously trim and
clean; sparrows were fighting by
the edge of the rockaway, watched
from afar by a stealthy cat who
picked her way along the ivy-cov-
cred wall behind the greenhouse;
the dying sunlight flung the shad-
ows of tail clipped rose bushes
across the lawn.
His mind drifted to the after
Moons events. and as he sat gaz-
ing with unseeing eyes out upon
The empty. quiet garden. happy
memories returned to him. He re-
Esembered the moment he had
first seen Marjorie, wringing out
her little pile Of wash under the
willows; that was when she had
called him ''Mr. Hercules and
then there were the nights Of the
white moon, and the days in the
city when he had got his first job.
and used to haunt the flat over
the grocery on Valencia street.
He lived again the wonderful
hours Of their brief honeymoon at
Del Monte, and recalled their In
nocent gaiety, theie delight in one
another, their joyous freedom and
perfect companionship. And then
there had been meddling Mrs.
Jones, and the time Of their sepa-
ration, and their chance meeting
in front of the library, and the
silent, thrilling walk up Post
street. He saw again the corner
of the little candy store, when his
earnest pleading had won her
back to him, and he heard once
more her broken, fearful confes-
sion:
I've always loved you, Phil;
I've never stopped loving
you"
Singing pricks shot either eye
ban. He pressed fat palm to
his eyes, and squeezed the pain
still. 1t was gone-it was over
It would never come back again.
Youth was dead-and love, too.
There was no use thinking about
such things. Marjorie had been
right; he was too old, too disillu.
stoned.
There was a running patter OF
feet in the hail, and Lucy flung
wide the door; her eyes, as she
caught sight OF her father, wild
ened with delight.
"Dad.-why. Daddym She flew
10 him and climbed upon his
knees. hugging and kissing him.
You look so funny in that
little chairt''
The nurse came in and began to
put away a few things. She dis.
appeared and returned presently
capped and aproned.
Come, Miss Lucy" she said.
with patient resignation to the dig
traction occasioned by the man IN
the room, Its time to get ready
for supper"
How was the party?"
and then the little girl be-
gan to cry and said she wanted to
go home, and lady came and
asked her what the trouble was,
but the little girl wouldn't tell,
and then the lady took her away