The Washington times., 1924-02-14

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ened.
She tried to knock 1t from her,
repeating: "Oh, I'll not shame 1t
90! Why--it swept u.s. But
she saw herself stepping from
darknesS-his vivid eyes. She
sank in the shrubs and began to
cry.
The she grew afraid. Everyone
would know. II she kept on like
this even Jennie would suspect
her. She went home by the
spring and, kneeling on the rocks,
bathed her face, dipping It under
the silver trickle of water. She
felt q gratitude to tha earth
to this spring.
She would be gay-tease Jona-
than--put her arm about Jennie.
She hadn't been 80 kind to them
these weeks-off on her own
pleasure from morning till night.
Now she had a wild longing to
win them-make them laugh.
She went In, swinging her hat.
But at her place was bunch Of
sweet peas. Jonathan had done
that. Now he took her chin in
his hand, Lonesome, Chiclkie,
girl? But your dad was the gal.
liant lover in his day. Ask your
motherr'
She dropped her face down and
rubbed 1t against his palm. Oh
II he kept doing things like this
the first thing she knew he'd
have her crying In his arms.
Then he'd know. She'd die first.
Let Jonathan know that! See
the light 60 out Of his ehuclxling
eyes-giant that he was---
. During dinner this fear came
and ate at her breast. Its teeth
sank in her heart. She glanced
over to him, then at Jennie.
Jennie said, getting UP quickly:
''Oh, I forgot the sauce. IL that
what you're looking for?"
"No-mother. you spoil me!
No wonder I'm selfish un-"
Lips shaking, she crumbled the
bread. "No--why don't we 90
home tomorrow? I have some
shopping to do. and then ] ought
to be back at work. Janina
wrote"
Jonathan, said, Eyes, wen go.
Vacation enough. What say,
Jennie?"
It was decided. She went about
in restless fever, gathering
her things. Green dress she had
worn, rolling 1t into a knot,
slowing It in the bottom Of her
trunk. Books he had given her
turning the pages, swapping
them abruptly closed.
Get back to work-plunge her
self into it-hammer at the type.
writer till her fingers ached.
Close out these hills-never look
at the river again
But the morning she dressed
for the office she shivered with
nervousness. She brushed her
hair again and again, taking a
bleak satisfaction in the rough.
ness of her stroke. She stared
q long time at her image, won.
dering If there was anything diff
ferent in her face-some pitiless,
revealing mark. She was afraid
to meet Janina.
On the car she glanced fur
lively dS OShOA SAAS 6OAh0 w
work: speculated in a kind of
despairing excitement about their
lives-their thoughts. Did any
one but herself have a cold,
trembling weight lodged remorse-
lessly in the hearth
A smartly dressed girl with a
wink in her black eyes laughed
merrily, coquetting with q much
older woman. The sound rang
jeeringly along Chickie's nerves.
She opened her book, stunning
the brightness. She would never
be flippanly happy. like that
again.
But Janina met her with re-
freshing vigor, and Stella Wilson
put her arm about her. They
told her all the news. They
missed her. She looked wonder.
ful-freckles on her nose. Lemon
Juice for that. Oh-she found
herself laughing, too.
But when she sat at her desk
and all by chance glanced across
the alley, a pulsing cold went
over her. Her fingers stiffened
on the keys. For a long while
she did no work. Lewis hap
pened to pass. He twitted her:
"Too much vacation, Miss Bryce?
Or not enough?"
Her mind sharpened. For an
hour she typed relentlessly. and
pausing to get a new piece Of car.
bon paper, she was suddenly back
on the river, padding into the
dark, feeling 1t close about her.
All that first day terror gripped
her.
That night there were letters he
had written on the train - they
were warm in her hand, living