The Washington times., 1924-03-04
CHAPTER LXXXVIII.
THE WORLDS OPINION

THE WORLDS OPINION.
Chickie recalled with a CULVER
Of alarm the intent ,amazement
in Mary's face. She had almost
given herself away, standing
there against the wall-crying-
making up that wild tale. She
was afraid to meet Mary again.
The next afternoon, as she
came from work, Tommy Blake
stopped her: Mother wants to
see you, Chickie. Right away"
Wants to see me? Why?"
Search me! She told me to
Yait for you"
Chickie trembled. But she went
through the dilapidated garden
where she and Mary romped
and had tea parties and buried
the sparrows that the cat killed.
She passed the stunted palm and
the old breath of heaven tree,
picking a branch of the tiny
white flowers.
She did the same thing long
ago Sunday when she came to
ask Martha about the Blessed
Damozel and If a kiss was wrong.
1t was a little after 5. This
was Martha Blake's best hour.
Her table was laid, her dinner
cooking. She used to sit in the
r0omy, old-fashioned kitchen in a
low wicker chair reading until
Jimmy came.
Now as Chickie pushed the
screen door Martha's rich, mellow
face sharpened. She brought out
frozen raspberres and slices of a
light creamy cake.
"A long time. Chickie, dear"
since you've paid your old friend
visit. want to know about
that young girl. Mary told me
this morning."
Chickie's heart stopped. For
palsied moment she could not
even remember the name she
had given to Mary.
Martha said: why, I mean the
girl who tried to hang herself"
Chickie closed her eyes: She's
better. A little. You mean Kath-
ryn Armour"
Poor child!' Martha shook her
head. II want to go and see her,
Chickie-"
"See her? Oh"
Eyes. I've been thinking all
day about her-poor girl. Some
one should help her. Will you
take me to see her, CHECKER"
'See her! can't! Oh-she's
gone! She went away. She went
this morning. She went to the
country. Left a note. Oh, I
can't take you to see her, Mrs.
Blake. l don't know where she's
gone. The note just said for us
not to bother. Shed get along
somehow. So I suppose she will.
Oh, she's desperate, suppose.
She'll try that again. l think so.
1 think she means to try it
again"
1--WE must find her, Chickie.
She can come here. She can
have Mary's room"
Chickie pushed the berries from
her. Her lips twitched. Tears
ran into the corners of her mouth.
81 don't think we can, Mrs.
Blake. She just didn't tell a soul
where she was going. She didn't
want us to know"
Martha kept shaking her head,
her eyes full of sadness. TOO
bad-too bad"
"You feel sorry for her? But
won't she be better dead? Much
better?"
"Why do you say that, Chickie?
No one is ever better dead"
''MaEN thought so! Mary said
it was a terrible crime to bring q
child here without a father"
cit is a terrible thing"
"Well-" Chickie doubled her
hands, driving the nails into her
flesh. "Well-Kathryn was sweet.
Oh-she would be good to it,
She would love it. Why is it
such a crime, Mrs. Blake, be.
cause Kathryn was to have a
child and it's so wonderful that
Mary has one? That's what made
Kathryn bitter. She loved the
man; loved him terribly. She
thought they had the right.
don't know-of course. But it
seems queer that a thing can be
so holy and beautiful after a few
words are said and so shameful
and hideous without those words
-"
"Ah, no, Chickie! That's not
it at all. Marriage isn't instituted
to make an immoral thing moral
as some people seem to think. 1t
is instituted to safeguard the race
the child. We must do this.
1t isn't a question of right and
wrong at all. There is no evil
and no shame in a fine human
emotion. Marriage doesn't alter
this. 1t is merely a question of
experience. And marriage is the
device that helps us to meet
honorably the consequences of
our deeds"
CTO BE Continued TOmOrrCwJ
Copyright, 1924. King Features