The Washington times., 1924-03-14


her-mOther-Oh God
She leaned her back against a
tree-mistleto trailed in her hair.
She kept saying-"Godl God!' And
she ran up and down. She flung
herself against the earth. Wilde
licked the Wetness from her face.
That night the child was born
CHAPTER CT.
Chickie's Wire.
She lay on the pillows, her eyes
closed, And she didn't look at
the child and didn't want 1t in
her arms. She lay there. Knives,
sharp and flashing, went piercing
through her brain. Her brain said
to her: "She's dead-you'N never
see her r1ow-never. You wouldn't
go-would you"
She saw her mother with the
plump, gentle hands crossed on
her breast. They were cold hands,
and Jennie'g face was still. She
had failed them. She was the
one who had caused all this.
Now Jonathan was alone "a
stricken soul and robbed Of all
he had-even Of her-his golden
child.
Chickie turned. She murmured:
"Mother--oh Jennie!"
Then Agnes Robbins came and
put the baby in her arms. "A
little girl, Merle. Pretty--look at
It"
A girl-but she didn't want q
girl to stand so blithely at q
mirror: to laugh q high clear
laugh because her heart was gay.
Oh-at the last she prayed and
prayed that 1t would be O son.
So easy for q man!
Agnes smoothed the covers.
Look at 1t, Merle"
Then Chickie did. A moan Quiv.
cred from the depths Of aching
memory: Halr-the baby had hair,
his hair-a red-gold floss curling
tight and thick over the small
head. Chickie had never seen hair
on a baby before. Lucy's chill
dren and Mary's were all bald.
She lowered her head that Agnes
might not see her chin: her lips
that twisted 30. Then she touched
the baby's hair-lightly ran her
fingers over It. She wept and
brought the tiny face into the
cradle Of her arm-in q great
pity-in q sheltering loyalty. She
said, poor little thing-oh-poor
little thing" Hers-only hers
she leaned down and kissed its
forehead.
It lay so quiet. It opened it's
eyes and seemed to look right
at her. Then its eyes were closed;
the little weakened face unmoved.
She heard Agnes speaking to
the doctor. She held her breath
In fear. Agnes said: you'll take
her to the hospital now, doctor?"
Better not" She caught a
word here and there-"Weak-I
wouldn't take the risk"
A momentary gladness filled her.
Safe-oh, she was safe here The
mad pain she had endured was
not in vain. She had locked the
door Of her room. ground her
hands together, wondering with
each new, tearing shock that any
one could suffer so and live. Only
when her senses seemed leaving
her: when the wildness Of tor.
ment was splitting her body in
two had she called Agnes. When
the doctor arrived the baby was
born-here, on the ranch-as she
had so fervently determined.
And they wouldn't move her
now-too weak.
Agnes went quietly about the
room. She took the baby and
put 1t in a basket, leaning down
and for a long while searching
its face. Agnes shook her head
An almost imperceptible move
ment. Chickie saw this distantly
as in another world.
Then she slept. She had
dream. Someone stood at a door.
It was he. Then he came over
and knelt at the bed. He took
her hand and kissed it. She felt
his lips along her arm. He was
saying something. He seemed to
be crying, and she had to lean
over to catch the words. They
were these: 'Chickie-ah-you
thought I wouldn't come-you
thought that, Chickie You were
blaming me. But didn't know"
She answered with a faint
laugh: "Oh-they told me you
were married."
But he stopped down then and
raised her in his arms. She
noticed for the first time that
he held the child and her-both
Of them
She Observation-Disclosures.
bling. The baskets of wandering
Jew hung from the beams. She
stared at these. Then she saw
the makeshift cradle and gave a
sharp, tortured cry.
Emily Faris, the stout, gossipy
woman who had come from a
neighboring ranch to act as
nurse. hurried to the bed. She
brought a cup and said to
Chickie: Drink this, girlie--you'll
feel better"
Chickie said: Where is Az.
mes Robbins7"
Sleeping"
And Mrs: Faris carried the baby
ana laid 1t at her side, saving
curiously: "See If 1t will nurse. !"
Chickie stared at her, bewilder-
ed: Again that SILVER Of aversion
seized her. Ho! What a mon
strous think to ask-incredibIe
word to say to her. And this
little, quiet thing with its shut
eyes and its floss of ruddy hair.
lying in her arms-hers-it was
hers She had a chiIdI