The Washington times., 1924-01-12

bag Of the most gorgeous dough.
nuts. Try one"
Lucy kept her back to them. in
tent on the milk. Chiclie could see
her cheek. A slow tear was trick
ling from the corner of her eye.
She slipped her arm about
Lucy's waist. whispering timidly.
Little George isn't worse, Is hep
Lucy shook her head.
Lucy. darling-you're just
tired"
Lucy faced them then, her mouth
twitching miserably. "Oh, ought
to be ashamed of myself, l sup
pose. But Teddy fell and cut his
hand, and George had to go to
lodge and I was here all alone"
She shook her head back, bring
ing a laugh that was full of tears
to her lips. ''Well, there; guess
it's just the strain. You two are
just angels, coming over SO much.
I'll never be able"
She couldn't finish, but went
over to the table, opening the bag
of doughnuts. II have some love-
ly Jelly. Sit down. III make a
cup of chocolate"
From the adjoining room came
a petulant, "Mamma-mamma-
'There-he's awake-Georgia,
I'm coming-mether's coming"
Lucy flew down the hall.
Almost Immediately other voices
rose. Mamma jink-I wanna
jink of water" Then Teddy.
Mamma, my hand hurts! It
hurts orful!'
Lucy's gentle voice soothed,
"Never mind now. MotherIl kiss
1t. There-it's better. Go to
sleep"
Lucy came back to the kitchen.
She didn't sit down. There was
the baby's food to prepare; little
clothes to fold; bottles to sterilize.
They helped her, trying to
squeeze In a lot of cosy, intimate
chatter, but LILY kept saying.
Eyes? Oh, what was THAR" and
running into the pantry, then out
to the porch, coming back with,
Whats that you were saying?"
She seemed entirely unaware OF
this nervous tensity. When they
were leaving her face had a pretty
flush. why, 1 feel thousand
times better! Drop in tomorrow
please-we'll have another quiet
little chat"
They walked home slowly, arm
in arm. The summer night drift
ed softly about. the old gardens
along Fair Oaks, amounting her
robes with the distilled fragrance
Of roses and sweet peas, coming
out again dangerous with dreams.
1t swayed about them, sweet with
romance.
Chickie said, "Oh, isn't 1t glor-
ious, though? And poor Lucy,
stuck in the house there. It's Just
a shame. She's so sweet with 1t
all!'
That's because underneath
Lucy is really happy"
''Oh, Mary! Why, she doesn't
know what happiness means:
Lucy's only thirty and she can
look down her whole life and see
that there just never is going to
be any pleasure in it. Why, she
can't think of herself for single
minute-couldn't even sit down
and talk to us. Just look at her,
and how pretty she used to be!
Her whole life is doomed"
Mary's lips frightened in a fam
ing silence. She said suddenly,
with rapid catch in her voice:
cts only because Lucy's nervous
now. She's been terribly worried,
and so many things come all at
once"
Chickie nodded obviously. ara
just like to bet, Mary, that If Lucy
could have known all this, she'd
never -"
Mary interrupted with a quiet
finality: "She'd do the very same
thing again."
Chickie trembled. MARY, you
don't really believe that?"
Eyes! Yes! Oh, Lucy was ter.
ribly in love. can remember.
She used to go about almost in a
trance. She was wild about George.
She Is yet. What was there for
her II she didn't marry?"
Mary went on now in a feverish