The Washington times., 1924-04-23
CHAPTER XLvII.
SERVICE.

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It was nearing Christmas time.
Chickie went home often for din
ner. In all the windows along
Fair Oaks were holly wreaths.
And in their cottage there were
three. each tied with a smart
crimson bow.
Last year they had hung up
wreaths, too--waiting for her.
She thought Of 6his as she slipped
her key in the door. The moment
it opened Jennie called: THAT you.
Chtckie, dear?" Then there would
be a little hurried rolling up of
her apron and the sewing hidden;
bits of ribbon and bits of lace
sticking out here and there. AS
though Chickie didn't know the
delightful things Jennie was max
ing.
The two Of them had packages
hidden everywhere, and it was
Don't open that Don't look
there! Come, now, you'll have to
watt! And red berries In old
j0rdinieres, In every corner. So
that all about the place was this
glad plney breath Of the holidays.
Chickie wondered II these two
were really happy now; or If, I'M
derneath, their hearts were
bowed. Did they Keep thinking
of the last year ami all those
letters and the loneliness? Did
they mourn for the blithe golden
thing wto was gone, and for all
those dreams Of her that now
could never be-?
And was the loss hard to bear?
Was the shame hard? How did
Jennie feel when she went out in
the morning for her shopping?
Did her blood flash when neigh
bors spoke, espe cially il they SAID,
And how Is Chickle nnw?"
Late one afternoon Chickie met
Mrs. Bigelow. She was waddllng
along. her plump, short arms
filled with packages. Roy Bige-
low, her only son, had been in
love with CEickie during their
hsgh-school days. He was a ,ong-
necked, ungainIy youth. Chickie
used to tease him and laugh ia
his face just to see it grow red
and shiny.
Now Mrs. BigeloH said to her.
We'll. Ch:ck!e Bryce, so you're
nome for cool, are you? 1 was
just wondering about it,"
She regarded Chici6ie-her chin
drawn up and wrinkled like an
immense walnut. Her eyes set
tied on the white garClenia Chickie
had pinned to her blue suit.
You're not looking downcast,
T
last night, you done well to
come home. You might just as
well take your punishment-not
that I'd eyer be one to throw
stones. But curdled milk is cur
died milk, and no use trying to
make out that it's whole.
You do well to admit it,
Chickie. And as Roy said to me,
who knows but what some man
may be willing to overlook it
seems they amt so particular
nowadays"
She dropped two of her ntlmer-
Gus bundles. Chickie stopped and
picked them up. Setting them on
top OF the others, she looked di-
rectly into Mrs. Bigelow's wide,
steamy face: did Roy say that,
Mrs. Bigelow? That's real big
in him. But will you tell Roy
for me, please, that no man shall
ever have a chance to overlook
me and my faults"
Chickie ran up the steps, shak-
ing. That night she said to Jen-
ME: Mother, do the neighbors
talk much to you? Do they make
you very unhappy"
Jennie's fair skin turned family
pink, but there came a light into
her eyes. She answered with pa
thetic formality: Your mother
is proud Of you, Chickie, dear"
80 they do-do they? Some
day they'll have cause to talk!
You bet they shall!'
She dreamed Of this childish re-
venge. Oh-she would do some
magnificent and splendid thing
ram her nobility down their
Threats; tower above them like q
new, flaming Joan.
The day their white caps were
given, she felt this mighty stir of
pride like an inspiration. They
stood in the pretty garden court
just outside the nurses home
the sixteen girls whose probation
was finished.