The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-05-23
The Dramatic Story Of
Chickie's Attempt
to Come BAG"
Continued from Yesterday.

the 1OlIy- OF guAI moment ana TO-
GREETED it. He, too, had gone
over the scenea Of the night; he
had been carried away by the
charm Of hills and water and a.
face that glowed palely in the ,
dark. Afterward he had been cool
enough to consider and to repent.
Afterwards he was calm enough
to realize the irnpetuous blindness
Of this friendship for her; and to
acknowledge the hurt 1t could do
to himself and his future. So he
was avoiding her.
She sat down before the bureau,
slowly took Oft her cap. He would
not be troubled by her!
In the next few weeks she hid
behind q smiling and gracious re-
serve. Once when It was near
Christmas time he stopped her in
the hall: make an exception for
once, win you, and come to the
symphony with me-please?"
mo, / can not"
''You really mean to keep this
up, then?"
"oh, yes! I quite mean It." She
said 1t in q tone Of ice, and for an
instant he looked down at her
with an astonished' doubt in his.
eyes. His mouth had a grilA look
''Well-very well--I guess I'm q
bit thick now and Them
He left her with the uncom.
Portable feeling that she had done
q cruel and needless thing.
And she remembered its many
services; remembered his bigness,
: coming that day when she had
reached the end of her hope
insisting so that she keep on
she must-then waiting for her
afterwards and seeming 80 glad
/ Tor her triumph. -.
b Well-n0 matter-some things
must be done! No choice at all!
She used to wish that the years
would hurry--that she was fin.
ished and out-thRt she was
thirty.five or forty and settled In
old, quiet ways.
In these days she wanted 30
often to cry. Her spirit was for,
ever putting up its hands to push
away memories-to force itself to
look with straight and quiet eyes
onward-and only onward
Once after very exhaNsitnS
. operation he said to her III the
genial way he had: "Well---yau're
q good little nurse! It's almost
two months and nineteen days
do you know that"
She pretended to have forgot.
ten. He added, 'I'm to hear q
few things then"
She smiled. saying evasively:
Much may happen in days and
/, weeks!'
He answered shortly, "well
lady, that's SO, isn't IT." : A lire
Of color shot into his cheeks.
After this he was almost formal
coming off duty she met him In
the corridor. Two women were
with him, one was q girl-the
other tall and elderly. Almost
with panic Chickie recognized the
high shoulders Of Mrs. Burdell.
She was so startled that she
bowed.
Mrs. Burdell's face turned GRIM
son, her lips compressed. Then
her smile became vague and un.
seeing. She took David's arm and
began talking in vivacious, quick
undertone.
Chickie went to the door, feel
ing as If she had passed through
7 waves Of fire.
She would have avoided him
that evening, but he came straight
to the room where she was on
A,,k- Il <n11AS hAa tat AHaA hall
Without any introduction he said:
Ibid you bow to Mrs. Rurdell
this afternoon"
''Yes-Tdid."
She's an aunt Of mine. Did
you know that?"
Chiche's breath labored. She
would not look at him. "Yes-I
know It,"
"Odd. How is it you've never
spoken of her?'
'Well-I suppose there are a
few people we both know and
haven't discussed"
do you know her rather
well?"
'Fairly-why the cross examina-
tion?"
where did you meet herr"
81 don't recall all the circum.
stances"
"Was Il recently2"
''In the SUMNER believe"
I'm the summer-weil! l didn't
know you were in New York this
summer"
Chickie glanced up at him, her
lips drawn. His mouth had q
hard, angry look. His eyes were
deep and cold.
my aunt doesn't recall meeting
you--she thought you had mis-.
taken her for someone else. So
she said! And you tell me you
met her in the summer. Now
what's the mystery?"
She didn't answer. He reached
down and took her. hand, held it
moment. His own shook. I'm
the merest friendship you owe
some candor to me, don't you?
What do you owe to her that you
won't speak?"
She felt things freezing and
grim in her mind. She said quiet
ly: II will tell you. No reason
why shouldn't. Your aunt
knows me. She has reason to
remember me. She made It her
business to get acquainted. She
came out here and sought the
meeting"
He asked with an ominous con-
troll: "Why?"
"She had some things she
wished to say to me-"
When was thIs?"
I'm the end Of August or early
In September-4T'm not sure"
"Yes2 And so you wrote a note
to me and cancelled dates?''
II did not write It because OF
Mrs. Burdell.
6Cva,. aiAS1AS Nrvn.A 49,. =