The Washington times., 1924-02-29

fort Of Janina and Stella's chatter:
with no wall between herself and
her fear, It reached UP and shook
her mind. 1t did this at odd mo-
ments-as she dried the dishes in
the evening. She would stand
rigid, cup in her hands. Coming
out Of this terror she glanced
stealthily at Jennie. Jennie didn't
notice.
Or it seized her sometimes as
she took a dress from the closet.
Suddenly, leaving her weak. lean
ing against the wall. murmuring
In fright. "No! Oh, God-no--"
More terribly than ever after
she said goodnight to Jennie and
Jonathan--then, just az she closed
the door OF her room-then 1t
sprang; then the walls were alive,
whispering in the pulsing quiet,
1T is! 1t ISL
She turned to this side and that;
she covered her face, and some.
times she sank on her knees at
her bed, twisting the blankets In
her hands, mad pitiful prayers at
her lips: ''God-don't let this hap
pen--oh, please--anything but this
you won't"
She rose quieted. Tomorrow she
would forget-be glad again.
Each night it was another to.
morrow; each morning, take up
the lockstep with Fear. Until
sometimes she fancied a visible
presence logged her--a relentless,
forbidding shadow; and others
would see her turn suddenly pale
as it touched her; they would see
her stop short, catching her
breath.
So she became unnaturally
alert, watching herself. So she
became unnaturally winsorne. Oh
she couldn't do enough for
Jennie. Let her bring in the
dinner. Sit still, Jennie darling
let her bring the tea
Jennie blossomed under all this
attention; Jennie grew young.
They went out in the evening to.
gether - str0lled down Mission
street; shQpped. Once Jennie said:
Jonathan, you won't be lonesomel
Chickie and / are going to make
new curtains for the living room"
Jonathan answered.: Take your
time, girls! Don't flirt with the
lads! That's all"
A thing like that made Jennie
blush-made her old heart glow
silly fellow, that Jonathan! She
linked her arm in Chickie 's-went
spryly down the block.
She was proud Of this tall, ra-
dtant thing-this child of hers;
never done with the wonder of it;
the thrill of being Chickie's
mother.
In the store where they bought
the scrim Jennie met an old
friend. The old friend said:
why. is this Chickie?" Her eyes,
surveying the delicate figure, all
| but said: "I can't believe It!
Dumpy little Jennie Bryce with a
daughter like this!'
Chickie saw the moist, shiny
Joy, in her mothers eyes; saw her
head give that little happy lift.
She turned abruptly--bent down
over the scrim, whispering to
herself: "Oh mother! Oh God!'
And the days passed. And the
weeks
One night she took Wilde.
She said to those two, sitting in
the living room: I'm stroll down
to Mary's-I won't be lioms till
late, perhaps"
She went up the hill to Twenty.
first, left the cloistral quiet of
Notwithstanding. The dog ran
with her, straining at the leash.
Then she began talking to her.
self-frantically-"Oh-I know
/ know-it is-Oh God
And ran quicker-let Wilde
pull her. And kept that UP, block
after block till her steps failed
and the dog came up to her, lick
ing her hand.
There was a hill there not so
far from Twin Peaks. She sat
down. Wilde crouched by her
| side, raising himself now and
then, licking her face, tasting her
her tears, pressing his mead in de-
votion against her knees.
She wound her arms about his
neck, saying family: "What shall
/ DOH Lord" She looked M
and could see the lights. yellow
and blurred of the automobiles.
There on that ledge. many a
time they had parkei, looking
down over the dark, quiet city,
Many time he had taken her
hand, murmuring. gally: Look
up, frail-ah, catch it as it falls!
Here-let me see her pretty
She could remember this--and
now. Remember this Barry she
had SO loved. That when he said
to her: "Oh. it Is right right as
the sun-as the river flowing
down here to meet the sea. It Is
for me!' That when he said that
she was convinced and yielded
him her heart.
But he didn't want II any
longer. 1t grew a burden to him.
She didn't want it either. Throw
it away!
But where
And she fancied that she would
walk again. This time to the
bay. She would wade in out
there near the Union Iron
Works. Go at night and the tide
would carry her far away-per-
haps---
She began to cry, resting her
head against the dog. He within.
pered. That made II harder
made her heart swell and turn.
She knew now. It was true
it must be--weeks and weeks.
Then she thought of Jennie.
And Jonathan. Then Of Mary.
GGAIcVEn CANI VnNI