New Britain herald., 1926-07-06
nothing wrong between Sylvia and

Fanny.
 If she had been caught on top oi Mt. Vesuvius during an eruption, she would ha,e pretended to admire the fireworks. That was the kind of woman she was.
 She smiled first into Lolly's little painted face. and then into Sylvia s white, tragic one. Shall l take you home with me, dear?" she asked Sylvia, or do you wan, to visit a little longer with Ranny?"
 NO, I'll go with you, if you don't mind" Sylvia answered. Its rain ing cats and dogs outside"
 "Oh, easily cats and dogs; even elephants and ostriches," Lolly mocked her, as she swayed herself across the room to kiss her brother good bye.
 Let tell you something, Blond Sheik," she said. looking down at him. "Now that you're losing Sylvia, I want to go on record as saying soberly that I think shes worth q dozen of you. A bakers dozen" And with an emI hatic toss Of her frivo- lous little head, and a flash of the highest ht Is on the market, she was out of tho rooIL.
 Well. Randall dear" his mother said, completely ignoring Lolly, as she usually did, "I'll come here to- morrow r you, about this time. and take you home with me, eh ?" She bent to give him powder and perfume scented kiss, and the tears stood in her har.some black eyes as she hurried away.
 She kew Hannys weaknesses i just is well as ,.ylvia, herself. knew them.
 But no matter what he did. or wh-t he was. he remained the most precious and wonderful human be- ! ing in the world 10 her. Sylvia followed her into the nar- row hall waving goodbye 10 Ranny as she went, but saying moi q word. The troublesome lump had come back into her throat, and it stayed there. Her eyelids pricked along the edges with the tears she kept forcing back.
 Don't you suppose Fanny knows that Barbara Dclano is dead? He never says q word about her" Lolly was sayirS in q stage whisper. as Sylvia came up to her and her mother.
 "Of course he doesn't know about hor." Mother Phelps gave Lolly withering look" They wouldn't dare tell him the truth about her, now, wheA he's so weak. The shock might kill him. When he asked about her they told him that she had left the hospital and gone home. How ridicu- lous you are sometimes. Iolly" The mother and daughter feud that existed between Iolly and her mother was still on. It had started years ago. when Lolly first learned how to coax things from her father that Mother Phelps couldn't get from him hy threats, scoldings or tears. She could never forgive Lolly for having Father Phelps completely under r,c thumb, as she did have him, beyond all argument.
 
 Halfway to the stairs Sylvia turn turned back.
 Want to tell Ranny something" she called over her shoulder. Go on. I'll be with you in minute"
 She found him standing just in- side the Goor of the little hospital room, holding on to the foot of the bed for support. Beads of sweat stood out on his forehead with the effort of trying to walk.
 "Sit down." he said, breathing heavily. Sit down. I was just go- ing to call you"
 He, himself, collapsed on the edge Of the bed as If his feet refused to hold him up second l,nger.
 About this divorce" he said, weakly. Why are you getting it?"
 Sylvia opencd her shadoUy blue eyes. Why, Ranny-it was you who wanted me to get it.' she remind ed him, sharply.
 From her purse she took the note he had left at the Little White House for her, and handed it 10 him. Without looking at it, he crumpled it up in his palm and toss ed it into the waste basket beside the bed.
 Let me tell you something that happened to me the day that train Babs and l were on went off the track" he said to her, more serious ly than he had ever said anything before, as far back as she could re- member.
 He cleared his throat and told her what had happened 10 him that day.
 "I was lying there in the wreck age, and I guess I was just about still live" h. said You know they say that when a persons dying his whole life flashes back 10 him. Well, that's what happened to me. Mem ories came back 10 me. and they were all memories of you. Things l thought I'd forgotten-the way you push your hair out of your eyes when you're driving; the way your eyes smile when you're happy. and the way you looked the day our baby died"
 He laid his thin hand on Sylvia's and she Lidn't draw it away.
 1.-TWO or three feet away from me, Babs was moaning. l thought she vas dying and 1 was terribly sor- ry for her. But l knew I didn't love her. l knew there never was any body who 11attered a tinker's damn to me but you. l remember saying to myself, If ever get out Of this alive, I'm going back 10 Sylvia
 Sylvia lookeu ;.t him, and his face was blurred and faraway through her tears.
 Beyond him, through the open window, came the smell of rain and wet earth. The unforgettable smell of springtime.
 It brought back to Sylvia the most