The Washington times., 1926-08-23

visibly checked the impulse and
turned away.
Just for an instant as Joslyn
stepped through the door and
locked it behind her the tiny
apartment that had been so snug
and coy in the past seemed
somehow cramped and mean. The
heat in the radiators was low and
the air was flat with the dead
smoke OF Kelvin's cigarettes.
When the light was on she
went softly to the door Of his bed
room and listened until she heard
the almost inaudible sound of his
breathing as he slept. a letter
that had evidently come on the
late delivery was on the centre
table in a conspicuous place. Tne
ianitor, no doubt, had slipped IL
under the door according to his
custom with mail.
The Letter
Joslyn recognized her mothers
handwriting as she tore open the
envelope. Lonesome pain welled
UP. suddenly. in her breast as she
read the missive penned in the
precise Spencerian hand OF a
previous generation.
NV Only Baby-We have read
in the papers about your terri
BILE experience, but your father
and / know that our little girl IL
lust as sweet and innocent as
when she was safe in the home
nest. It was because you didn't
know the ways OF the city. Honey,
that you got in with those last
people and went to that place
where the man was killed. We
know how you must be surfer
ing from the lnorrid, notoriety and
we want you to come home.
Darling, come home, where you
will be surrounded by all the love
and protection our hearts can
give you. Well do everything
and anything to make you happy
and satisfied.
please come back, Honey. Our
hearts are breaking with lone
someness and worry. II you
haven't got the railroad fare
well send it. Your father is
papering your room with a pretty
blue paper. We want you back so
much, little girl, that it seems
that we can't stand it much
longer without you. Wen be so
good to your"
Joslyn put the letter slowly
down on the table and dropped
to a chair. An hour later Kelvin
heard her low sobbing. Clad in
a bathrobe and slippers he came
into the room.
The irritation at being reused
from his sleep was still upon KEEL
vim and he surveyed Joslyn's tear
flushed face with his mouth sour
at the corners.
Whats the big idea. sweet
hearth" he demanded. Was the
big party a flop, or what?"
She looked at him with sharp
steadiness; it was the first time
he had spoken to her with any
thing resembling harshness and
the effect was to galvanize her
with surprise. AS the last liuger-
ing effects of sleep were dissipa:-
ed from Kelvine brain he real
lied his own abruptness and
brushed it aside with quick re-
turn to his usual note of devotion.
"Say-I spent the whole eve
ming stewing with jealousy while
you were gone, but that's all out
when I see you crying as though
somebody had stepped on your
heart. What's the matter, dear?
Won't you tell me all about it?
He came close to her and sat
on a stool at her feet, capturing
her hands and holding them in a
tight, comforting grasp. At his
very touch the old magnetic flow
began to course through Joslyn's
veins like a faint opiat that dead
ened the pain of the letter from
home.
ooh, Jim dear-it's nothing to
worry you about. It's the folks
at home; they want me back"
Cant Be Done
His dark eyes were momen-
tariIy sympathetic but. almost at
once. he smiled, shook his head.
- H. 800