New Britain herald., 1926-07-10

days went by-and then three days she began to wonder if Cassie had been right.
 Perhaps Tony Gaines had made up his mind that he didn't care for her after all! Perhaps he did think i that she was cheap and common because she had tied to flirt with him on the street. Because she had let him ''pick her up" at a circus, and kiss her an hour after ward.
 The whole thing began to seem as fantastic and unreal as dream to h 1T, as time ~'cnt on.
 After all, she had been with him only three times. She barely knew him, she told herself, And he barely knew her.
 But Q ! while she was telling herself so. she knew that he meant more to her than anyone else on earth It wasn't how long you had i known a -crson that mattered. IL was how well you knew him, and how much yor loved him that counted.
 The three days she had known Tony Gaines meant more than all the rest of her twenty years to Merry. She had told him more about herself than anyone else would ever know about her. But, as she looked back upon it, if seemed to her that she hadn't begun to tell him how she felt about him-how much he meant to her.
 "If he doesn't telephone me to- morrow, I'll call him up. myself she told herself every night, But when the next day came. she didn't do it.
 She had always been so popular that she had never had to call up her men friends. And ] won't begin now!" she would finally make up her mind.
 Every time the telephone rang she rushed to answer it. hoping wildly that she wo-:ld hear Anthony Gaines voice at the other end of the wire. But fl was always Nor ley Kaufman asking for Cassie, or Mrs. Jones asking for Mons.
 Then one ~fternoon, when she and Jimmy were playing Chop sticks" on the piano, the telephone rang sharply. Before Merry had time to reach ii, Helen had put the receiver to her ear.
 Hello" Merry heard her say, and then after a long pause she gave a groan and dropped the re- ceiver from her hand.
 "Merciful Heayen!" she whis- pered. u'ting her hands up to her face, and saggins weakly against the wall, "Merciful Heaven!'
 CHAPTER x
 The day was hot and sultry, but H lens teeth were chattering as if she were chilled to the marrow.
 'D-Dad-he's had 8 stroke down at the store" she managed to blurt out at last. "They're bringing him ho q"
 Merry gave little gasp. She couldn't believe if.
 Out of doors the sun was shin ing brilliantly on the smooth lawns and the leafy trees. Der rick Jones' small brother was rid ing his bicycle down the street. It wasn't the kind of day to sug- gest sickness and misfortune to Merrys young mind.
 t1cat. strc':o." she said easily. as she followed Helen upstairs to the big front bedroom that belonged to Dad and Mons. "Who told you abut him ?"
 Bill Hepworth," Helen an- swered, taking clean sheets and pillow cases out of the bottom drawer of the old dresser, "It must be true, or Bill wouldn't have said so."
 She began to make up the bed, while Merry sat in the windo" seat al , watch l her.
 What a shame that you never Helen" she said present. Iy. you'd make some man a won- derful wife-the way you do things"
 Helen colored up and gave her a queer amused look. She said nothing. though. but went on get ting the room ready for Dad.
 By the time Bill Hepworth's car turned into the driveway every thing was in readiness. The shades were drawn, there was ice water on the table beside the bed. and a clean pair of Dads paiamas was neatly folded on a chair.
 "Ill open the door for them!" Jimmy called. You needn't come down!"
 From the upstairs windows Merry and Helen watched Bill Henworth lift Dad out of his car and carry him, as if he were baby. across the lawn.
 Bill Hepworths father owned the wholesale grocery store where Dad was clerk.
 Bill was big and broad-shoul- dcred and blond. Not good-look- ing. but nlCG-lOONlub III d Ah''H pleasan sort of way. His collars were always too jig for him and showed his large Adams apple, and his suits always looked as if they ought to have the flour dusted from them.
 Merry had never liked him, but now as she saw him lay Dad ten derly on the bed, she suddenly had a warm friendly feeling for him.
 Dads eyes were closed, and his face was red and swollen. He breathed heavily and snored gently at each breath.
 Helen began to cry as she sat down on the bed beside him and began to unlace his shoes.
 "You1l have to help me with him, Bill" she sobbed after a minute. "My fingers are all thumbs. I'm so nervous; I'll tele- phone for a doctor. Oh l wish