Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-12

FRS. BAYNE lay in her bed,
M There were purplish shadows
V under her eyes, and she was
i lying quite fat, by the doc
tors orders.
She was very comfortable. Now and
then, she reached out white hand
to the glass of water beside her and
took sip. and always, at such times,
somebody came and helped her to
raise her head; sometimes it was
Holly, sometimes Margaret. She
dozed little, but mostly she lay still.
There was a fire on the hearth, and
she could hear it cracking.
Once she said, conscious that she
was not alone: 1T is nice to be waited
on. Like old times" And Holly,
from the hearth, answered her cheer
fully enough; why shouldn't YOU
be waited on? It's poor house that
CaH't have one lady
Her hearing was preternaturally
acute, and the front door seemed to
be opening and closing rather often.
Who's downstairs" she asked
once. Some one keeps going out
and coming in
It's Aunt Margaret. She's been
telephoning the taxi company again"
1T hasn't been found?"
'Not yet. but the men don't report
until o'clock. Even if they don't
find it, what do we Care?" She came
to the side of the bed and touched her
each other" she said shakily.
Has Furness been in?"
mo. | didn't expect him today
Now close your eyes and see if you
can't sleep again.
Toward evening she really fell
asleep. The freight flickered in the
darkened room, making it soothingly
warm and restful; her pillows, in
their fresh slips, were smooth and
soft. Tragedy. grim and heart break
ing. was reigning downstairs, but, in
her sheltered bed, her firelit room,
Mrs. Bayne went peacefully to sleep
Holly went down the stairs.
Margaret was in the drawing room.
There was no fire there. and, under
the hard light of the chandelier, her
face looked drawn and old. Each
time she had gone to the grocery
store she had called up the fat only
to be told that her number did not
answer, and unreasoning terror be-
gan to possess her.
I'm afraid" she told Holly I'm |
less you knew him. you couldn't |
understand. He might do anything. |
Anything"
Holly tried to comfort her. The dog
had adopted the house as his perma
nent home. and now lay beside her on
the old sofa, and. as she talked. she !
stroked him. She felt almost as
though she and the dog were alone in
the room. This Margaret sitting
across from her, detached and frozen,
her mind on the husband Holly hardly
knew. was scarcely more than con-
scious of her.
of course, he's worried. but he's
sure to so back. Probably he is just
walking around.
HE didn't even take his overcoat."
Once Holly asked her if she knew
Mr.. Cox and Howard War
rington had met, and Margaret said
mo" Later on. however, she said
they had; she had sent message to
James by Warrington one night. But
Holly did not tell her the district at
torney's theory. She was troubled
enough without that.
1t was after one of the painful
.ilences that Margaret suddenly an
nnunced sher decision. =
sim going to ten him, Holly; I've
got to-
II think you must" said Holly.
quietly. sOnly, he'd better know what
the doctor said today. She can't stand
4 shock q
Margaret said nothing.
At o'clock Holly boiled some eggs
and made toast, and they ate, the two
IF them, in the kitchen, because it was