New Britain herald., 1927-02-05
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thing will look bright and sun shiny to you again. You're jus blue because you've got to lie here and brood over things. AS soon a. you can get up. you'll be all right.
 But Stella gave her bandaged head another tiny shake.
 Don't kid yourself. I wish ] never had to get up again and face things" she said with a flash ol spirit that lighted her whole face. T wish I'd died 8 couple of days | ago, when that fool girl threw g match down near that roll of film. Oh, Robbie. I'm 50 sick of the whole works! I'm 50 tired of try ing to get jobs, week after week. getting older all the time."
 She caught her breath. and then went on:
 T don't know why l keep on try ing. I'm just a fool, l guess. ] keep thinking that maybe some day some miracle will happen. Maybe some director will pick me for some part that will make me. That's the way it works out: you do one good thing and you're set for years in this business.
 But. of course, I know no such miracle ever will happen. l know I'll go on tramping around from one studio to the next until I'm too old and too haggard to count. <, Then I'll probably get job sort ing collars in laundry, or some l useful work like that!' Her voice was low and bitter. She seemed to be talking more to herself than to Robbie, for her eyes were fixed on the white ceiling of the ward. And when Robbie bent over her and kissed her, she start ed as if she'd forgotten she was still there.
 "Cheer up. Stella" Robbie said. Tt can't be so bad as all that. You're just low in your mind be- cause you're in pain. Here's the nurse with the flowers ] brought you, dear"
 She turned as the starched white nurse came bustling up with a glass vase of roses and larkspur in her hand.
 "We used to have larkspur in our backyard when 1 was kid" Stella remarked duly. Its pretty but it's hard to raise"
 
 of the hospital, someone all In r, ] was coming up the wide white steps. Red hat, red sports dres-, red stockings and red-strapped slip pers. Monica in all her glory!
 Flows tricks?" she called gaily when she saw Robbie. Then she turned and looked anxiously down the street. She stopped for aec- ond as if she wanted to go back instead of going on into the hos pital.
 How did you find Stellar" she asked absently, her eyes still on the row of cars parked down in the street before the hospital.
 Pretty low. poor thing" Robbie told her, and she passed on.
 A second later. Robbie realized what had made her turn and hesi- tate about going into the hospital.
 A cream-colored roadster was drawn up beside the curb in front of the hospital; and lolling in 1t, with one leg thrown carelessly over the side, was Gus MacCloud.
 Surprise flashed into his face as he caught sight of Robbie. He jumped out of the car and came across the sidewalk to her. Instead of shaking hands he caught 1T arms in both of his hands and held them tight. For one wild second. Robbie thought that he was going to kiss her right there on the street with people passing by in a steady stream.
 She couldn't speak. she was so overwhelmingly glad to see him. All she could do was to smile up at him and blink her eyes very hard to keep back the sudden excited tears that sprang to them.
 T didn't know you were back! Why didn't you phone me?" he asked. shaking her little by her arms.
 Robbie laughed shakily. T did call you" she told him, "but you were out with-with Monica"
 "Oh. Monica." he repeated im- patiently, as if Monica didn't count.
 But Robbie looked up at the sun- baked front of the hospital. And sure enough there was a flash of led behind one of the windows of the third floor. where Monica no doubt WAS peering down to see if Robbie had found Gus MacCloud.
 T must go," she said quickly.
 If there really was budding love affair. or any other kind. be- tween Monica and Gus MacCloud. she didn't want. to get mixed up