New Britain herald., 1927-02-05

I the gingham apron that was 1 couple of sizes too large for her. 'I'll tell you what you do. honey You go over to the hospital now, and I'll come just as soon as can. It isn't as If either one of us could do anything for Stella. We can't. i Go on, darling. I'll come later" But she did not come. Neither ! that day nor on the next. She simply was too busy. She 1 said so.
 On the afternoon of the third day. Stella was much better. And when Robbie arrived at the hos pital at two in the afternoon, the nurse said that she might see her if she wanted to.
 So Robbie went up the stairs, and down to the very end of long white ward to the last bed. where Stella lay wrapped like mummy in gauge bandages.
 Hello, Bob."' she said without moving her head. Only her lips and her eyes moved. The lips were pale and looking. and the green eyes seemed bigger than ever in her small ashen face. Hello" Robbie could have wept when she looked at her. But she managed not to, and she even smiled as she stood at the foot of the high white bed.
 Then she said the only cheerful thing that came into her head. You're face wasn't touched, was it? I'm so glad"
 Stella looked indifferent.
 Mrs. Mangan and I think we ought to let your folks know about you" Robbie went on. We've looked through all your things but we couldn't find your home ad- dress"
 One corner of stella's mouth went up. That's natural enough. Because I haven't any" she replied evenly. and there was something about her tone that made Robbie stop right there.
 Does Gus MacCloud know I was burned ?" Stella asked after a min ute or two of silence. and Robbie started. She had been thinking about him most of the time for the last three days. and it startled her to hear his name on Stella Delroy's lips. like an echo of all her thoughts.
 I'm sure I can't tell you, Stella" she said quickly. T haven't seen him since I got back. I've only been back here for three days, you know"
 Stella began to shake her head, and then she winced with the pain of the tiny movement T didn't had time to see anybody or find ut anything about anybody" she said, and then added: T suppose Mon- ica Mont told Gus about me. though. She's been going around with him, lately"
 as if it didn't matter to her who ran around with Gus MacCloud. But she felt as If somebody had just given her heart a sharp sudden squeeze.
 "Is that so?" she asked.
 Stella nodded T used to go round with him, myself, when first came out here to Hollywood. I was oceans younger and pretti,r than l am now, of course, thought l was going to set the world on fire-I soon found out that wasn't"
 She sighed deeply, and there was a world of weariness and heart break in that sigh.
 Gus soon found out the same thing. He saw that I wasn't ever going to be anything more than an extra girl at seven dollars a day. the tired voice ran on, "and he got tired of me and dropped me. There are a lot Of men like Gus Mac Cloud. They haven't any use for q woman unless she's beautiful and successful and full of life. They never stay in love with any che woman for a very long time, even then. They're in love with all women, l guess"
 Robbie wondered why she was telling her all this. Was it because Stella suspected that she, too. was in love with Gus MacCloud and was warning her against caring too much for him" Or was she just talking because she was weak and couldn't stop herself from telling the thing that lay heavily on her heart?
 Her eyelids closed, and a tear slipped down Stella's cheek from under her thick fringe of cyelashes.
 Don't cry, Stella.' Robbie laid cne of her small hands on Stella's sandaged ones Don't cry. You'll be well in a week or two, and every