Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-17
,pyr1sit. 1897. b. ne penn Pss,isAtns Co.

| thing so hopeless about him. And she
| had not been able to comfort him!
| Jack Darfen. What was in this bun.
| die? What girl was sending him a
Gift? He was probably madly in love
| with some girl.
Perhaps he was engaged to her. Per
haps this was a gift she was sending
him. What sort of girl would she be?
Like the little girl in the garden, per-
haps? Judy's heart melted to him. He
would be unhappy with a girl like
that Perhaps that was what gave
him those tight. tired lines about his
mouth and eyes.
How small Honey was! How small
her face had looked today, Small and
almost pinched. Was Honey not quite
so well as she had been? What would
life be like without Honey?
What is the newsboy calling? Judy
strained her ears. America is in the
war; Was that what he was crying?
Impossible! The war had been going
on and America had kept out What
would she be doing now? With a little
leap of her heart Judy hoped that
America would go into the war. Judy
loved her country with a childish devO
ton and she had been ashamed that
the world had called to America in
vain. Was it really true that America
was going into the war? If her arms
weren't so fulT~she would buy a paper,
She struggled round her bundles, got
her purse open and bought paper.
She trudged on toward home, strain
ing her eyes upon the glaring head
lines. 1t was true, then? Her heart
lifted with new feeling, a deep graft
tude There would be suffering, but her
ShipiT1C and Glorious
again in her eyes. No smirch, no stain
upon 1t! 1t was worth suffering to be
clean and honorable!
AS she turned in at the door of the
apartment her mind came racing back
to Honey.
Both Honey and Dabs were at the
door to meet her before her knock had
fairly died on the door
She looked into their eager faces
and her heart sank.
wait until / run into my room and
get my hat off. I'm dead" she cried
She rushed past them, almost roughly
for Judith, and slipped into her room,
closed the door behind her.
She thrust her purse and her other
small bundles into a Uttered desk
drawer Took off her hat. Then,
with the bundle of sketches in one
in the other she went out to Honey
and Dabs.
Well said Honey, and her voice
shook Her small hands trembled and
their trembling snote Judy.
whats the news?" said Dabs, and
his voice was high, nervous. He thrust
his hands into his pockets and Judy
suspected that it was to hide their
shakiness.
Poor. gay, gallant children,
Not very good news, she said
slowly. Her voice was very low.
Not good news" Honeys words
were a mere breath OF sound. 1t
seemed to Judy that she shrank into
herself. shriveled.
Mr. F'ields-he didn't seem to care
for your style. Honey She made
herself shrug carelessly. II don't real
ly think he's so much of a critic.
That's my opinion"
"What-what did he say?" This
from Dabs. And he did not look at
Honey.
We'll he said-they were pretty
He liked your coloring" she brought
out eagerly, glad to have something
pleasant to say.
Honey made an impatient gesture
with her hands. "Coloring's all right,
but it isn't the whole thing. What did
he say about my technique?"
He said--said--" Judy fumhled
among the cold truths, "he said your
technique was not as good as 1t might
be. Honey" She dared not look up.
MY technique not good? Why
but I've worked years and years! l
ought TO know what I'm doingn'
That's what / Think Judy agreed
eagerly. If only Honey would meet 1t
standing up. If she would only rise in
arms against the critic, refuse to be- |
lieve him.
"Is-he-going to give me an exhibi
tion?"
"No-Honey"' 1t broke Judy's heart |
to say it.
Just for an instant there was a dead |
fiat little silence. Then Honey began |
to cry, not prettily, as she could cry. |
but in quiet, desperate, ugly sort of |
way. Da'bs went to her and tried to |
put his arms around her, but she put /,
his hands away from her.
Not now! / can't bear love and
pity now.'' she said, hardly, between
sobs. She didn't cover her face. but
Just stood there letting the tears run
down her pretty smooth cheeks as
though she wasn't conscious of them.
And her eyes looked through Judy.
They were bleak eyes.
And then she turned away from the
two that loved her and walked into
her room and shut the door. Judy
and Dabs looked at each other
blankly.
Il couldn't tell her anything else"
Judy breathed to his reproachful,
agonized glance. And as he didn't
answer she went on. "She would have
n 4. r -. 8
given her any encouragement. And 1
didn't want her to hear the awful