New Britain herald., 1928-02-08

happiness or love.
 Love-" thought Lily and that brought her h h'ck to Pat.
 If she left the brown n-shuttered house tomorrow, she probably never would see him again. except by &C., cident He wouldn't contest the di- vorce suit that she had begun-And some day she would go to court and be told that she was no longer tho wife of Patrick France, but plain Lily Lexington again.
 The street was in darkness when she turned into it. driving the dusty. rain-spotted car, and as she turned in at the driveway of the brown. shuttered house she saw that there was a bright light burning in Pats room.
 He's worsa!" she thought. with a ] painful twist of her heart. and as she jumped out of the automo obile and ran across the porch it se, med as If she had known for long time that Pat was going to die. There was no surprise in her mind, lust terror and grief.
 Sobbing. she threw open the front door and rushed up the stairs. This is the end of the world for mel" she thought. wildly. If he's dead"
 At the stop Of the stairs Eiiz. beth ! Ertz met her. She was calm hrowed as usual, and in her hands she held the tea tray upon which | Pat had his meals.
 What's the matter?" she asked, softly. and as she spoke Pats voice ! came from the bedroom behind her. "Fd like the sport pages of to- rights paper, Elizabeth" he crs'ed
 Oh. he was all right then! He wasn't dead or dying. The re- lief in Lily's heart was so great that it was almost joy.
 Sire collapsed on the top step of the stairs and began to cry franti- cally. while Elizabeth Ertz stood over her and begged her to be sensible in whisper. They were not letting Pat know that she was in the house.
 You're going to say goodbye to him. aren't you, for Pete's sake?" Florence asked that night. when ! they were all at supper in the neat, cozy dining room.
 Lily. shaking her head, thanked her lucky stars that she would not have to eat another meal in that house, where she knew she wasn't wanted and wasn't liked. She could fe,I Mrs. Frances eyes on her as she answered. No, there's no reason why should even let him know I was here." she said. simply. T cana because I couldn't stay away-and there's no use in my denying it. But that doesn't change anything. I'm going righ: ahead with my divorce" She saw Elizabeth draw a long { lreath, and she knew that Elizabeth was glad 10 hear her say that. In , spite of all her sensible talk on the subject Of Pat, it was perfectly clear i her that Elizabeth was still in love I with Pat. Tine way she fixed his i trays of food, alone, gave her away. | And. from the hall where she was sweeping CT folding linen in the big chest Lily could hear her talking to him sometimes-aEd every word was like a caress.
 Well. you've been great heln to us, anyway. while you were here,'' : Mrs. France said suddenly and amazingly. With me busy in the store most of the time. and Florence down town in the job. Elizabeth just couldn't have taken care of Pat. must say. now that it's all over, We were glad you were here, althougI; the neighbors must have thought it was funny" She sighed. Her ! neighbors were a great source of in- | tcrest to Mrs. France. whose whole world ceEtered around the brown shuttercd house and the street where it stood.
 Tt is an interesting place. too" The thought came to Lily the next morning while she was packing to go home.
 Now that she was leaving the lit- tie place, she realized how full a life inc people in the brown-shuttered house lived. By comparison, the house on Montpelier road seemed very dull, ind2 d. as she looked for i ward to endless months and years spent in it.
 Eliza beth" Pats voice broke fin upon her thoughts Elizabeth! I've dropped my pencil and my paper Eliza beth"
 Tbara ,,-,~ l..a .u.o,> ,a .lo