New Britain herald., 1928-12-06

be a very nice person."
HE IT," Emmy could hardly
speak. Her throat seemed to be fill.
ed with some kind OF dry. red-hot
fluff that choked her. This woman
whom she was prepared to dislike
this woman whose mortal enemy she
was-not only looked like Mrs. MIL
burn, but she had the same kind Of
voice. Gentle. low. and unhurryins
as lullaby.
1--WE a little boy who draws pic
lures, myself" she was saying. in
that lovely. familiar voice. Hes
only three, but he's quite an artist.
already" As she spoke her eyea
brimmed with the look Of mother
tenderness that Emmy had seen In
her own mothers eyes 10 many.
many times.
Mariana swung around on her
chair. Hello. old bean!" she greet
ed Emmy. Come over here and I'll
give you four fattening sandwiches
and cream and sugar In your tea.
1t Stays my soul to see how thin you
are all the time, Emmy Milhurn.
How DO you manage it,"
Emmy just smiled at her and took
her plate and cup. She set them
down upon the smoking table and
turned back to Wells Harbison's
wife. His wife!
MY baby's been very ILL.," she
was going on. i've had to stay in
Switzerland with him f6r two years
He's been having that wonderful
sunlight treatment. you know. and
it's Just brought him back 10 life
He was just az sick as a baby could
be and still live. :"
All around them the frivolous talk
went on-talk Of golf at White Sui.
rhur Springs. and uneven hem lines
for the new spring dresses. and
Patou hats. and Chanel perfumes
and dances. AMI charity teas.
Emmy shook her head. For TIVE
years" she repeated. thinking of q
small, sick body strapped to board
every day for hundreds Of days and
i
the sun. Somewhere or Other
she had read about the Alpine sun
light cure.
"How awful for you" she said tc
the small woman In brown linen, 1T
be away from home for two year,
and worried to death about your
baby all that time besides"
TT Was worse for my husband
of course" answered the gentle
voice, because. after all. had thu
bahy-and he was all alone with
out us" A shadow crossed hel
face. and she stared down at thu
smoking table with eyes that seem
ed to be trying TO figure out some
thing on its mother Of pearl top.
ITS a dreadful thing for a famil!
to be separated" she murnrured
more TO herself than to Emmy: "fo
a woman TO be away from her hus
band. That's what ! told Lovey-
about staying away from Perry.
know"
Emmy waited to hear no more
She felt like 4 traitor and THE
sitting here beside this small, plaiI
woman. who looked Ire her mothe
and had her mothers voice. VIII
wore her mothers look OF mingled
sweetness and sorrow and dismay.
''Sh knows. about me. A
; least. she knows that there's an
) ether woman who cares for her hus
band" Emmy told herself with cen
viction. "l'ye got to get awSy!" sh
decided. desperately. II can't sta
here any longer"
Say good bye to LoNey for me
I've got 10 60 - something impor
tant." she stammered to Msrianna
as she got up. She couldn't speak I
Daisy HARRISON. again.
aren't. you going to sing" sh
heard Mariana call to her as sh
started away. Without looking back
she shook her head. She never ha
felt less like singing In her life.
1t was almost a mile from tn
Sinclairs' house to the nearest ca
line. But Emmy never remembers
a step of her walk through the dus
and glare of the hot spring. after
noon. She sat In corner OF tn
street car, with her head bowed an
her hat pulled down over her eye
all the way back to town. She coul
not think clearly. but she auivere
al over with a sense OF shame an
self-disgust.
1t was half-past five when sh
ran up the two flights Of stairs t
her own apartment. She had left
note on the mat outside the doc
for HARRISON. telling him that sh
would be there at six. and askin
him to wait for her. She had signe
it: with love-Emmy."
1t was still there. She picked
up as she unlocked the door an
tore 1t into tiny bits. As she did
a memory flashed into her mind
the memory Of her mother on
far-away Sunday afternoon. whe
she had torn up the letter that
girl named "Impy" had written I
: Charlie Milburn! She remembers
the look on her mothers face 'ha
: day-a look Of sweetness and sol
row and dismay. The look Of faith
full woman who is married to an un
faithful man and loves him.