Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-03
By
Ellis Parker Butler
Reverberations Are Heard in Unexpected Places

distinctly sour affair, but she was
nearest Lefty and Lefty spoke to her.
MY husbands hat and coat" Lefty
said. They're on that rack. please.
Would you mind handing them to me?"
The woman got them and lifted them
high over the trays of coffee. Lefty
helped Larry into his coat.
DO have a cup of coffee before you
60 home" the woman urged. You
look sort of faint, sir"
Yes, try to drink = cup, Larry"
Lefty said. ut may be good for you
and he took a cup of the hot liquid
and slipped it.
Think I'll have to sit down
q minute" he said, and looked for
chair. II don't know what's the matter
with me-" he laughed, as he sank upon
the lobby bench. II hope to heaven
I'm not going to have anything"
The woman with the sour face drew
one of the tables to one side and came
from behind it.
Mrs. Gray, man," she said, "see
that things 70 all right for minute"
and she went to Larry. Have you got
a taxi waiting for you or anything?"
she asked. you're not fit to walk home,
that's sure. Can you walk to the door
now?"'
He could walk to the door and he
did, and the woman went with them,
ready to lend an arm II ne tottered.
She stood on the small porch LOOKING
over the cars parked up and down the
road.
WYATT here now" she said, and she
hurried to where the most gorgeous
limousine stood. its chauffeur in his
seat. Her talk with him was brief,
and she turned and waved her hand to
Larry and Lefty, bidding them to come,
This is Mrs. Turtles car" she said,
when they reached it, land Mike WILL
ds:re you home and no harm done.
She won't be out for hall hour yet.
nor care a bit. Get in, Mrs. Barr, ana
I'll give him help If he needs IL. YOU
know where to go, Nike? .,,.,,
Sure, was there once. On willow
lane / know" Mike said. and Larry
lay back against the luxurious CUSHIONS
and was taken home.
And was put to bedl He cared little
bv that time what happened TO nlm' 1or
every muscle and every bone acneo. he
was a sick man. Lefty felt Ill, 700, put
she was still able to drag one foot aIter
the other. and it was impossible LOT ner
ia he sick when Larry was SlcK-Wno
would look after the baby?
Downstairs little Elsie May worse
who had been quite delighted 10 De
trusted a whole afternoon with the
habv was not so eager to be IN charge
of a baby as she had been. The naoy
was yelling loudly.
n y X X
ETY. dismissed Elsie May, took
- the child from the wicker go-cart'
and it stopped its yells between
breaths. v.
From upstairs Larry was calling.
"May I have a drink" he called.
Lefty. may I have drink"
ayes. Just a minute, Larry" Lefty
called. but she did not wait to care
for the be.oy. She could imagine how
parched Larry's mouth must De; ner
own was so dry. She filled glass ana
took it up to Larry. He raised NM
self on one elbow, drank 1t all, ana
Law back with his eyes closed.
Thanks" he said
She was sure it was the grip; ner
own head and limbs were telling ner
It was the grip. She got the baby
settled for the night, then undressed
and climbed into bed. It was not I'M
til she was under the covers that she
remembered she had not locked either
the front door or the back door, but
she was too tired to get up again.
She told herself that there were no
thieves in Winton, and fell asleep, only
to awake with a start every few
minutes during the night, imagining
she heard burglars downstairs.
The ache in her head was compact
and continuous She imagined that
she must not move her head suddenly.
lest the upper part fall off, which-be-
cause of some sort of strings tied to
her eyeballs-would be very painful,
but she had to move her arms and
legs, because they were more painful
when she did not move them. The
only trouble was that they were also
more painful when she did move them
She was in half-doze when she
started up with a thought that the
house was afire and that the flremen
were breaking through the roof to
save her from the flames that were
already scorching her. Then she
found that some one was knocking per-
sistently on the door downstairs.
Her first thought was that police
man had found the door unlocked,
but as her wits returned she saw it
was broad daylight. The baby, bless
her heart, still slept, and Lefty was
climbing out Of bed when her early
visitor called from below.
Mrs. Barr?" she said questioningly,