Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05

as the woman of that second blooming,
TO think of her always as young and
lovely and lovable.
But sometimes at night in her sleep
she crept into that closed room, as the
| old Phoenicians crept to their dream
chambers in the temple. Size would
waken with start a sense of guilt,
and reaching out touch the child in his
crib beside her. He was safety, he was
reward, he was the gift of God to bring
| her peace.
Then, at the end of a year, she met
! Kirby once more.
Eileen had sent for her, sent Tommys
! latest model car. for Wesley had the
brougham. He often used 1t now-more
| than she did.
Eileen was waiting for Missile. She
had not changed with the years, Missile
| thought. She was pretty, an important
young matron now. She looked at Mis-
sic as she sat down and took OF her hat.
Look here, Missile" she said. How
long are you going to drag along be-
hind Yves? You can do one of two
things with a man-follow him or 60
ahead of him. And Yves is ambitious
You can't go on being a mother forever.
He has pulled himself up by his boot
straps and he's holding on. If you
don't play his game you'll lose him for
good"
ne uOlng oeIteT' WeTe SStJlnR
along pretty we'll"
There isn't any pretty we'll in mar
riage," said Eileen practically. 1T goes
or il doesn't"
Then she turned and saw Kirby in
the doorway. There was an instant's
pause, then:
"well!" she said. And how's the
inventive genius getting alongP Here's
Missile, too. Scold her for me, Kirby.
She's in thA
days"
She shook hands with him, saun-
tered out of the room and up the stairs.
She had no intention of being made
uncomfortable. and there had been
something electric in that second of
silence.
Downstairs Kirby smiled as the door
closed. Not his old whimsical smile,
but the smile of q man finding himself
Of it.
Shall call her back?"
She did not reply at once. She was
looking at him carefully, gravely. She
saw that he had changed. His eyes
were not the dreamer's eyes of a year
ago. They showed disillusion and dis
appointment. His movements had
quickened, too: were nervous and wary
NO. I shall have to 60 now, any
how"
Don't let me drive you away. Are
you quite well again?"
Perfectly WELL She got up, reached
tor her hat He saw then how thin she
was.
And the boyP"
He is fine. would like you to see
him. Kirby"
her, at the trick he had been played.
He saw her. armored against him, forth
ned In her maternity, shut on in the
world OF mother and child. He had
adored her. All that was best In him
had gone into his love for her.
Suddenly he saw that her hands were
trembling. He took step toward her,
stopped.
And he makes up to you for-Other
For everything, Kirby" she said In
a low voice.
He knew then that there we're things
she could not say to him; never would |
say. His anger died.
Then what is best for you Is best |
for me-" He made a curious little, |
futile gesture. "Of course, you know |
that. Missile. only want you to be !
happy"
Try not to hate me. Kirby"
could never hate you. Why should |
I? don't change as easily as that"
You hated me a moment ago"
I don't know where hatred ends and !,
love begins, Missile. They are pretty |
close together. / think there is some |
thing IN me that will always care for |
you. Maybe that's grotesque under the !
circumstances, but it is true"
Then. as If he had said either too
little or too much, he turned abruptly |
and left the room. Missile went back |
to her house, her boy, her lonely eve |
nings. Now and then she found her
self thinking of Kirby. She was not
afraid to think Of him now. He could |
play no part in her life, but he had
given her back her pride, her dignity. |
And although she did not know it, his |
nat statement that he still cared for
her had warmed and comforted her. |
He was to be part Of the background
OF her life, to be counted on. He was
TO ask nothing. to give everything. She
would never be lonely again.
Continued in tornorrow's StarO