The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-05-16

The girls came down the stairs, and
after moment Ernestine and Will
were out in the dark street again, with
her small dressing case in Wills hands.
The family stood about in the living
room in stricken silence.
The silence lasted for some mo-
ments, then Mrs. Briceland turned to
her husband
"You should never have let her go
off like that" she said reproachfully.
"What will she do?"
II had no intention of letting her
go, if you hadn't interfered," he ex-
claimed. II was only threatening her
with the loss Of the family, in order
to get her to stay hereto gain q
little time"
"She wouldn't have done it," said
Lillian. "She's too crazy about him.
1t probably was her idea that they get
married first. She meant it. You
couldn't have kept her."
SHOW much do you suppose he
earns, on the SUM-" asked mamma,
and Loring answered:
Probably anywhere from twenty
five to forty dollars a week."
At that papa threw up his hands in
a gesture of despair and turned to
leave the room, but he looked back at
his wife darby.
''If you had stood by me-" he said
to her, "if we had all stood together,
we could have held her here. You
went back on me, both you and Lii
liam. 1t gave them courage. Now, you
can think Of her, God knows where,
with that upstart." He went into the
hall, and mamma followed him, her
bright persistent voice coming down
the stair:
'You shouldn't have let them 60.
We might have kept them both here,
and taken care Of them. Lewis, you'll
have to make up your mind to give
in, and get him a better job"
The voices trailed off, and an up
stairs door closed upon them. Grand
mother went stifly out of the room.
Lillian began to move about the room,
satisfying her need for order by push
ing the chairs in place, Strengthening
the pillows and moving the things on
the table. Loring stood by the fire,
staring into it, his face flushed, one
hand opening and closing nervously.
Lillian came and spoke to him in a
voice which was already like mammals.
''I'm sorry you got into this" she
said. 'It's terrible. How can Ernes-
tine act that way? She's the most
haphazard thing. But this is the worst
yet. 1 feel as though she had ruined
herself. But you aren't going to be
angry with her, are you, Loring?"
NO." he said. "No, I won't be an
CRY with her. Your mothers right.
The family must stand by her."
Lillian shuddered little.
ut seems dreadful to me-" she said,
"Ernestine out somewhere in Chicago,
with that man. I don't see how she
can be crazy about him in the first
place, and how she could have mar
ried him in the second"
Loring reached out his hand and
ran his fingers down the crepe sleeve
of her dress, caught her fingers and
held them in his own.
would you do that MUCH" he
asked wistfully, "if you cared for a
man? Would you defy everything for
him?"
Il don't know" said Lillian hon
estly. II don't know. I want things
nice. l want some plan and arrange
ment to my life"
"But If the man you cared for was
not-eligible," he persisted, would
you marry him anyhow"
Its not fair question:" protested
Lillian, and then added softly: II
don't know what / would do. Be
cause I've cared for only one man,
and he has been eligible in every way.
So 1 can't imagine how I would act
under other circumstances"
There was little silence, and then
he said. in stifled voice:
rs it l, Lillian?"
She looked up at him, and his face
was full of suffering. Her own was
compassionate.
did you care for Ernestine, Lor-
ing?" she asked him, but he shook
himself quickly.
mo, MOI" he exclaimed. "Not-
that way. Pm fond of her. She's been
like little sister to me, always. But
it's you care for. It's you l want for
my wife. Is it possible that you care
for me, Lillian%
Il always have" she answered SIM
ply, and he stared down at her, and
again his voice was queer and strained.
"Pm like Ernestine," he said, "what
I want is love-"
She put up her fair sweet face, and
he kissed her placid lips.
Il love you, Loring," she assured
him, and he took her roughly into his
arms.
You hurt me-" she complained in a
moment, and he released her and stood
holding, her hand gently.
Il want love-" he said again with
poignancy, and Lillian assured him in
her quick bright voice that she lovod