Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1930-12-11

Complete Failure
him. VIII fixed 1t for you, Loring.
He couldthere are men downtown
who would do anything for VIII. He.
knows the ropes"
Lorings head fell forward again.
I'm a failure he muttered. "A
complete fallure-and now VIII pulls
me out of the rubbish heap. I've been
here in the house all afternoon, trying
to screw myself up to do one decent
i thlng-to get myself out of the way
before all this falls on the rest OF you,
and couldn't even do this
"Of course you couldn't. You're too
perfectly healthy. You've been a fool
perhaps-like th~ rest of us. but you
aren't crazy, aid only insane people
are capable of self-destruction. Look,
Lorins, you can start again. Why,
men sometimes have to start again
when they're old. Lots Of men fail
once-or twice-and then succeed
You can start back and rebuild your
/ fathers old business. What ii you
have to let the house and the car 20
Its a small price for new start
Pastano will let you alone, as long as
you stay Off of his preserves. LiIlians
got her money. VIII and are going
to start new"
lie looked up at her-eager to be
eomforted as child Is eager to be
comforted-eager to believe her, COM
Ing back, slowly and painfully, from
the dark places Of fright and mad
| ness.
But eLillian"-he said. protesting,
arguing. as mortal man always argues,
on the wrong side-"Lillian's going to
have baby-that was what sickened
me on all that old bnsiness--I'd been
sick OF it. anyhow, and when I knew
might have son--I had to get clear.
told her to 60 to New York, last
week, but she wouldn't She's stuck
to me. Ernestne. never believed she
would. | thought she was fair
weather wife. I've always thought Il.
But she's been wonderful. She LET her
maid 20, and she's been doing her
own homework. She sold her car and
brought me the money. She wrote to
her father to let her have her trust
fund outright Now she's going out
looking for fiat. That's all right
but when thought of prison-and LII
lian's baby coming in all that trouble,
1t seemed that the best thfhg / could
do would be to. get out. II | we're
gone, she'd go home to her mother,
and perhaps no one would know. Tn
all caved in about Lillian about the
way shess taken it,
why, ESring," said Ernestine, and
laughed snGkily, LILLIAN adores you
always did. She loves you. When
you've just found out how much she
cares, you contemplate leaving her.
What way to figure. II that's not
like a mani"
] They talked little. Ernestine sat
down on the dressing table, flung her
hat upon Lillian's bed and talked to
him. She told him Of the new plans
she and VIII had made. Gradually he
relaxed, came back to normal. He
reached up and turned his coat collar
down and put up hand and smoothed
his hair. After little he got up and
shook his big body.
Il believe I'll go and shave" he said.
Tn fright. You won't tell Lillian
or WIN about this afternoon
why should I tell them? 1t would
just scare them both. Have you had
lunchf"
mo, | don't think so no, | didn't
Neither did l. I'll go downstairs
and fix some coffee and sandwiches
while you're shaving"
From the kitchen she could hear
him moving about then she heard tho
front door open and the click OF the
( latch She went to the hall, and LII
Han saw her. Lillian came back to the
kitchen.
you didn't answer the phone, SO
came over-L0rries upstairs. He said
I he hadn't eaten"--she made gesture
to the preparations on the table.
Lillian nodded absently.
"Ernestine." she said softly, quickly,
I'm going to have baby"
Ernestine kissed her. I'm awfully
glad"
(Co~+sr,aI oxs 1naf y.aupA