The Washington times., 1930-12-20
The Story Thus Far
NOU Continue

for marriage? Was it possible,
Connie wondered. II thousands
Of others had felt the great
social and personal pressure
forcing them to the altar?
without doubt 1t was tragedy,
yet it must be that Thousands,
millions, had lacked the cour.
age to turn back.
But none Of this settled the
question in her mind, immedi-
ately, as to what she would do
about Kitty. OF one thing she
was Sure-today she would not
see any Of her friends; no dis
appointed bridesmaids or gos-
sip-thrilled young naatrons. All
Of that, she would dodge; she
would not even answer the tee
phone.
In her own bedroom, square
and spacious, with its double
windows overlooking the fine
rolling country, was found the
seclusion that enabled her to
3 revolve over and over in her
mind the problem Of Kitty.
This morning she had been sur
priSed by her mothers unruf-
fled acceptance Of the broken
engagement. Aged and gray,
the SWeetly sensitive little
woman had displayed to Con-
ME an unSuSpected common
sense Of decisiveneSS. Had she
miSread her own mothers char
acter? In an emergency, q
crisis, Mrs. Calvert had borne
herself with understanding
poise. instead Of succumbing
to what must have been q real
shock. Connie thought over
the past and Of telling her,
frankly, the whole truth about
Kitty Calvert.
1t was a dangerous Specula-
ton. After all, her mother
might not be able, with equa-
niInity, to sustain q second
stunning revelation. The story
Of Kitty would stir her mother
far more readily than the post
pOned wedding. All mothers
are skeptical Of their daughters
wedding-perhapS its Stoppage
had been the subconScious
relief.
A Mothers Dilemma
The history Of Kitty, how
ever, was fraught with ques-
tionabIe results. Il would not
be so easy for Mrs. Calvert to
realize that her beloved hus-
band had deceived her about
q preyioe1s marriage and had
abandoned the child Of that
union. To tell her would be
to undermine an Of her faith
and veneration for the dead
mans memory. More. Con-
MES compelling altruiSm that
made her so desirous Of taking
up Kitty as q real sister, might
not have an equal appeal for
her mother. Such o girl as
Kitty would run contrary to
every memory and instinct Of
the mother-would be q con-
slant, eternal thorn. Yet, Con-
ME saw no way to avoid her
own self-obligated part in the
matter.
Something had to be done
about Kitty, and at once!
There was q possibility that
she might deceive her mother;
that she could lie about her
friendship with Kitty and in
vent some fantastic tale. When
she tried to devise such q pro
tective story, her power Of in.
vention failed her, and she
realized that there was no ex.
PLANTATION for except the
truth.
Her placidity preyed on Con-
nie's mind until she felt as
though she were battering q
stone wan and getting no
where. The simplest thing, Of
course, would be to tell her
mother the whole story and
take the risk Of its conse-
quence, Yet, with all her heart
Connie shrank from inflicting
such pain: she was In q posi-
ton Of a tender-hearted sur
geon, confronted with the ne
ceSSity Of operating without an
aneSthetic.
At last she made up her
mind. Her mother listened TO
the whole dark story with q
strange set look On her moth
er1y face. What was tranSpir-
ing In her heart, Connie could
only guess. But she was proud
Of the Soldier1y courage that
hid all wounds.
There's only one thing to
do, Of course" Mrs. Calvert
said. Wen have to protect
your fathers memory from the
public, but the girl must be
taken care Of. I'm afraid there
is only ore honorable thing do
do. We must bring her into
our home and give her every
chance we can"
Continued AEOnd4yJ
(COpyFIght. 1855. King Features
Syndicate. Iuo.l