The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-09-26


sick Of it, anyhow, and when knew
might have son--I had to get clear.
told her to go to New York, last
week, but she wouldn't. She's stuck
to me, Ernestine. / never believed she
would. I thought she was fair
weather wife. I've always thought it.
But she's been wonderful. She let her
maid go, and she's been doing her
own housework. 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,
it seemed that the best thing could
do would be to get out. If / were
gone, she'd go home to her mother,
and perhaps no one would know. I'm
all caved in about Lillian, about the
way she's taken It,"
"Why, Loring," said Ernestine, and
laughed shakily, LILLIAN adores you
always did. She loves you. When
you've just found out how much she
cares, you contemplate leaving her.
What a way to figure. If that's not
like a man,
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 Will 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.
II believe I'll go and shave" he said.
I'm fright. You won't tell Lillian
or Will about this afternoon"
"Why should tell them? 1t would
Just scare them both. Have you had
lunch?"
mo, l don't think SO; no, ! didn't"
Neither did /. 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 the
front door open and the click Of the
latch. She went to the hall, and LII
liam saw her. Lillian came back to the
kitchen.
"You didn't answer the phone, so
came Over-Lorrie's upstairs. He said
he hadn't eaten"-she made gesture
to the preparations on the table.
Lillian nodded absently.
"Ernestine," she said softly, quickly,
"Im going to have baby"
Ernestine kissed her. "I'm awfully
glad"
Ibid you know about all Of Lorings
trouble?"
"Will told me some-Loring's told
me the rest-but the worst is over for
him now"
poor kid" said Lillian. She leaned
against the door a moment and smiled
at her younger sister. It seemed to
Ernestine that since she had last seen
her, the hard surface had dissolved
from Lillian.
isn't it funny? Now everything Is
different. used to wonder how you
could go ahead when things were so
u.
thick of it, as it seems from the side
lines. Just to know the baby's coming
makes all this mess of Loring's seem so
unimportant-I don't care what ar
rangements we make. oh, Ernestine,
there have been times when thought
Loring loved you more than he did
me, but these last few. days he's been
so sweet to me-so worried about me.
He's humboldt makes my heart
ache. 1 can't tell you how I feel.'
II guess I know" Ernestine an
swered. Its this business of mar.
riage-but go on up to him, darling,
and get him to eat something. All this
will straighten itself out"
Lillian went up the stairs. Standing
in the hall, looking after her, Ernes-
tine realized that these sorrows were
| blessings-these were the things that
bound a man and woman together.
This would break for ever Loring's
old fixed idea about herself, and Lii
lian's belief that she had married for
her own advantage. This would leave
| them close together, warm, heart to
! heart.
She turned the gas low under the
coffee-pot, spread a napkin over the
| sandwiches she had fixed and slipped
| quietly out of the house. Perhaps
Will was at home, and she would eat
with him.
AS she walked she began to plan
| all the new life. Her practical, eff
cient mind set itself with vigor upon
the new problems. The removal to
the lake-the need Of studio there
for Will, the possibility Of adjusting
| their life to changeable income. But
| VIII was so active-he would doubt
less have all the work he could do,
within a year or two. Some day he
would be famous, and he would find
the world willing to pay for beauty as
we'll as wit.
| She walked more Quickly-eager to
be home, the young blood singing in