The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-09-19

Langley lake. No, you won't have to
go back to the West side-you can
keep Molly, believe. We can manage
that much, Ernestine, with good luck
and good management"
"Oh, WILL" she said to him, II al
most wish it would be hard like that
again. I've been 50 lonely-longing to
help you, feeling outside. What does
the car and the house and the things
mean if I'm cut off from you? I know
I can't help you with your painting.
know that travail is yours-that's
your work-your life. 1t must be first
with you, Will. And that's right.
Gifted people can't choose. But If
your work must be first, to you, you
can understand what love and mar
riage mean to me. That's my life.
And If / can feel that you can go on
because I understand"
They were both crying, his arms
were around Observation-Disclosures. AS
their tears mingled and they stood
together in the long embrace, the kiss
that was free from passion but frought
with tenderness, the purest and hottest
feeling, true married love, welled over
them. 1t seemed to Ernestine, strain
ing so in his arms, that for the first
time she was truly wife to Will. Not
only bride, bride Of his body, star of
his imagination, object of romantic
alteration, not only the mother of his
children and the keeper of his house,
but wife-wife-in the deep places,
the secret places of love.
"Ernestine," he whispered, after a
little, and she wept afresh to hear her
name so on his lips as he had whis-
pered it when first they loved, 'for-
give me-that I didn't understand,
that I didn't confide in you. You
seemed always to have a child in
your arms, a thousand needs. l felt
that this other was a foe to you. I
was stupid, blind. thought you
wanted the money-needed 1t. You
were hard with me that summer be-
fore made the cats. I didn't want to
go back to that bad time again. I
didn't know how wonderful you are.
You're my good luck-you always
were. I'll never forget it again. Oh,
Ernestine, I'll do big things for you
I will"
A clock somewhere doomed two, and
Ernestine started in his arms. She
had remembered Loring-at last. She
withdrew herself from her husbands
arms and made gesture Of helpless
ness.
"But here's this business of Loring,"
she said.
"What is it about Loring?" he asked,
watching her.
So with the enchantment, the throb,
of love still on her, she told him about
Loring-about all that Pastano had
said to her that morning.
"But of course" he said at once,
''you must let me take the money for
you-at once. Give me the slip of
paper"
She gave it to him with reluctant
sigh, and he gave q whistle as he
looked at it.
"How could you have refused Pas
tano?" he asked. "Think what it
would mean to your family-to your
mother. And Lillian-with Loring
dragged through the mud"
"But Will! The moneys yours
it's what we've just been talking
about. It's your chance"
II don't need twenty thousand dol
lars" he said quickly, and then gave
a laugh Of pure happiness. "Why,
Ernestine," he said, "if you under
stand-if you know what it's all about
If you can live that economically
and If you're behind me, I'll take
chance on 1t. Give the money for Lor-
ing-we can wangle 1t. After ALL" he
added more seriously, "the understand
ing-the way I feel now-is worth
more than the money. Let Loring
have the money, we're rich. When we
were young and poor we did as we
liked. But after we got little money
we weren't free agents any more. The
big income restricted us more than
the llLLle Ouc. AOOh lOW LOTIQS was
bound by money! Let's let it 60.
After all, only beggars can choose!"
"If you'll quit the paper and 60
ahead with this work, If you will stick
to your own dreams, I'll gamble with
you," she said.
Its DONE" he answered. He reached
for his coat and hat, and looked at
his watch at the same moment.
"We'll have to go right back to the
bank. Thank God, you've got the
money and don't begrudge it. Moth
ing can stop us, now"
And before they went out into the
dark and narrow hall, they kissed
again, hand in hand, simply, like chill
dren pledging secret.
Ernestine saw Ruby Pastano near
the bank entrance and, though he
bowed formally and did not speak, he
gave her flashing. radiant glance,
like the flash of a mirror held In the
sun. She knew that he understood,
from the happy ,countenance and from