Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1930-10-31

l 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. l thought she was a 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
Drought 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 thing could
do would be to get out. II l 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 Ernestlne, 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 way to figure. If 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 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 a fright. You won't tell Lillian
or Will about this afternoon
"Why should tell theml 1t would
| just scare them both. Have you had
lunch?"
mo, don't think So no, l didn't"
Neither did 1. 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 a gesture
to the preparations on the table.
Lillian nodded absently.
"Ernestine," she said softly, quickly,
"Tm going to have baby"
Ernestine kissed her. I'm awfully
glad"
"Did you know about all Of Loring's
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. 1t 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
hard. But it's not so bad-in the
/ LDtGk VI III "a II SCCl1lS lAOln InC StuC-
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 l 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 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 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
| her heart.
Some day
1.-THE END.1
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