The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-08-22
CHAPTER XII-Continued


with the message.
They had long talk on the beach
that afternoon. Ernestine told Will
everything, all that she had thought
and felt, all that had happened the day
before-Lorings talk with her, the
murder car at Pastano's, her revulsion
of feeling, how she had come home,
and how, in the night, while she slept,
everything had Strengthened out for
her. Will lay beside her in silence,
her hand in his. and again and again
as she talked her fingers were pressed
against his lips. They were back again
in the cradle of love-rocked in magic
which Overcama all difficulties and
healed all Misunderstanding.
He told her then about himself and
about what he had been through.
1--WE made ten or eleven different
developments of Poole's cartoon, alter
ing them all. and I've made each one
UP for about six weeks, and planned
the continuity out beyond that time,
but can't sell them. When l sat
down to write to you what was there
hoping to have some wonderful news
for you. I've not been eating or Sleep
1ng-I missed you so, and l repented
so my selfshness with you, and my
attitude toward your family. I've not
been reasonable, or fair-or generous.
1 felt that you were slipping away
from me, because l couldn't hold you
because didn't rate you"
These pictures moved Ernestine pro-
fOundly. Weeks of work, and nothing
sold. The fear of losing her and the
children, and the need to stick at the
thing he was trying to do until he
did it. She could feel in him sharp
pain of restlessness and discourage
ment, and her love poured out on him.
"Darling-it doesn't matter. l can
stay here with mamma all summer.
She understands. l can stay here
until you get your comic strip right.
They understand that it's you and
together always, WILL"
Don't cry, darling"
1T doesn't mean thing" she told
him and added with some whimsicality,
-'it's my condition, darling am SIM
ply weepy, and when l think how near
came to doing something that would
have ruined all my life and yours"
"You couldn't-you didn't-not even
nearly, Ernestine."
Peter had come up to them, and,
seeing his mothers tears, he began to
wall loudly, and Elaine crowded close
and thrust out a trembling lip. Will
drew their attention from Ernestine,
and grayely, abstractedly, he. began to
amuse them. He marked out the old
familiar squares.
MAKE cat, Daddy-make a cat"
commanded Peter, and Will, listening
to Ernestine, but only half attentive,
began to put down the cats that Peter
lowed so, the squares for a drawing
hoard, bit Of stick for a pencil, the
firm wet sand making good plaque.
The child screamed with joyous
mirth, and Elaine, beside him, clapped
her hands with delight.
''Tabby cats got his head stuck in
a tin can. Look, Mammal"
Willis attention swerved from Ernes-
tine. He sat staring at what he had
drawn, as though at strangers work.
Ills face wore startled look. The
small squares, in which two ridiculous
cats went through ridiculous adven-
ture. Suddenly he leaped to his feet
and gave whoop which a Comanche
Indian might have envied.
Don't wOrry-our fortune is made.
Can't you see-there it is. Not Mr..
Poole's old comic strip in any way,
shape or form, but my own darned old
cats? Even the children can see it.
Trust me few days longer"
The cats were a great success.
When fall came Will was working on
the Sun again, in Mr.. Poole's old office,
under three-year contract. The cat
drawings were valued at sixty dollars
a strip the first year, and more the
second and third. Six days a week at
sixty dollars day. A full page for
the Sunday supplement, in colors, at
a special price. The tide of money
and prestige poured in on them in a
startling way. The movie people made
attractive offers. VIII knew how to
make animated movies.
The Todds moved into a Colonial
home only about mile from mammals.
They had rented the house ito see how
they liked it" with the possibility of
buying it in their minds. Will offered
the West side house in on a trade,
but Ernestine would not sell the little
house.
"You never can TELL" she insisted,
and though viii laughed at this, he
did not resist her tenderness toward
the house.
Papa established the trust funds,
Money poured in upon them in the
ridiculous and unreasonable way in
which money behaves. 1t seemed now
that nothing was too nice for the