The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-05-23

llaNt OO INV lO " oSdllQ. AT ways to hide from people because you owe them money. I would have married anyone at all, wht would have saved me from that!"
 But there IS one thing that i. killing me. If I had loved him could have saved him, couldn't Il would have known what he wa! going to do?
 | Suddenly Nora regretted bitterly that she had told this dark qule girl about herself. And ther Frances said impulsively:
 You think I don't understand But perhaps I do,' Frances wen on steadily. T thought my hus. band loved me. But he ran off witt another woman"
 DO you still love him?"
 Nora saw a tremor pass over the still body.
 Not now. Not any longer That's all gone. have the chil- dren. You didn't see Dickie, dio you? He was in bed when you came. We were poor, you see, anc it was a fearful struggle. Alice was delicate little thing and al ways sick. There were doctors bills, and I was deadly tired all the time Sometimes" Frances said smiling oddly, T used to be SC tired by six o'clock, I would cry I was 25 tileri," she went on re- | flectively as though she were speak ing of someone long dead. T could always see David coming home and the house quiet and peaceful, the children asleep and a delicious din- ner smoking hot on the table.
 But as it was" she smiled again. "Oh how young I was then! If I had it to do all over again but l haven't" Her dark eyes brooded and then she looked up at Nora. T never told this to any one before. But the thing is, the days go by and something happens to you and you begin to be happy again. And you have something that you want dreadfully just ahead, as you used to want money and all the other things" Frances ended on breath.
 Nora lay very still What was that thing that Frances had found? The kind Of happiness that swept over her sometimes under the open sky? Would she ever be happy that way again?
 You will be, you will be- Fran ces whispered. bending over her as though she understood. | Frances turned out the light and stood before the window pulling up the shade so that she could see the stars. How small and insignificant they were, their minute problems etched against the night sky. All the hot turmoil, the unrest, was quieted. When she turned back and bent over Nora she saw in the pale light that Nora was asleep. The sunlight was sliding in through white blinds when Nora woke next morning. She felt as l though she were waking out of a dark dream into this unfamiliar room.
 Someone had come tiptoeing in to open the blinds. It was her cousin Hallie.
 Did you sleep well?" she asked. q eel-different-as though for the first time I was real" Hallie had stopped before tn e | painting that Nicholas had given l Nora.
 Did your father do that?' Hal l lie asked.
 Nicholas did it." Nora said in 1 a low voice.
 The sunlight SC m d to pour from the picture, to touch the small glistening panes, the brushed earth floor, the blues of the old peasants dress. Hallie stood look ing deeply at the picture, her thin bony hands clasped before her.
 How happy he must have been to do that!"
 "He was the most unhappy per- son I ever knew" Nora said.
 She got out of bed and turned away. Take it away, please. I can't bear to see it."
 Hallie stood looking at her with pity and understanding.
 Hallet Durant was a woman of strong feeling shut into twisted shell of pain. She was not afraid of pain; she had met it too often and too stoically. But each day it must be conquered afresh. Now as she stood looking at Nora she was frankly envious of that young strong body, the slim white round- ed legs, the delicate wrists and splendid throat. To have body like that so free and beautiful!
 Nora said, T have to go out to his people this afternoon. Do you think they'll like me?"
 Why do you carer"
 q care more than anything else in the worldl"
 Hallie reflected that she would not like to be young again. It was the unhappiest time of your life.