The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-10-24
|0I93l By NEA SERVICE lNs

parents either and tell them-I'd never speak to you again. Never!" Don't worry about me saying or doing anything you don't want" Chris retorted. "I guess you know me well enough to know I take care of my own affairs and let other people manage theirs! I'm only thinking it doesn't seem to be the right thing"
 He's not to know!" Norma re- peated. You talk about what's right. Do you think Mark or anybody else has any right to my baby? Did any of them do any, thing to help me when needed help? Did they? Why, the baby might have died for all of them!"
 q still think he should know" Chris insisted.
 "He? Who do you mean when you say that-Mark Travers or the baby? It's the baby Pm thinking about. Little Mark! He's never going to know anything about his father or those other Travers. I don't want him ever even to hear of them if I can help it. As far as Mark is concerned-I'm not think ing of Mark at all. can't think of him."
 There was pause. When Norma went on her voice had changed subtly. She looked at Chris but the words came as though she were speaking to herself.
 Those hot days here alone last summer-I had so much time to think 1t all out. It's--not easy to talk about. That's when I knew I had to quit thinking about Mark. Somehow I was sure even then the baby would be a boy. I decided that if I lived and the baby lived I'd never let him know about his father.
 You see at first I blamed Marks parents for everything that's hap pened Afterward 1 knew that was a mistake. Because if Mark had really loved me-if he'd cared the way I did-nothing would have kept him away. He'd have come back to me and no matter what anyone said to him he wouldn't have believed it. He'd have come to me for the truth! Mark didn't do that. When I made myself really face these facts I knew had to stop thinking about him. Well that's-all there is to it. I told myself to stop thinking about him and I have. Little Marks been a big help in making me forget" Chris crossed the room and put a hand on the other girls shoul- I der. "I didn't know how 1t was" she said quietly, but anything you say goes with me. Get out fresh table cloth, will you? I'll have dinner ready in five minutes if you'll set the table,"
 Busying themselves over the meal provided a welcome outlet for emotion neither of the girls wished to acknowledge. A little later they sat down to an expertly Drowned roast, cauliflower in cream, hot rolls and a fresh gren salad. Chris office happenings and the earlier subject of conversation was not resumed.
 If Chris was not convinced that Norma was right in failing to com municate with Mark she neverthe- less kept her own counsel. Keeping | out of others personal affairs was cardinal principal she observed rigidly.
 Caring for the baby, following the daily schedule provided by the hospital, gave Norma little time for | introspective worries. The days passed swiftly. Young Mark was strong and healthy. It was hard for Norma to believe that babies cried when nothing in particular was wrong. That wailing might be good exercise. She schooled herself to a routine of maps and feed ings and nobly refrained from talk ing up the infant to comfort im- aginary woes.
 At two months small Mark vis- ited the hospital clinic and was re- ported of standard weight. At three months this rating was repeated and at four he showed a slight gain over the average child. Keep on as.you have been," the doctor advised. You've got a fine boy there!" 1t was a week after that hospi- tai visit that Chris returned home one night with news. MT stuart stopped in to see me this after noon," she announced before even pulling off her hat. Wanted to know how you and the baby are getting along"
 That was nice of him." Norma, in an apron, was busy at the ta- ble.
 But that wasn't all!" Chris con- tinued. He asked me if l thought I you'd be interested in some work you could do at home. Copying manuscripts. It seems a novers been submitted to him in long, l it'c oninU ha a tremendous success but before 1t can go to publishers it must be typed"
 1T could do it." Norma said eagerly. "Of course could! I'll rent a typewriter"
 That won't be necessary. MT Stuart said he'd send one out. He seems to have a lot of confidence in your work, Norma. Went on to tell me this new secretary doesn't do half as much as you did. He wants the finished copy on this novel in two weeks and he's will ing to pay $50 for the job"
 "Ill telephone him tonight Norma announced. "Oh, Chris, I've been so anxiou to begin earning something. It's terrible to be in debt! 1 never have been before not really big amounts l mean. | I'll telephone Mir Stuart and if he can send the typewriter and manu- script I'll start to-morrow!"
 You're sure you feel well enough? Typing's hard work you know"
 "The very sound of the type writer will be music to my ears. That $50 looks bigger to me than any amount of money I've ever seen. I'm going to telephone MT Stuart right now"
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 | Next day the typewriter and | shaaf of ma aniIscrint arrived at