The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-10

Miss Nesbit persisted, gently firm,
Go out and eat now, child. A bowl
of soup. Anything"
Lame looked at the sturdy watch
on the others round white wrist.
1t was l o'clock She dragged her
self out of the chair.
I'll fly" she said tonelessly.
"Just around the corner"
Agony, agony. 1t was all agony.
here was no relief. Even the pave
ments were unfriendly. The fall
day seemed ominous with the hush
Of unshed tears.
She found a little restaurant, one
in which the day before she had
wept unashamed into a bitter cup
of tea. She did not weep now Even
that was beyond her.
CHE saw, as one sees flashes in a
~ cinema, pictures Of her life and
her mother together. Herself at IL,
in blue serges, being brought to the
convent. Her mothers mobile, eager
face. Sister Blanche. "She's a dear
child, Mrs. Barrett, and we'll take
good care of her."
That was the year mother had
gone on tour with the Shakespear-
can company.
Lame wondered numbly what life
would have been like for both of
them if Tom Barrett had lived
She scarcely remembered him. He
had died when she was 6. She had
vague memories of a tall, brown
haired man who carried her on his
shoulder. How she had envied girls
who spoke Of my father" at school.
She longed for her father now,
for some one to keep this fearful
vigil with her.
hot, salty broth, crumbled a cracker
and left it untasted. Then she
fairly ran the short block to the
hospital in fever, lest she had
stayed too long. Something-any-
$hing-might have happened.
She was afraid to open the door.
Dread had swept over her again
like soaring flame. But Miss Mes
bit sat, quiet and relaxed, watching
the sufferer, listening to the labored
breathing,
Doctors due" she whispered.
Lame nodded. She was counting
the seconds.
She took up her place by the bed.
In the silence came a sound, low,
sibilant, like sigh. Cass was be-
ginning to moan again. Fragments
of words tore out of her delirium.
Lame bent nearer. Darling, I'm
here" she kept saying over and
over.
Cass said suddenly, clearly,
"Luisa wouldn't want her to know.
Anyhow, she's mine. I've earned
her My little girl
Then she began to toss again.
=
TINE doctor came and went. Long
L shadows crept over the walls.
Lame crouched, unstirring He
says the crisis will come tonight"
Miss Nesbit whispered to the night
nurse, who entered, rustling and
fresh, at z.
The two nurses held long con-
sultation outside the door as Lame
kept wtach. Elsie fluttered in for
moment, sympathetic and reas-
surfing, on her way to the theater.
you've got to get some sleep,
kid" she said anxiously. you'll
cave in"
MAKE them let me stay tonight?"
Lame begged. Make them. You
can!"
Elsie shook her head. Don't
think it can be done, kid. Anyhow,
they're not certain there will be
any change"
But Lame was determined. Miss
Nesbit shook her head. Against
the rules,'' she said firmly.
Lame went to the floor head. The
starched woman listened with cool,
blank eyes. In the end she said
stiffly. 1.-THE room next door hap
pens to be empty. I will make an
exception That is, if you promise
to lie down and wait till nurse calls
you"
All her life long Lame Barrett
was to remember that night as her
Gethsemane. Young as she was,
she seemed to touch the very depths
of human anguish. There was no
one to stand by-not one of her
own flesh and blood to hold her
hand.
Toward midnight she heard the
slipping rush of feet on the oil
clothed floor outside. Shaking. she
crept to the door. An inferno shot
out of the changing elevator. The