The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-01
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anything. And we've got to think of conditions at the store."
 "It's no use," Everett said help lessly: I'm licked"
 No, you're not," Beryl insisted. "I think we can make something of the delicatessen end of the busi- ness. Individual effort counts for everything there. There'll be three women in the house as long as Irene stays. We can do the cook ing. Demand is beginning to grow, you know"
 But winters coming. People won't buy picnic food then and the women won't mind cooking at home so much. Besides, the summer peo-
 "You will be licked if you worry over all that" Beryl protested. Let's try, anyway. Irene can take my place in the store and I'll help mother at home"
 The prospect of having Irene In the store did not please Mir Everett but he said nothing against 1t, and thereby saved himself wasted breath, for Irene refused to take Beryrs place there.
 The thought of facing the loca. public simply annihilated her." and her mother stood by her. Irene. she said, told her things about her life with Gaylord that she couldn't repeat. The poor child had suffered terrifically. Gaylord had been cruel to her in the extreme. He had neg lected her and his jealousy was un- endurable.
 Beryl listened to this recital with her tongue in her cheek. Mir Everett was made to feel a brute when he dared to question it. To quiet him his wife told him in pri- vate that, she thought Irene would forgive Gaylord "just the same," in time. And what could they do? Turn her out of the house?
 No, they couldn't do that. So Irene stayed to become a poor, pitt full, heart broken child, too tired to do anything but rest from the awful ordeal' she'd been through.
 Mrs Everett insisted when Beryl questioned her that Irene helped with the housework and the cook ing. But Beryl, who spent most of her time at the store, suspected the truth, for Irene always looked ing while her mother grew wan and always seemed to look tired. Still she did not complain. and Beryl could not even get her to leave the house for a ride with her and Tommy on Sundays.
 Mrs Everett, aware of gos- sipy speculation concerning Irene, was staunchly loyal to her favorite. Denied the round of parties she had planned in honor of her daughter (she and Irene had agreed it was better to refuse all such invitations) she was staying stubbornly away from those who might question her.
 Beryls attempts to make things easier for her mother were nullified by this attitude.
 Beryl had accepted a career in lieu of love. the loss of that career for love. and lastly, contentment in service in the knowledge of a worth while sacrifice. What was her voice compared to young mans whole, life? Now she rebelled against seeing that sacrifice turned to vain account.
 Yet it seemed this must be her cross. Reluctant suspicion grew to certainty. The unfathomable ex- pression in Irene's eyes when she ana lOI1lIIly liISI uiCI oitcl iSi AC- turn had puzzled Beryl. After three weeks of uncertainty the situation was much clearer.
 Irene wanted Tommy. There could be no doubt of 1t. And in a short while, she said, she would be divorced from Gaylord. This news had stunned Mrs Everett. but it did more to Beryl. It sent top bling, spinning away in shattered bits, the radiant peace she had found in achieving Tommy's saliva ton. It tortured her and made every thought and aching burden in her tired mind.
 she waited in an agony of dread for Tommy to understand as she knew Irene would have him under stand to read the welcoming smile on Irene's lips as Irene would have him read it, to realize. as Irene would have him realize, that the sweetness, the gentleness, that clung about her like soft gar ment, was admission of a great mistake.
 It was lovely pose, this crushed innocence, this air of gentle sorrow nobly borne which Irene had adopted. It was impressive to all save Bcryl who saw thruogh it as through q pane of clear glass.
 Irene knew her sister saw through it. She knew that Beryl was aware of her real feelings to- ward Tommy. She knew this, and Beryl did not know.
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