White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-05-05

Only she wished she could remember
how 1t had felt.
She was lying on her bed, propped
up by an extra pillow or two, reading
her favorite sentimental novel. The
sound Of the front door opening gave
her start. But it wasn't mother.
1t was Ed. She could tell by the way
he slammed the door. 1t wasn't worth
while getting up for him. When he
called upstairs, "Mother!" she an
swered, Mother isn't home" but not
loud enough to be sure he heard. She
rather hoped he hadn't. Then he'd
go out to the kitchen, get something
to eat, and probably 60 away again.
She felt perfectly well disposed
toward Ed = hadn't grievance
against him in the world--only she
didn't feel like talking to him, nor to
anybody. Why didn't he go over and
see Agatha?
She heard him coming undecisively
up the stairs. From the corridor he
again called "Mother!" and this time
there was no getting out of it.
"She isn't home yet, but I think she
will be pretty SOON"
He came straight on to her door
and asked, MAY come in? It's you
l wanted to talk to, anyway"
"Sure!' she said. Come in. I'm
just lying down."
"Still feeling rotten?" he asked.
"Oh, no, not especially" she said
bravely. mo, really I'm all right"
He came over and sat down on the
edge of the bed, undeterred by the
fact that she didn't move to make
room for him.
"You poor kid! he said. 'T'm hor-
ribly sorry, Edith"
You could see he meant it all right.
He bent down over her, and she real
lied that he meant to kiss her. On
an uncomfortable and perfectly auto
matte instinct, she wriggled away
from him.
Deeply hurt, he sat erect again.
She was sorry, but not regretful.
Rogers kiss was safe for a while
longer anyway. She supposed she'd
| have to wash her face some time, and
after that, it wouldn't matter. But
| until then
ooh, that's the way you feel about
] me, is it?" Ed asked.
! mo, it Isn't I don't feel that way
bit, only just didn't happen to
feel like being kissed" She thought
Of something and yielded to licen-
tious impulse to say it. go over and
do 1t to Agatha" she said with a
smile. "She won't mind"
He went the color of a boiled beet
and sprang erect as if she'd burned
him. He was perfectly speeches.,
but he stood looking at her as if he'd
like to wiring her neck.
II didn't mean any harm by that"
! she went on. "You do kiss her some
times, don't your"
1--WE won't discuss her, If you
please" he said Jelly. Il thought you
were her friend-her best friend. She
thinks So"
"Well, but I ami" she protested.
I'm sorry, Ed. 1 didn't mean any
thing. take it all back. Will you
forgive me?"
ooh, it's all right. I haven't any
thing to forgive. can see how you
must have felt about me. You must
have hated me-"
"Hated your she echoed, sitting up.
Don't be silly! 1 didn't, anything
of the kind"
"Well, you didn't have anything on
me If you did. Not last night, after
my talk with dad I found him sit
ting up waiting for me when came
home from Martha's party. He told
me-all about things. Gosh!"
"All about what?"
Everything" he said. "How hard
up he was because Of the new bust
ness; and about how you and he and
mother were doing without things and
saving every cent you possibly could
and how they were going to send you
to the high school because they
couldn't afford to keep you on in the
old school. He told me enough, all
right! / felt like NANCY pup in the
dog pound before he got through with
me-"
but it wasn't your fault" she pro
tested. you didn't know. We didn't
mean you should. We kept it dark or
purpose because we were afraid you'd
be foolish and make fuss about 60
ing back to college. l don't see what
dad had to 80 and tell you for
"He said might have noticed that
you and mother were doing all the
work and done some Of it myself but
what he was sorest about was be
cause l hadn't come down to see his
new shop. He said he'd wanted my
advice about the thing. It's the frs
time I ever knew he cared anything
about that. Only wish he'd asked
me about 1t before he went in"
"Was that where you went thi:
/ morning?" she asked. Didn't II
look Didn't you think II
was :"
"Oh it'll come ont all right | guess