Evening star., 1932-08-03
INSTALLNIENT XXX.

TONY's limbs we're heavy with
wearineSs. Yet sleep was far
from her eyes. She undressed
i mechanically. The cut ankle
throbbed. She bathed it in
lukewarm water and applied an anti
septic salve. Better to have a bad
ankle than to submit to the embraces
of Jock Selden. Infinitely better She
stretched her body at length on her
narrow bed and found her shoulder
was stiff. She must have strained it
in the struggle to get out of the car
Her mind raced. She commanded it:
that happened there. Be a blank
Sleep. I'm going to sleep.
She must have dozed for she Wakened
with a start. She sat up, shaking of
the drug of sleep. Mrs. Higgins stood
inside the door looking for all the world
as though she were seeing ghosts.
We'll, I never-Why-So it's you, Miss
Brookes," Mrs. Higgins stammered.
"Shure an I thought 1t was Miss
shure an I don't know what I did
think except it wasn't yourself I'd be
expectin' to be home on fOine day
as 1t is
Tony saw that Mrs Higgins held q
letter in her hand. Her heart leaped.
Tom Stewart! Tom had broken his
long silence!
THE letter-it is for me?" Tony
asked.
NO miss-I mean ma'am. Shure
and it's added me brain is today"
Mrs Higgins stuffed the letter into the
pocket of her apron. AN advertise
ment. I just happened to be holdin'
it. They keep sendin' 'em all the time,
the Lord knows why. Are ye sthaylng
here now, Miss Brookes, or is 1t just
sthoppin' by ye are?"
Tim staying here, indefinitely"
Then you'll not be hvin with Miss
Lee no more?"
NO, I'll be living here" Mentally
Tony added: Mrs. Higgins is sorry the
cat came back. I can't blame her.
She was collecting rent on this room
without wear or tear or bother. She
might conceal her feelings a bit,
though. She could pretend she's glad.
After all, this is the only home I have.
Then I'll be bringin' up fresh sheets
and a pillowcase," Mrs. Higgins said,
obviously delighted to have found an
excuse to depart in a hurry.
No more sleep for Tony. Impossible.
And she had felt SO certain that letter
was from Tom. ''Why?" she asked
herself. Its been weeks since the
night he held me in his arms. Weeks
And feel the warmth Of his hands, his
lips, as If they had Just touched me,
were touching me now. Stop it. Stop
being a fool about man who is laugh
ing at you If he hasn't completely for
gotten you. It's ignoble to be SO weak"
She would work on a sketch. Drawing
could absorb her. Another evening
gown. Something lively to chase away
the gloom. A stroke here, curve
there No, that won't do. Rub, rub,
rub I'll try simpler lines-Oh. heck!
How did I ever come to do that!
Tony tore the paper from the board.
She had drawn the woman with the
fiery red hair and the revealing black
sheath of satin. The woman who had
sulked all evening at the beach house.
And she had meant to do something
lively.
At 10 o'clock Mrs. Higgins painted
upstairs-the buzZer was out of order
to tell Tony she was wanted on the
telephone.
its Miss Lee" Mrs. Higgins said.
Tony busted herself gathering to-
gether her drawing materials. Tell
Miss Lee I will not answer" she
could hear Mrs. Higgins protesting
WheeZe.
But she says as how it's important"
Just give the message please, Mrs:
Higgins. I will not answer"
"NoW there We are, you two grruS
have bin an spatted amongst ye. An
a shame It is, your sharin' the same
bed and board"
"The party on the phone is waiting
Mrs Higgins"
TITS stubborn as an OK ye are, Miss
Brookes, and It's well ye git over bein'
it." Mrs. Higgins gave an indignant
fiirt to her apron and numbered heaV-
dly down the stairs.
Tony had reached a cross-road. She
told herself: It's lucky I've come this
far with so little damage. I've got to
cut Lee from my life. It's going to be
hard-Tve come to have real sister S
affection for her. She's drifting fast.
I'VE tried to stop her She won't be
stopped. She thinks she's riding the
crest of the wave. Perhaps she Is.
Perhaps I am in the slough. Lee and
/ have different codes, different tastes.
She's beginning to hate me because Of
Tom Stewart, and because Jock Sell
den"
Miss Lee says please an come to
the phone II not she and the others
are coming afther ye." Mrs. Higgins
delivered the message through the
closed door.
m leaving, 1OIly Cdl4ed Will oc-
cision. Il don't know when I'll be
back"
But We was just afther tellin' me
We was sthayin'-"
i've changed my mind. I'm leaving
at once"
"Niver did I see such a stubborn
girul-"
Tony had not unpacked her bag. She
removed the things she would not need
her evening dress, a single pair OF
sheer silk stockings, slippers woefully
soiled from her tramp through sandy
roads back to the Lombard after her
escape from the car and from Jocl
Selden.