Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1933-02-10

- ~ 49,
asked. "Barbara's quite happy
at least I think she is. She's got a
nice man she goes about with; his
name is Jerry Barnet. He adores
her, but l don't think she cares
very much for him. But there is
someone she loves. She told me
so once. l wonder who it isl she
added almost to herself.
81 don't think Barbara is a very
faithful lover" Pauline's mother
said, but this Pauline would not al
low. 'She is! | understand her.
Once she really loves anyone moth
ing would ever change her. OF
course she doesn't wear her heart
on her sleeve"
She said something of the same
sort to Peterkin when he arrived to
dinner n night, having driven
forty miles through the cold and
rain to see her. They had dinner
alone, as Pauline's mother was still
in bed.
"It's nice to see. you, Peterkin,"
Pauline said. She hoped he thought
she looked we'll and happy. She
had put on one of her prettiest
frocks in his honor and she wore
the pearl necklace Dennis had given
her for a wedding present.
"Still as radiantly happy" Pet
erkin asked.
"Of course. Dennis is a darling"
said Dennis's wife.
Peterkin emptied his wineglass.
why isn't he here?" he asked
bluntly.
Pauline flushed. "He would have
come-he wanted to come, only I
knew it would be so dull for him
with Daddy away. He would have
only I persuaded him not to-"
II see
Pauline was offended. She
thought Peterkin was silly to be so
oldfashioned.
els Mrs. Stark looking after
|him?" Peterkin said suddenly.
II asked her to-" Pauline said
quickly, and then wondered why
she had spoken defensively, and
then quite suddenly a wave of sheer
homesickness for Dennis swept
over her.
"A penny for your thoughts"
Peterkin said suddenly, and Paul
inc felt her eyes ridiculously fill
ing with tears as she answered.
Nothing. I was just wondering
if Dennis is missing me as much as
l miss him."
Peterkin WINGED; he had not yet
got used to the fact that Pauline
was married, and her love for
O'Hara still hurt him.
"Of course he isl" he said loyal
lly. He'll be jolly glad to have you
back"
And Pauline frightened instant
" and flushed and dimpled and
talked eagerly of her own little
home. Then she broke off and
flushed, and Peterkin kept his eyes
on his plate. Pauline hurriedly
changed the subject.
1t came to her mind when she
was undressing that night, and she
sat down on the side of the bed
and stared down at the carpet, lost
in thought Would Dennis be pleas
ed if-if there was to be a baby?
She had never heard him say he
would like to have a son, for Of
course it would be a son-a son
with Dennis's eyes, and his way of
laughing. Pauline's simple mind
leaped ahead and was lost in a mist
of rosy dreams.
Barbara could be godmother of
course, and perhaps dear old Peter
kin would be godfather, and if it
was a boy they would call it Den
mis- Peterkin O'Hara.
And then she cried a little be-
cause the dream was so beautiful
and because she felt she did not
deserve to be so happy, and then
she kissed Dennis's picture, which
stood in its old place beside her bed,
and then she knelt down and said
her prayers.
Dennis always teased her about
her prayers.
Such a baby" he said, but she
had a kind of feeling that all the
same Dennis liked her to pray for
him.
And she prayed for him now in
simple faith and love and che