Evening star., 1933-08-23

feeding soup to her tenderly,
Uheedling her into swallowing 1t-oe-
spite her aversion to food. Tommy was
a good nurse.
The phone rang while Freckle and
Tommy we're eating. FTecKle daSneu
in 70 answer it. 1t was Curt Little.
Marys face fell when she learned VINO
if was. OF course Tommy would have
tc be there and he'd get jealous again:
Tell him I'm too hOarSe to answer,
she whispered to Freckle desperately.
Freckle winked Understandings.
I'm awfully sorry, Mr.. Little, but
Mary is in bed with a sore throat anu
She can't talk very well. Is there any
message? don't think It's anything
seriolls. Oh, I'm sure 1t isn't neces-
sarv to have a doctor, she's had these
attacks before. It's just a milo case VI
tonsilitis. (. Please oothef -
all right tnats a"luiiS S"ee' "a 'N
I'll tell her ~ pos
standing in the door.
what did he say?" Mary flushed
niserably and sent an appealing glance
To Tommy to please understand.
Hes going to send doctor" FrecKle
+riad TO mass the situation OIL WIN
smile His physician. He says you
can't take any chances. Isn't that sweet
of him?" x.o5 ,etu-
lantly. Why didn't you tell MIN lie
crazy?" ,oord
how insistent he was. What coulo L
You call him back and tell him to
mind his own businesS!" TommyS 1ace
set stubbornly. I've done everything
for Mary that's necessary. SheS lotS
better. What's he buttin' in for?
Now listen" Freckle said placatlngiy'
"vou wouldn't want me to make Mr.
Little mad and cause Mary to lose ner
Yourselves. It's a good idea to have
doctor look you over. Mary. Maybe ne
can give YOU something thatu prevent
another attack"
II guess Freckle is right. Tommy
honey Mary smiled Vheedlngly;
.What's one old doctor more or less III
our young liveS?
Il don't care how many doctors you
hayel But l don't want that old MIL
lonaire actin as if he owns you. VINO
the deuce does he think he Is, anyway!
They were still arguing back ana
forth, with Tommy furious and Mary
and Freckle trying to keep pace, When
the doorbell rang. Freckle went 10
answer it and came back with basket
so large she could hardly lug it into
the room. It was filled with flowers OF
every description.
Marys heart sank to the bottom OF
her little feet. OF course, it was from
Curt Little And Tommy couldn't al
ford to buy her a bunch OF Vlolets!
He sank into a chair Whitley, almost
too hurt to speak, just as the dooroell
rang again.
Freckle returned with large basket
of fruit That was more than Tommy
could stand He got up savagely.
Mary Sawyer, you send those thlngs
right back where they came from. I
won't have you accepting all those ex-
pensive gifts from strange man.
Freckle sat down heavily and put her
head in her hands.
Go on" she grinned with hopeless
shrug. Have another fight. This
kissing and making up around here is
getting on my nerves. I wish you'd
throw things at each other or break up
the furniture-just to break the mo-
notonly"
"Tommy-dear," Mary pouted pref
tily, don't be a cross old bear. You
know I don't care for any man in the
world but you Not the least little pit
Please-dont scold. I'm aWfully sick"
When Mary turned on her sugariest
words and smiled at Tommy like that 1t
usually melted his stony heart in
minute But it cut him so deeply to
think that another man was shoWering
Mary with all the things he ached to
give her-it was just little more than
his young heart could bear.
Freckle being there to witness his
humiliation made him feel worse. He
set his jaw determinedly:
cav vOlI'Vp pOt fO send those things
back
Mary shook her head and leaned back
YEARLY.
No Tommy! You mustn't ask me to
humiliate Mr. Little that way. 1t would
be childish"
So" Tommy waxed even more
dramatic. you refuse to do even that
little thing for me. That's how much
you care. I'm glad found out in time"
4 don't want to lose my job" Mary
looked as though she were going to cry.
"Oh Tommy-cant you understand?
Mr.. Little is just a friend Why he's
got millions and I'm sure he'd send
flowers and fruit to any of his friends
who were sick
Tommy looked at the portable con-
servatory on the floor with disgust
Yeah I suppose he robs a ceme-
terry and buys out a whole fruit store
every time one of his friends get a
little sore throat. Use your head The
old roo-ay! I'd like to break his neck"
Tommy's yellow hair stood up on top
OF his head like the comb of an angry
rooster. His brown eyes snapped
Freckle caught her breath. She thought
he was the handsomest man she'd ever
seen.
Oh, if a man like Tommy would only
love her that much she'd die for him!
How could Mary resist his pleading?
Shed send back wagon-load of dia-
monds if Tommy would rage at her In
such a delicious jealous fury. But Mary
shook her head again"
L won't send the things back,
Tommy. Not for anything. You'll just
have to understand"
He whirled and Strode to the door.
"Then-good- I'm through"
When the door banged Freckle smiled
CrookeGly:
Short and to be point says l."
MaryS eyes burned with unShed tears.
She set her lips to keep them from
trembling-and turned her face to the
wall. She didn't want Curt Little's doc
tor to come and find her crying But
she had to battle stubbornly to keep
from breaking down.
When F'reckle let DR.. Maynard IN
Mary had managed to control herself,
but she was trembling inside and the
tears were very near the surface.
He gave her business-like smile, felt
her pulse, took her temperature, and
handed her a little box Of pills from
his bag.
Take one of these every four hours.
You'll be all right tomorrow. But don't
go out before day after tomorrow
morning
It was all over in minute and DR..
MAYNARD strobe from the room, as sud
denly and as business-Hke as he had
come. Freckle raised her eyebrows
when she came back from closing the
doE