The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-01-18

faltering courage in facing poverty and loneliness and Mark. :.
 You'd come and stay with u: in Toxeter as soon as ever yol can?" she asked.
 You bet! My only change oi gettin' away from this holel What about Christmas?"
 "Oh, before then, Judy, please!'
 ''If I come at Christmas I shal only be givin' you a couple ot months to yourselves. Sh or enough?"
 Why, pretend that we shall bt the average, conventional honey mooners?" demanded Barbara, hel irritation returning. Our mar. riage age-everything-is different iron most marriages and our lives vii have to be different now" Sht paused T wonder if you botf thoroughly realize that my jot keeps me out all day, every day?'
 Course we do," returned Mrs Lodely heartily. But Mark won' nope for his shabby old mother even If he is left alone at home He'll make friends. Fill the bc'lst with em. You'll come back to fine 'em all smokin' and drinkin' anc talking"
 We shan't be able to afforc very much hospitality of that kind Judy dear. Not at first, anyway
 My dear gel, Mark naturally won't sponge on you for thing! ' like smokes and drinks-hell pay for 'em out of his own pocket"
 "Oh, I know" agreed Barbars ,hurriedly.
 And in case of emergency there | is his legacy, the three hundred pounds from his Aunt Alice" Sht puffed out smoke again anc laughed Funny to remember once paid that for a fur coat!'
 Poor Judy!" At once Barbars was filled with the passion of pity that Mark and his mother could always arouse in her. Dear Judy life hasn't been very fair to you.
 "Oh, my dear gel, I'm not con- plainin'! It's on you children the pinchin' and scrapin' comes hard
 On Mark, yes, very hard I car manage perfectly. But you'll see I'll take good care of Mark" She made a little grimmace at tht bric-a-bas. Anyway, my rooms vii be larger than these. One ad- vantage of not being able to af- ford much furniture!"
 Look here, Babs, if you don't mind my sayin' so-I believe Mark feels it a bit when you talk about tiny rooms and my income anc all that. Of course, in theory there's no earthly reason why 2 woman shouldn't make more mon. ley than a man and spend it or both of 'em, but the way thing. will be with you two, in an ole cathedral city like Texeter-well any man would feel it. Especially if he's as sensitive as Mark. Marl will feel it very badly" Barbara looked down into tht fire. No sense of arguing witt Judy on such subject as this Instead
 T must be more careful" sh, agreed lightly, and added C. think I'll go up to him. It's onl, just nine and he never sleeps be. fore midnight. does he?"
 Not often. But I don't knov whether-he's in a wicked mood concluded Mrs. Lodely. and thi time her laugh covered a distinc ill-ease.
 Poor Mark' said Barbara soft ly and left the room.
 Mrs. LOdely listened to her foot steps on the stairs for momen and then, pitching away her cigar cite, sat down in the empty chail | by the fire and took her closely cropped grey head into her hands It was the attitude of despair, tht pose of defeat.
 But when she moved slghtl, and showed her eyes to the fir, and the crowded room and the au tumn evening outside, they wer, not the eyes of the conquered They were absorbed, calculating patient and, withal. fundamental. stupid.
 Once they're married" she sail aloud, checked herself with eau tious glance around her, and fel again into her reverie.
 Barbara, on her way to Mark turned aside into Judy's room tt borrow some powder and run . comb through her hair. Also, tt brace herself against the momen when Marks mood should turn it. cruelty upon hey and exhaust it | self 1lpOn her Steadfastness