Evening star., 1934-06-01

was something outside yourself
something you couldn't combat"
Kitten created a fortunate diver
sion at this point by struggling to get
down to T-Bone. toward whom she
had evidently avowed lifelong friend
ship, and the appearance of Bertha
Harris with the peach cobbler kept
the conversation light until Rose car
ried the unwilling Kitten away to
wash her face and hands before
dinner.
Left alone on the porch, Larry Nor
gan pulled battered package Of Gig
arettes from his pocket and lit one
HIS eyes were thoughtful as he
squinted through the smoke
Shanghai Rose in Catherwood .
wouldn't O. Henry just eat that sort
of story alive!" This white-faced. de-
f1ant girl was not going to fit, some
how. with the mental picture people
had formed of her. 1t would be in
tereSting and enlightening
to watch. There was fight in those
long gray eyes; a woman with her
back somehow to a wall How fiercely
maternal her arm had gone about the
child 1t got a man. somehow
stirred some primitive protective in
stinct deep inside an instinct as
old as Time
As though sensing that rival held
his masters thoughts, T-Bone lum-
bered to his feet. nosing his wet snout
into Morgan's hand. The man pulled
the hounds long ear, but the move
ment was automatic His mind was
busy with a picture-a picture he had
caught when first he opened the
screened porch door picture
that was never to leave him for the
rest of his life.
Night had fallen in Catherwood.
Along the warped porches of the
river streets workmen removed their
boots and stretched contented feet
toward the porch railings. Their wives
rocked in the warm darkness and re-
laxed to an hours gossip before bed
time.
Young couples strolled under the
trees in the park which Mrs Therrold
had given the town
In Elm Drive Terrace the comfort
able homes were lighted softly, and
automobiles stood parked on gravelled
driveways. The veranda of the Their
rold house held a quiet little group.
Ursula Prentiss had run over to be
with her mother, for Mrs. Therrold
was still shaken by the ordeal of
Harveys funeral. Irene Fleming. in
a newly made pearl-gray crepe, which
hinted delicately at mourning, had
come over to be with Barbara-and
10 watch Jeffrey. Unconscious Of the
nVltatlonal gesture she had made to-
ward the porch swing, he had gone
on down the steps. and now walked
by himself in the dark garden. He
felt suddenly the need to be alone
to think of that younger brother. and
10 try and forget the past months; but
another picture kept intruding
a girls white, hostile face two
hating gray eyes Damn it! WHY
The devil did he have to think of
her? He jammed his hands sud
denly into his pockets and scowled
BY the window of her cheap room
in the National House Rose sat in the
darkened room. listening to the quiet
breathing of Kitten behind her. The
poker party of some travelling sales
man in an adjoining room made sleep
impossible. The rising moon was
creeping across the fiat roof of the
Bugle Building. Alien night noises of
the town came family to her ears.
How lonely 1t was here what was
she to do? If only something
would happen to point the way
AS though by pre-arranged signal,
the wall telephone rang shrilly in the
darkness.
TomorroW-Lottie Welch.