Nogales international., 1934-10-27
MoGg 40 on sV;th the story.

y anCy unQerStOOQ. WIFI q gasp
she wrenched her hand out of his and
stood up, staring at him. She saw no
one but him. She did not even see
that Helena Haddon had risen from
her table and was coming toward them.
She looked only at Roemer.
"OhW she gasped, what have l
done-that you should think me like
this?"
He rose, too, staggered by her look.
Nancy, I swear / adore you--l
"Hushl" she cried fercely, hush
never say such things to me again l
-" she clung to the back of her
chair. Then she turned, put out her
hand gropingly and went toward the
long window where the rain was beat
ing in.
Page sprang after her. but she
waved him back. LET me alone
don't speak to me-" she gasped. GO
and talk to that woman. Mrs. Had
don, l mean. She's coming. Keep
her away. I must be. alone a minute.
IL don't want even to look at you
yeti" she painted.
Aghast, Page stood still. He was
aware, too, that Helena was coming
idly toward him. He turned to face
her-he had to cover Nancy's retreat.
What on earth would this woman
think?
Nancy stood only moment on the
piazza, then she slipped the bolt on an
unused wildow-door m the half-en-
closed porch, opened il, and dropped
softly to the ground below.
The rush of the rain was welcome.
She felt it as if it might wash away the
contamination OF Pages thought Of
her. She did not care where she went.
She turned, and was swept along the
new road, beyond the inn, farther and
farther from town. 1t did not matter
Her clothing was so drenched that
it weighed her down, and the rain con-
tinued in torrents.
90 At last her mental anguish began
to give away to her physical weak
ness; she could go no farther, and she
did not know where she was. She
climbed down a muddy bank and
looked out through the mist and rain.
There was house-not twenty yards
off She drew long sigh of relief,
gathered herself together, and breasted
the storm.
1t was a mere shanty, a tumblcd-
down house. But it was shelter from
the storm. Dripping and breathless,
Nancy knocked at the door. A woman
opened it; there was glimpse
Of bare interior, spark of fire dying
in the old stove, close smell of cook
ing and medicine, and the f1etful cry
of sick child.
Not word was spoken. The wind
and the rain swept the storm-beaten
girl in. The woman slapped the door
to, struggling, her shoulder against it,
shot the bolt, and ran back into the
room where the child was moaning.
Nancy moved over to the stove and
began mechanically wringing the water
out Of her dripping clothing. After
the rush of the wind and the cold
driving rain, it was suffocatingly hot
in the wretched little room, but gradu-
ally her mind cleared. She began to
heed the wall OF the child and the
woman's sob of a prayer.
please tn Lord, amt I he'd enuff
Don't take him, Lord, | amt done
nothin ter make vel" she cholSed,
sobbing aloud, and evidently turned
back TO the child. Thar, thar, honey,
yo drink ct, yo' amt goin' ter die
the Lord amt goin' ter take yo'-Fse
been a-talkin' ter Him."
Nancy's mind came back sharply.
She moved swiftly across the room to
the open door and looked in.
The storm had darkencd the place,
and the woman had set candle in
bottle on a table beside the low cot in
the corner. The flare Of it fell full on
the flushed FACE OF very sick child.
The woman, on her knees by the bed,
did not even look up.
Nancy went in. LET me help" she
said softly, you're tired out. You
must reStr
The mothers head sagged forward.
'Tired? Me? l amt slep' TO days
Tony's thet sick Honey, git we'll, sit
up, honey, yo' amt real sick now-yo'
mas prayin'-prayin' helps him a
sight" = she added.
=. The girl took the cup out of her
limp fingers and sat down on the edge
OF the bed.
"Tony-is that his name? Tony