Evening star., 1935-05-03
CHAPTER XXXIII.
DEATH.

II Smile WdIlly NIiCll udiico PsoAs~>
a hoop of brilliantS on her finger
~ and laid mass of pink roses
On her pillow. She looked 81
white. so exhausted and so etnerea
that, after Mrs. Northrup had left the
room. James suddenly knelt by th'
bed and buried his had in his ARM
and sohbed
Gone was all his gayety; gone his
sense of reckless happiness and tri-
tmphant pride. Memories OF Jane
aeonies of last night and early morn
ing overwhelmed him. 1t seemed nor
rible to him that he could have gone
strutting up and down the street hall
shouting, laughing, being slapped on
the back, the center of noisy throng
while Jane lay there so close, so very
close to the shadow.
What course, rough thing, men were
at best, how undeserving of the women
God gave them!
Jane lifted a weak hand and LAID
II on her husbands bowed head. James
took it in both his and kissed 1t over
and over. They were closer to one
another, more in accord than they nac
been since their honeymoon.
Perhaps they both said little prayer
and made solemn petition that they
should be permitted to continue II
the beauty of this perfect understand
ing the rest of their lives-at least
James made his prayer and he rather
thought Jane did, too.
A tiny. fretful wall startled James
and he lifted his head. No wonder
the babies were crying. He'd forgot
ten to give them their presents. A
nice father he was. Why. he'd barely
looked at them, never even waited
until they were dressed before he
rushed off down town.
Drying his eyes somewhat shame
facedly, James tiptoed around to the
other side of the bed to founced,
lace-hung. ch-beribboned cradle.
One small, red-faced bundle was lift
ing its voice in a feeble, complaining
little wall
The other lay so still, so waxy-
white, that James, his heart pounding
oueerly. bent over quickly to investi-
gate. He raised up sharply and
Jane. watching him, smiling tenderly,
saw that ali the life had gone out
of his face.
Whats the matter?" she cried,
Jerking herself to sitting position.
Il don't know-nothing." answered
her husband, and ran from the room
calling Mrs. Northrup. She came.
The nurse came, followed by Anna.
Or. White was hurriedly sent for
1t was too late The second twin.
the little daughter. had taken one
look at her new home and quietly
slipped away. What hurt her father
most was that she had not stayed
long enough to enjoy the beautiful
new doll he had brought her She
was so little and helpless-and so
dreadfully alone.
He wondered. lying awake at night,
whether she had found her way back
to where she had come from. There
we're some things, James found, that
did not bear thinking about. He
got out of bed, switched on the light
and tried to read.
From the front of the house came
clearly to his ears an impatient, fret
ful little cry. Later in the night he
heard the sound of Jane sobbing.
But when he went in to her he found
Mrs. Northrup there before him and
she motioned him away.
The loss of her baby was a great
shock to Jane in her weakened con-
dition and she was a long time in
getting back her strength The elder
twin, the boy, suffered, too, from loss
of vitality. and was continual worry
to them all.
Mrs. Northrup and the doctor got
one Of those new trained nurses from
st. Joseph, whom Anna hated almost
as much as If she had been of the
opposite sex. but whose dependable
efficiency gave James feeling of
comfort and strength.
For the first time in his life James
was glad of his father-i laws money.
His bills multiplied and grew and
mounted until he was frightened.
He considered going to the Judge for
q loan, but Jane insisted that he
should go instead to her father.
James went reluctantly, his face
red with embarrassment Mr.. North
rup was kind enough, looked over the
pile, said he would attend to them.
But before he let James 60 he read
him lecture about his extravaganza
in buying Jane diamond ring when
the twins were born.
Jane had plenty of diamond rings
and if she wanted more her father
would see that she had them 1t was
foolishly reckless for a young man
earning less than three thousand a
year to indulge himself in buying
diamonds. Not that Mr. Northrup
objected really. 1t merely served for
an excuse to give James little talk
on the value and uses of money of
which Mr.. Northrup considered him
criminally ignorant.
James admitted the extravaganza
Of the ring and that Jane did not
need it. That he had paid for it
himself that he did not expect James
long and protracted illness he did
not explain.
He would have liked to snatch the
bills out of Mr.. Northrup's fat white
hands and cram them and his big
black cigar down his huge throat,
but, instead, he murmured something
about paying the money back as soon
as he could.
I'll expect it back the day roosters
lay eggs for my breakfast" said Mr..
Northrup and shook all over with
relish of his witticism
James suddenly realized that he
not only disliked his father-in-law.
but came perilously near to hating