Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-09-23
INSTALLMENT XIV.

THOUSANDS Of kilograms and
letters poured into the hospital
during Lees first week there,
Il but kilograms from his mother
alone were sufficient to keep him occu-
pied much of each morning. Her ply
stefan had forbade her to cross the
continent unless it was case OF life
and death, and. being impatient with
even airmail, she wrote endless let
tiers" on telegraph blanks.
1t was during his sixth week in the
hospital that his mother walked into
his room one evening and, after a
minimum Of affectionate exchanges,
demanded to know. Who is this little
Government clerk?"
Mrs. Monday was just on the wrong
side of so. but rigid and systematic
and exercises gave her at first glance
the appearance of IS. She was q
woman of extraordinary energy. Her
abrupt question left no doubt in Lees
mind that she had had information,
as she phrased it, and had promptly
told her doctor to go to the devil and
caught the next plane East.
II won't have any of this nonsense,
Lee" she told him as she paced the
floor at the foot of the bed. 1T is
evident this girl planned that wreck
in the mountains and then proceeded
to rope you in. -. I gave you credit
for better sense"
Lee made no effort to conceal his
amusement. You would have to
know this girl to understand how
ridiculous that sounds" he said,
grinning. why, Ann"
oh, I know. I know :" She
waved argument aside with flutter
OF her hands. She's beautiful; she's
brilliant; she's modest and retiring,
and she tells you she would be much
happier if you didn't have a cent in
the world! know her kind. ]
want to see this little adventurer and
tell her I'll fight her with every cent
I own. If she's reasonable, I'll have
my lawyers draw up settlement. II
she isn't What are you laughing
at. you young idot?"
AT you. At the idea of your talk
ing about a settlement with Ann
What I wouldn't give for ringside
seat for that little comedy"
1T will not. think, be a comedy
She suddenly sank into a chair
when will you get out of here, Lee?'
within a week or two" he said
''1ll be using a cane for some time
however. Oh, by the way, visitors
won't be allowed tomorrow afternoon
You'll have to come in the evening
around T."
Her son had known no more about
the consultation than she had, but
Mrs. Monday was no less irritated
by the delay. Lee had said o'clock
It was now after 7. Why could he not
have saved her this needless wait E?
These dark little reception rooms gave
one the creeps. And she might be
here for hours.
A moment later the small, slim fig
ure of a girl was framed in the door
way. If you will just wait here,
please" a nurse said and went off.
The girl walked around the table and
sat down. Mrs. Monday cleared her
throat, but the girl did not look up.
For half an hour they sat in the
poorly lighted room, staring at I'M
seen objects, thinking thoughts which,
unknown to them both, conferred on
the same young man. Entering the
lobby downstairs Ann had encoun-
tered Lees day nurse just going of
duty and the nurse had told her:
There's a consultation on in Mr..
Mondays room. Two specialists from
Johns Hopkins. They haven't been
able to get complete articulation and
they're beginning to worry about q
permanent limp. But" with a wink,
you don't know anything about it,
So it was that while Lees mother
tapped her chin and considered how
she might definitely blast her sons
infatuation for a gold-digging Gov
eminent clerk the little Government
clerk sat some 10 feet away deeply
troubled by the thought that Leo
might carry reminder of their noun
tain crash to the end of his life.
Mrs. Monday cleared her throat
again. The silence and the girls sor-
rowful expression were beginning to
wear on her nerves. Now Ann looked
up and met the older womans gaze
and smiled. Mrs. Monday smiled
back at her and said quietly: Moth
ing, my dear, is ever quite SO tragic
as it may seem. You are much too
young and lovely to worry over some
thing you can't do anything about"
Ann colored little. Had her face
reflected her thoughts so plainly?