Evening star., 1936-01-11

ing chair. She had been motionless,
but now she selected a sock from
basket beside the chair and began to
darn 1t, rocking gently to and fro.
so, you see, I've been pretty bad"
Kay said, pleadingly, pleading for
reprobation, for scorn. Mrs. Brannan
did not speak and Kay insisted: "You
see that, mother? What a-hussy
amp"
Mrs. Brannan smiled at her. "Why,
always rather liked you, Kay" she
admitted.
"Of course. you would" Kay agreed,
choking, trying to laugh. But I
mean :" She could not speak.
Bob seems to have behaved WELL"
Mrs. Brannan suggested. "Once the
harm was done" She looked at Kay
briefly.
"Oh. he's been great" Kay stam-
mered. He's :"
II see," Mrs. Brannan commented.
And Kay, looking at her, saw COM
plete comprehension in the older
woman's eyes.
She nodded dumbly. "I do love
him." she said. But couldn't
hang on to him, ruin everything for
| him. He's still in love with Priscilla" :"
And she admitted bravely: IF I
didn't-care for him, could"
"Of course" Mrs. Brannan assented.
She was busy with the sock for a
while; chuckled to herself. Your
| fo4I.a. altman. ,,,oorc o,,t HE cnoLe iy,
the same place." she declared. "On
his little toe. Just look at this one,
Kay. I've darned 1t half a dozen
times in this one spot already, and
the rest of it. except in that one
place, is almost as good as new :"
II think I'll call up Emily" Kay
decided. I'm crazy to see her again.
Is she as grand as she used to be?
Has she changed?"
She's grown wise and sweet and
strong" said Mrs. Brannan, with a
calm content.
So Kay went to the telephone, and
Emily was speechless and then vocal
with delight; and she urged that they
all come to supper, but Kay would
not. "Well walk over after supper,
she promised. Emily protested at this
insufferable delay. but Kay persisted
too. Il don't want to see q lot of
people yet" she explained. After
dark they won't recognize me-" And
Emily, with the baby to put to bed,
and Georges supper to prepare, was
forced to submit.
Then Will Brannan came home,
and Kay had to fight to hide her
dismay at the sight of her father. He
had lost much weight, he seemed to
have lost in stature, too. and his hail
was white and his cheek gray with
/ age. He had always worn a sort of
sprightly gayety, and now he laughed
with pleased surprise at the sight OF
her, kissed her, pinched her cheek,
asked where Bob was and forgot to
listen to her answer. She perceived
| after little that he had begun to
withdraw from the world; that he
was not attentive to what went on
about him. He lived remotely, behind
| this cheerful surface which he wore.
Even before supper was ready, he was
deep in his paper, and at the table
| he heard only half the conversation
| between Kay and her mother. He
might catch the tag end Of sentence
! and demand to know what they had
been saying. and Mrs. Brannan at
such moments would patiently retrace
the ground just covered.
Kay said so and so, and I said,
and she said :"
But before the explanation was
complete his attention would have
wandered again.
Kay watched him with COM
miserating tenderness in her eyes.
Afterward. while she was helping her
mother with the dishes, Mrs. Bran
nan asked: You find your father
changed?"
Kay started to speak, then under
stood the terror that lurked behind
the Older woman's words, and said
quickly: "No. mother. Not particu-
larly. He seems just the same to me,
! so well, and cheerful"
Mrs. Brannan nodded with a great
relief. Il think he's WELL" she doubt
fully agreed. He hasn't-been i'll for
over a year now, Kay"
And Kay said: I'm so glad! It
used to be so hard on you'll"
Afterward. in the late dusk, they
all walked over to Emily's, and saw
the baby put to bed, and Kay found
George astonishingly younger, more
| amusing and with calm dignity born
of success which became him we'll.
Emily was radiant. Kay uncon-
sciously had expected to find her sister
faded, little weary, beginning to
seem older. But Emily, blooming with
the approach of maternity, wore a
wise and gracious beauty, the beauty
of one who has found the life she
loves.
Kay seems to have settled down
into the routine of Carvel. Will she
turn back to her childhood sweetheart,
Elmer Radford, for love and content
ment? Look for tomorrow's revealing
installment.
(To be continued)
The motion picture Small To,Dn
Girl" 1Uiu soon be shoUn in a Wash
ington theater.