Henderson daily dispatch., 1936-10-24
@FLQ!W y! 3E', At .! HER fFEtT49
CHAPTER u
AK CAREY return to Bairds

vale?
The idea was ridiculous. Alix
wouldn't have used the word
ridiculous" however. She would
have said that it was most i'm
probable that she would ever want
to go back. When she had left it
eight years before it wasn't be-
cause she didn't like it, or because
she thought it too small town..
She had had to go after there
was no one left to her in the little
cottage that was haunted with the
ghosts Of Dora's music and the
gay color that Felix brought into
it. She was only a slip of a girl
then, hardly more than child,
but she had felt the need to go
out into the world, to see for her.
self where it's byways would lead
her.
She suppose remembering
that, that in one short year she
had skyrocketed to the top of her
profession. At 25 to be an execu-
tive in the New York Office of
recognized manufacturing con-
Germ rated, in these days Of hard
earned positions, as success.
Odd that girl with all she had
would want to leave it. She had
an apartment that she maintained
easily. She had an Office with a
thick carpet on the floor and her
name in neat gold letters on the
door. She had an ample salary
and an expense account. She was
one of that exalted little group of
career women with a future that
she had envied in her stenographic
days.
But it was a future that was
colorless, dry and empty to her
now.
It was August when Bill Boyd
had said, IF you ever want a job
In Bairdsvale, let me know"
That was the last thing in her
mind then. And probably in
Bills.
But now it was October. An
October that was an anniversary;
q season dying gloriously with
j brave, bright colors accenting the
tragedy Of another. year gone by.
A year that had given her every
thing she had wanted and taken it
away.
Everything was gone, every
thing that had been her world.
Kathleen, Kim and John.
All she had left were memories
and she wanted to get away from
them. The mute reminders of the
shallow comfortlessness of mani
mate things. The clothes that
hung in her closet said, "Remem-
Der the time you wore me?" She
gave them away. She crowded
little hats and fragile frocks into
the arms of Mrs. Anderson, the
Irish wife of the Swedish superin-
tendent who lived in the basement
apartment. a
God bless you, my dear! I
Mver thought I'd be havin' sech
neeyoutiful things. I'll be dom
you favor for all this!" that
grateful lady promised.
lake them," she said toneless-
~ while she wished that she might
give her the apartment in which
she spent too many hours.
Inc very streets she walked
upon turned up as many reminders
as the leaves that Uttered them.
she went to an exhibit with
Max kleermann. There was tea
ana conversation. There was a
Viennese psychiatrist with whom
she found herself sitting in an
alcove.
What is the matter with YOU ?"
ne asked, blinking his eyes kindly
behind their thick glasses.
Alix looked into his ewes and
knew how direct his question was
She didn't know his name: he
didn't know hers. It was unlikely
that they would ever meet again
Everything inside me-" she an
swered. I'm caught in a net of
my own weaving and I can't find
my way out. I'm unhappy. LOST
and I don't know what to do"
"Drealnless ?" he asked.
Ahx knew he meant to ask her
It she had nothing in the future
she wanted. She said:
Yes. Once had work but the
work is part of the whole thing.
1t doesn't even fill my time"
And have you lost him? Are
you sure?" How wise he wasI
YES That wasn't Of my doing,