Evening star., 1936-05-16
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E.mSW %kA1HLEEN NORRIS \

er had Mysteries, I remember, and
made a scene. But Lance was only
kid then, and Lance hasn't got aw-
fully good sense anyway. That just
seemed horribly stupid and expensive.
This is different. This is George" 3"
Time went by. She was at her east
ern window at 2 o'clock to watch the
slow progress of a steamer across the
bay. The water flowed in a gracious
fan away from the prov; the current
carried it in a long sweep past Al
catraz; fog was coming In the Gate in
streamers and banks. and presently
the pufilng Sonora was lost in it.
At 5 O'Clock Tamsra found herself
lying on her bed. She was not think.
ing; she was hardly feeling anything.
The long strain had left her weak
and numb; she fancied she had dozed
for q while, now she had awakened
again. She stretched a long arm to
the table beside her and took from It q
little double photograph frame. For
long time she stared at 1t with no
expression whatsoever on her face
The picture Of q man looked back
at her. She had taken this picture
herself and she liked 1T better than
even the best of the campaign ones.
George was grinning; his hair was
somewhat blown about and his shirt
open at the throat.
The picture facing his was Of O.
child-a little girl whose hair was also
wind-blown, who was standing in q
meadow with her eyes dancing with
mischief and excitement, and her
small feet in shabby white shoes plant
ed firmly upon carpet of flowers.
Her brief scant frock revealed slim,
firm legs; she held against her face
with vigorous barred little rounded
arms a great loppy Airedale puppy
almost as large as herself.
Mary, who had been such an en-
gaging, eager baby. and who was grow
ing into so engaging. 50 eager little
girl, was far across the water now.
Her vital. Aunt Tam, I'll tell you
what!" and the rush Of her flying
feet, the tumbling of her fragrant,
loving little self against Aunt Tam's
shoulder or into Aunt Tam's arms
was only an evasive memory now. Tam
could press her wet face against the
thin glass that protected the picture
as desperately as she would; there was
no warmth there, there was no ringing
little imperious voice, there was none
of the living deliciousness Of Mary.
And George was lost In the fog
across the bay on this Christmas eve.
He was shut into that great, grim
place that stood in the bare coldness
Of the treeless brown hills that ran
down to the cold cove water. Great
walls held him in and on those walls
men armed with guns walked slowly
day and night and within those walls
were hoses and machine guns and
bars and locks-locks within locks
and guns always ready.
George would be having his supper
now at q long table surrounded by
silent. savagely hungry men. Beans
and bread and soupy coffee. After.
ward he would fall with the others
into helpless lines beside cages in
which animals would have died. At
the sound of the bugle the men would
meekly .incarcerate themselves and
hear the locks click for an awful
IL hours Of idleness and solitude.
At 6 she made herself cup OF
tea and afterward dressed and walked
slowly down through the lighted gay
little shops Of Chinatown toward the
city. The cross Of old st. MaryS
lifted itself above the troubled world.
high and peaceful and full Of prom
ise. Tam went up the steps and
noiselessly entered the dim. sweet
place; the altar was lovely with ber-