The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-16

girls. He saw him in his baggy
black suit and the stiff white shirt,
with the limp, struggling black
bow tie and the slow old feet in
highly polished congress CATERS,
soft as a woman's glove.
He saw him again in a flower
banked hospital room, the white
head propped on pillows. An old
man. grown garrulous on his
deathbed.
He remembered the stories he
told. Improbable stories about
billiards. and gambling and dance
hall girls. And one girl with corn
color hair, who sang ballads and
was, most improbable of all, the
present Mrs. Cooper's sister.
He remembered Mrs. Cooper's
embarrassment, her Intellectual at
tempts to stop the old mans stark,
sometimes bawdy and always faS-
cinating "reminiscences.
He was still sitting there, his
brow wrinkled, trying to reconcile
the whole highly colored, impos-
sible situation with the young,
sleeping girl and the white, mod
ern Chinese room, when Nettie
came in.
She wore expensive mourning
and the narrow black pumps over
which her silken instep bulged,
must have been tight, for she
limped. looked warm and tired.
Beside her, Adele, tall and will
lowy in her soft gray and large,
flattering hat. was picture.
Both fastened to the bed, with
soft cries. Both had eyes only for
the man beside the bed.
On Nettie's face was the quick,
calculating suspicion of the lady
shopper who's afraid the stock has
been picked over before she ar.
rived.
And think of you waiting here,
and your office full of people!
Now what is the matter with our
Christine? I couldn't believe it
when the maid told me as we
came in the door,"
"Christie's never been sick a day
in her life" Adele said. She went
close to Donald, and put her hand
on his sleeve, smiling up at him,
brightly. provocatively.
He smiled back at her, put his
hand on hers, absently.
"Oh. she's all right again. A..
a mild case of Mysteries. Trying
to be a little too brave. She-she
had real shock. Mr.. Cooper's
death. He was so we'll when she
left, you remember. Touching
the way they cared for each other.
1--we been rather upset my
self"
You're just too chicken-hearted
to be doctor" Adele smiled.
"Oh, no! You don't know my
worst side"
Il always bring out the best in
you! love it! Mother, now the
crisis is past, and Donald says the
patient will recover, aren't you
going to see that we get a cock.
tail?"
of course, darling. I'll just"
Nettie dropped the coverlet she
had been carefully Strengthening,
moved obediently toward the door.
Sorry. Not during working
hours, Mrs. Cooper. No, I really
must go, Adele. People to see"
She followed him down to the
door, delaying his progress.
He really had stayed too long.
Really, I'm in hurry!"
That sounded unnecessarily
bruSque, and he was about to say
something to soften it, but to. his
surprise and embarrassment she
smiled up at him mistily, said:
Il know. I'm thoughtleSs, some
times. But I really care too much
to try to keep you from your work"
"Good-bye" he said gruffly.
There was a lump in his throat.
He ran down the stairs, started
his car noisly, rounded the curve
at unnecessary speed.
Adele stood in the open doorway,
looking after him, the ghost of a
smile on her delicate, too thin face.
She whispered to herself-"I love
him. I love him. And it isn't be-
cause he's a good catch. I'd love
him just as much, if he were a
nobody. Nobody at ALI"
Ito Be Continued