Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-05-20


i toward his car. She was so
used to doing his hard jobs for him,
taking the load from his frail, timid
shoulders, that it did not seem strange
to her that he'd left this one almost
impossible task-the job OF telling
Jan the truth about Hilary! How
many hundreds of times before had
, he flown in alarm and left her to face
the sour music-and irate customer
q battle over unsatisfactory goods, an
unwelcome visitor.
Patience squared her broad, angu-
lar shoulders. Janell was coming
down the stairs. No matter how
much it hurt, Jan must not be made
to feel that she was in any way re-
sponsible for the catastrophe. When
Janell appeared, she crossed to the
window and leaned against it. look
ing wistfully down the street. Pa
thence wanted to pick her up like q
child and find some way to take the
hurt look out of the weary. blue eyes
But instead she suggested brightly
.'There's The Sunday Star. You can
look at 1t while I chase UP some
breakfast I'll make you wafne, II
you'd like"
mo thanks" Jan suppressed q
yawn. I'm not hungry. Just a
little fruit juice will DOLL have II
In the kitchen"
She was still standing looking out
the window when Patience came back
with orange juice, toast and coffee
: on a tray. Its cooler in her" Pa
thence said. THE thermometer or
the back porch Is up to hundred.
JAMS features all seemed drained
of color. Even her eyes were color
less and dark circled. But Patience
was encouraged when she glanced ur
from The Star she was pretending to
read and saw that Janell was eating
her breakfast. Not until she hao
pushed the tray aside did Patience
take her eyes from the paper. Then
she summoned all her courage to say
calmly, "Mr. Totten was here"
JAMS face blanched. She seemed
to stiffen for a blow.
I'm not going to beat about the
bush,' Patience continued, her mouth
set In straight line. THE truth
may hurt. But it's so unbelievable
that you might as well have it right
on the chin. You'll probably be so
mad at Hi that it won't hurt, anyway.
I'd be-"
"Tell me-" Janeu got up and
crossed over to the couch as though
afraid she'd fall if she didn't lie down.
Patience plunged.
Hilary didn't tell his father and
mother he'd asked you to elope with
him. His mother saw the paper and
there was an awful row. 1t seems
mamma didn't approve. She offered
Hi anything in the world if he'd go
away for year and give you up. He
held out for $4,000 to throw away
In Paris. And got it."
JAMS face was a grim, twisted pic
ture of disbelief. Patience drew deep
. breath and went on:
1--WE decided Pet Raleigh was the
one that phoned the paper. 1t prob
ably was Just a coincidence that it
happened on the same day Hi asked
you to marry him. Shed seen you
together and was jealous. Mr.. Totten
says Hi got mixed up with her three
years ago-just one Of those things
and that he's had an awful time try
ing to shake her.
mrs. Totten sold her swestie pie
the idea that you were trying tp black
mail him, or something, by rushing
to put the good news in the paper.
He was sore because you'd promised
him not to tell. Pet hoped he'd blame
you, and he did. So when mamma
offered anything in the world If he'd
give you up he took her up on 1t.
You lost, or maybe you won. I'd say
you did, anyway"
Janell seemed to have shed all her
tears in the night. When Patience
paused she lay several seconds with
her arm over her eyes before she
spoke.
"How-could he do that-if he
loved me?" A little sob caught in
her throat. "Go-away, without even
coming to say-good-by?"
Patience shook her head. THAT
isn't love, baby. Not my kind, any
way. BuC WnaC can you expect OF
q boy like Hi Totten? He isn't worth
o darn, honestly. I've never thought
he was. That's why I begged you to
wait and get married as you should,
instead of running away. I know a
lot of things about him I've never
told you. About checks I've made
out to pay for the scrapes he got into,
and girls he's been mixed up with"
"Oh, let's not talk about it any
' more today" Jan seemed to be los
ing control again. Let me get used
TO the idea of everything being-all
over. It s-seems like q b-bad dream
right now"
"I know" Patience felt tears sting
ing under her lids. But you've got