The Washington times., 1936-02-11


49,
Feeling old and tired, Christie
fed the baby dressed him In his
clean white cotton flannel
nigttie, played pat-A-cake with
him while he laughed aloud, and
the tears rolled down her cheeks.
Then while he played in his
crib she got dinner for herself
and Donald, running back and
forth from kitchen to bathroom.
alternately stirring the carrots
and peas and watching the meat
loaf, and bathing her red eyes
with cold water and witch'hazele
And when dinner was all ready,
and she had bathed her Streaked
and swollen face until it looked al
most normal, he telephoned that
he would be late.
AL evening she wandered
around the silent little house. turn
ing on the radio, turning 1t Off,
picking up paper or a magazine,
throwing it down, gong in to look
at Donny, peacefully, blissfully
asleep.
At midnight she went to bed, lay
wide-eyed and restless, listening to
the cars that went up the hill,
past the house. It must have been
nearly morning when Donald
came. She heard the car come up
the driveway, the garage door
squeak. and then he came in the
back way, tiptoeda to the bedroom
door.
''Awake?" he asked softly.
But she had waited for him too
long. She wouldn't answer, so he
tiptoed away again, and presently
she heard him puttering around
the kitchen, opening and shutting
icebox and cooler doors, getting
himself something to eat. When
she Smelled bacon and eggs frying
she sat up in bed, wanting to
shout: ~ s'%
what are you doing that for?
Didn't you see the cold meatloat
in the icebox?"
But she couldn't say anything,
because she was pretending to be
asleep, so she lay down again and
cried q little in the dark. Because
it was too silly to fuss about
greasy frying pans, and eggshells
! all over her clean kitchen, when
tragedy and trouble really -illed
her heart.
Chapter xxx
Finally she did fall asleep.
walked early. feeling rested and
strong. She couldn't help admiring
her own strength Of character, as
she took the baby up, and did all
the plain, everyday things she did
on days that her heart wasn't
breaking, and her head wasn't
seething with plans and fears and
hopes. f.
She was far too preoceupied
with her own heavy thoughts, and
the baby and breakfast, to notice
Donald very much. But when he
sat down opposite her at breakfast
she was startled by the grim lines
about his mouth, and the nervous
twitching Of a muscle near his
eye. ..
Il wish you wouldn't stay at
that lab all night, and then have
to start out In the morning half
sick for lack Of Sleep" she cried
sharply.
And he answered so gently that
she was ashamed. II know, honey.
It's hard on you. Wish that It
could be helped"
"But I'm thinking Of you! I
know I'm mean and selfish and !
do get mad when you're so late.
but it's really for you! Because ]
can't bear to see you looking so
tired, and ill-really I can't"
you're sweet. You've always
been sweet. It's been a darn
shame, too. I blame myself, Chris
tie. don't know how I'm going
to tell you" -
"Teil me-what?''
Her: lips could hardly form the
words. She felt all the courage
she had been. so proud Of drain
ing out Of her heart.
And Donald was saying:
''It's happened. The thing ]
was afraid Of. The morning pa
pers have it,"
I can't bear it. she thought. ]
can't. I just can't. It's no use
He put the folded sheet IN her
hands not knowing that she was