The Washington times., 1936-06-18
By ELEN0RE MEHER1N

Her voice broke on the last
word, She hid her face and wept
unrestrainedly.
Mamie waived aside all her
wounding thoughts. "You DO ex-
pect him to be faithful. He will
be and IS" said the small gnome-
like creature, her face fanatical
and lovely with devotion.
Nell was comforted. After all,
there might be a hundred rea-
sons why Ricky couldn't grab a
pen and dash off immediate an
swers to her frantic demands. No
doubt he thought her needlessly
upset. And perhaps he was saving
the money to send it in big sur
prising sum at the last moment.
Nell got on a bus in the golden
April sunshine and rode out to
the clinic where she had an ap-
pointment. She sat on the upper
deck wanting the breeze in her
face. She passed Central Park.
Cherry trees were in blossom as a
year ago when Ricky took her out
to see them. Many flowers. White
and cleaning. Like crowd Of
stars.
They had sat on the bench,
happy because Of the beauty.
Longing for each other. Wonder
ing If the day would ever dawn
when they might take their love.
She recalled tears in Ricky's
eyes when he drew her to him in
that young, hungry embrace. Re
called the strength and pride Of
his grim boys mouth. Her trust
returned Shiningly. Mamie was
right. There could be no untruth
in the blue Of those burning eyes.
No disloyalty in that stubborn,
fiercely tender heart.
She felt almost gay when she
came out Of the hospital. She was
fine: the baby fine. Not much
longer until she would be free
again. Shed have her child. She
would fly to Ricky. If the whole
world lay dying. she must. at
least, see him for an hour, have
one look in his face to learn that
his love and thoughts were hers.
Unerringly and always.
It was Monday, the twenty-third
of April. Sun flowed like stream
over the hospital gardens. Behind
a gray board fence great trees OF
heaven showed their strong green
branches. And in the turquoise
sky, white clouds went like flock
Of happy birds.
Nell walked In a dream. She
took deep breaths Of the fresh
spring air. She fancied the child
in her arms and laughed softly.
She was a little tired and
thought she would enter the
cathedral. The vast Spatial
grandeur Of the place; the color
cleaning from a thousand tapes
tries, the columns reaching up like
a forest of giant trees, filled her
with a mingled awe and peace.
She felt the self Of her, the petit
ness and trouble slip away until
she was but a note-a faint, lost
note in an eternal, end1eSsly echo
ing symphony.
She now stood before the mas.
sive, deeply carved door with its
noble arch and abundant decora-
tion. Someone caught her arm
with friendly. "Why, Nell Doran;
however are you, and where have
you been all these months?"
It was Isabel Williams, at whose
home in Long Island Nell and
Ricky had been to the parties.
Isabel looked at Nell with
shocked amaZement.
Nell blinked. She said with q
self-conscious laugh, "Oh, you
didn't hear about us? You're sur
prised. You didn't know we were
married?"
"No. I hadn't heard. Whom
did you marry?"
why Ricky. of course! We had
to keep it secret. didn't want to
lose my job"
If possible, Isabel looked more
startled. She said Imply, why,
1,thought Ricky was in Detroit. 1