The Washington times., 1937-01-02

The enormity Of her behavior
towards the girl who had come to
help her in her illness had, during
the long, terrible hours of the
night, seeped into the drink-sodden
consciousness of Renita.
Shocked into semi-sobriety, she
had walked the pavements till
dawn. In a cabman's shelter she
had drunk some coffee, paced the
streets again reStleSSly. ought she
to give herself up to the law? Tele-
phone Ann Delafields home and
confess everything?
Already, for all she knew, the
police were in her apartment, wait
ing to arrest her. Before her
loomed a vision of the electric
chair
She trembled in every nerve
when a policeman stopped her on
lower Fifth Avenue.
i've been suffering from insom-
mia. Seems the only way I can get
a little sleep is by walking till I'm
dog dead tired"
"Well, you go right home sister,
or I'll have to take you to the sta
tion for a nights Sleep" he told
her grimly.
She went back to her apartment.
Thank GodI No Nemisis was
there!
IF only she doesn't die, please
God, I'll never, never touch an
other drop Of drink as long as
live!"
over and over, Renita repeated
this prayer.
And, in her desperation, meant
it.
With shaking fingers she lifted
the morning paper from the out
side doormat, scanned its pages
for some tragic news of the unfor-
tunate young Ann.
Would the telephone ring?
Would she be arrested?
At o'clock she made some
coffee, drank three cups Of it, took
a cold shower, tried to cover up |
the ravages of her Sleepless night,
her days of alcoholic spree.
If she didn't get to the shop she
would lose her job, but it wasn't |
entirely that which forced Renita
to dress herself, to head north
ward on the accustomed route; it
was her desperate desire to get
news of the girl she had seriously
injured.
"You certainly look like a ghost
OF yourself, Renita. For heavens
sake, go to the cloakroom and put
on a bit of rouge! Paul Bradley'll
be here any minute, and if he sees
you as you are, he'll probably
judge you aren't fit for a good
days work in the Stockroom, and
he'll carry out his threat of dis
miSsal!" little Miss SheIfiSh told
her tartly.
Renita went to the cloakroom,
thinking: "He may come after me
for a very different reason! Ami"
The rouge, no matter how she
tried to blend it skillfully, stuck
out on the pallor of her cheeks
like beacon.
Returning to the Misses Dresses,
"You look better!" said the buyer,
a hint of sympathy creeping into
her voice. She added: You're not
the only one on the sick list,
Renita. Little Ann Delafield just
phoned. She thinks she's got the
flu. She's got temperature and
she's aching all over, and she can't
come in today, but thinks tomor-
row she'll be feeling filter. Renita,
what's the matter?"
Renita had crumpled to the
floor in dead faint.
AIMS injury was fortunately
merely a flesh wound.
She was back at the store a
couple Of days later, her left arm
in sling, and looking pale and
shaky, but determined to make no
fuss about it.
Renlta avoided her, spending as
much time in the Stockroom as
was possible. But on the third
day of her return, they met face
to face on the floor.
Tin terribly sorry - about
what happened" Rentals face
was scarlet. You know-you must
know i wasn't responsible for
what I did! I was mad! But I do
want to thank you for-for being
SO sporting about it. I guess"
she swallowed, for she felt choky-
there isn't a girl in ten thousand
wouldn't have talked. You had a
right to talk. just want to thank
you, Miss Delafield."
Ann held out her free right
hand to her. No one was about.
Ito Be COntinued)
(Copyright, 1885, by King Features