Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-03-16
CHAPTER 40


are you Santa, Claus? Janet said
to her husband when she saw him
standing on the threshold Of her
small room. His great height
made the room seem smaller.
He stood there looking at her
without speaking for a moment.
There was something in his face
that told her he had not expected
to see her again. There were other
things she saw in his face before
he grinned at her in the half shy
way that she had always loved.
The lines beside his mouth were
deeper. His eyes looked tired and
she saw that there was trace OF
gray at his temples.
He grinned and came over to her
bedside. He dropped his packages
and wordlessly gathered her in his
arms. She felt pitifully small to
him. He brushed the hair back
from her forehead and kissed her.
1--WE been here many times be-
FORE" he said.
"Of course you have. Martha
told Ms ia. -.le had been keeping
you from me-"
1.-THE doctor said you weren't to
see anyone" Joel didn't add that
the doctor had said she had had a
nervous shock and that he didn't
want her to see even her husband.
Another time Janet might have
protested that her husband wasn't
"anyone" but she didn't say it
now. She had been herself such
short time she hadn't yet made any
effort to take hold.
Joel was staring at her hungrily.
do 1 really look so bad?" she
asked.
"You look like a little girl who
is getting over a party that was
too strenuous" he answered. He
was afraid to say more. Martha
had tried in her tactful way to tell
him that Janet had carried more
than she was capable of and that
he was not to talk seriously to her.
"But look here!" He picked up
his packages and dropped them in
her lap. I'm a Greek bringing
presents"
For me? Oh, darling, help me
to open them"
There were three new novels, an
angora jacket that looked like a
baby's sweater, box Of white vio-
lets and basket of Malaga grapes
that looked too good to eat.
ooh, Joel, it's like Christmas!"
She wished that she could say
something to take the stricken
look off Joers face. He had done
nothing and it hurt her to see him
staring at her unhappily.
Don't look so sad," she said.
I'm really quite all right now.
I'll be up and about very soon.
Are they taking care of you, dar-
ling? Are you eating vegetables
and fruit juice?"
Suddenly JOEL slipped to his
knees and buried his face in her
bosom. Jan, I've been a brute.
When you're well, everything is
going to be different. I've been
through hell since that night when
Martha telephoned me-"
She stroked his hair tenderly.
"Oh, my sweet, I'm sorry it hap
pened. I didn't know what I was
doing when ran UP here.
wouldn't have caused you any wor-
ry for anything in the world. But,
don't you see, it's all right now? ?"
mo, it isn't" he said with his
cheek laid against hers. eft will
never be all right until I make up
to you for what I've done. You've
got to get well, Jan. I need you!
IF anything happened to you, I
don't know what would become of
me. Before I knew you I didn't
amount to anything. I guess I'm
not much good now as a man but
whatever am, I owe to you"
"If itNcomes to owing it
never will between us-Mr. Payn-
ter, Pm the girl who will be for
ever in debt to the gods. All ]
want is to be the sweetheart yol:
wanted me to be the day that we
made our promises to each other ii?
the white hOIIco that xyO,t oon CO.,