The Washington times., 1937-04-06

| the limit. There isn't anything
that I"
But, Edward, do you really
want to marry me? Do you really
love me enough?"
Don't you love me enough?"
Edward! You know L"
"Wel, then! It's set"
But you said tomorrow-at
seven-seven in the morning"
"At seven. Seven on the dot.
The fellows won't like my taking
the car, but the heck with it,
they'll have to like it and I can
make it up to Press later. By the
way. you're over 18, aren't you?"
I'm 21."
$50 much the better"
He was starting the motor, back
ing out of their sheltered parking
spot, coming back to the road.
She looked at him wonderingly.
They had just become engaged,
and he wasn't even kissing her.
"Edward-do we have to 60
just now?"
I'VE do. You've got a long day
ahead of you-MrS. wilson,"
Mrs. WILSON," she echoed. A
low, happy giggle escaped her. She
kissed the side Of his cheek.
"Atta GIRL" he murmured, but
he didn't check the speed Of the
car. For the first time he seemed
to have no desire to drive with
one hand.
They left the sea behind, fol.
lowed the tree-lined boulevard,
turned at last up Dover Street. 1t
was dark at 657 except for the
porch light, and the faint glow of
the lamp in the inner hallway.
He walked up the stairs with
her, took her latchkey, opened the
door, and held her in his arms for
little moment. "You won't fail
me? You'll be ready at seven?'
"I'l be ready she whispered.
He kissed her swiftly, turned
and closed the door softly behind
him.
Marie turned the latch, leaned
against the door for a moment.
She suddenly felt sick and weak.
Steps creaked overhead. jules
head, in pink net cap, appeared
OVer tho haniSter
"Is that you, Marie"
Marie giggled weakly. Doesn't
it look like me?"
"Shh! Don't be silly. Besides,
you'll wake Charlie. What kept
you so late?"
"It'S not late!"
"Well-it's your affair. And
don't forget he'll be going home in
a few days, and maybe you'll see
him again, and maybe you won't." :"
"Oh, mother-I love you! You're
so comforting! Always looking on
the bright side"
Somebody's got to be practical.
you're mott" Julie stroked the
girls ruffled, dark hair, they
smiled. and then Marie began to
laugh, and presently to cry.
Charlie pretended to be sleeping,
when, cold and cross, Julie shut
fled back to bed nearly an hour
later.
But he couldn't fool her. She
said:
"You heard her crying-you
needn't pretend you didn't. Oh, if
I only knew what to DO with her!
If it were any other girl, in this
state of excitement I'd KNOW
something was wrong. But with
her-So high strung-So babyiSh-
carrying on over nothing! I could
shake her. And I'm glad that good
for-nothing is going home tomor-
row. She'll get over it then. And I
hope we never, never set eyes on
him again!"
Marie lay in her narrow, neat
little bed, in the small pink box of
her room, and saw everything
her pink dressing table, her pink
lowered slipper chair, her white
RS:nted dresser, her pink and green
and white rag rug-more clearly
in the dark, than she d ever seen
them in daylight. Each shadowy
familiar piece was dear to her,
each thing represented some little
sacrifice, some little kindness from
her mother or Charlie.
Julie had brought the mirrors
for dressing table, ordered the pink
glazed chintz for curtains and
dressing table skirt, last summer,
when things were really bad in the
beauty shop. And Charlie had
painStakingly scraped the old paint
from bed and dresser, rubbing and
putting at his pipe, working for
days and days, before he pro-
nounced them ready for their final
coat of enamel.
(TO be cOntinued)
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