Evening star., 1937-12-26


returned tired and morose. Elspeth saw hardly
anything of him.
1t was towards the end of September that
he came abruptly into her room one day, and
stood looking out of the window for some
moments in silence Then he said, and some
how she got the impression he did not find
it easy to speak quite naturally, i've been
OVERRIDING it lately, Elspeth. Feeling bit
done in. Come away for fortnight with me.
Let's have jaunt together -. Paris 80"
He turned and faced her, and she saw that
queer, strained, wistful look in bis eyes. She
said, quickly, walter, can't possibly. You
know quite we'll Nurse is just off for her holiday
and I have promised to take the children
down to Hayling island
Put her holiday off. Let her stay home
with the children. They can go later"
Later the weather won't be good enough.
And, anyway, can't very we'll change, and
upset Nurse. And you know how hate to dis
appoint the children.'
He did thing he hadn't done for long
time. He pleaded with her:
"Elspeth, do as l ask, this once. Put me
before the children. just this once. l most
particularly want you -"
IF you have children, you've got to make
sacrifices for them. Id like to come, Walter,
but can't
He smiled then. a queer tight little smile.
"All right, Elspeth. Take your children to
the seaside, he said, quietly.
He went away.
She had queer feeling that they had come
to the crossroads, that something had been
settled in their lives she knew nothing OF, and
could not understand. She had queer feeling
that she had done something irrevocable.
She laughed at herself. What was there to
make so much fuss about? 1t was very good
for Walter to realize he couldn't always have
what he wanted, when he wanted it. She went
back determinedly to her letters, but found
herself unable to get out of her mind that look
on Walters face. that strange note in his
voice, that queer little smile.
I'm getting nervous!' she said, angry with
herself. A calm unruff]ed atmosphere was
absolutely necessary for the right bringing up
of children.
She went to the seaside.
The weather was wet. The rooms she had
chosen for their remarkable cheapness, turned
out to be conespondingly nasty. She sat on
the beach, the few fine days there were, and
watched Mona and Mark digging castles,
comforted by the knowledge of what good
mother she was being but she found herself
thinking a lot about Walter. Had she been
silly not to go with him? Of late, she knew,
they had been drifting apart. 1t all dated
from the Gardullas' theater party, and his
coming back alone, and sleeping in his dressing
room. And then Mark getting i'll. had made
that arrangement 60 on. 1t was still going on.
IN have to put an end to all that when he
comes back. I'll have to be specially nice to
him. Poor old Walter, he really is rather pet.
A room to oneself is much more peaceful, of
course. But mustn't think of that"
Walter wrote to her with his usual regular
ity, the usual kind of letters. He began them
my dearest Elspeth." and ended, with
fondest love, your very loving Walter" just as
of old. But for all that, she sensed change.
She had the feeling Walter had had difficulty
in filling the customary four pages. That he
had to go scavenging for odds and ends to
put in.
OF course she was just imagining it. 1t was
being so much alone with nobody but the
children. They were, of course, darling, but it
was dull for her. and made her moody.
However, she found herself looking forward