The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-04-16

came out into the garden. Katie
said: "Jock am gonna be one Of
dem dere hortacoulturists, sure
'nouf. Dey's de men what mixes
roses wild Sweetpeas an gifts a
new flower dey thinks ON better
dan what the good Lawd pro
vided!"
An then Katie said: Miss Mar
cella's waiting by de front do,
Miss Glo,' to hep you fetch Mr.
Tommy back from de horspital
was jeS comm in to tell YOU
soon's All could unpry Jock from
dis here jonquil."
Marcella was driving Gloria and
Mrs. Lee to the hospital to bring
Tommy home. When she called
Gloria that morning, she had said
I want to go with you, Gloria.
couldn't very well go alone before
. =. you understand, don't you?'
They found everything in confu
sion and excitement in Tommys
corridor. Being Tommy, he had
made friends with every one-the
new patients. the old ones, the ele.
vator boys, the nurses and doctors
and 1nternes. They were all glad
and yet terribly sorry-to see
him go.
And now they were at Tommy's
room, Gloria and Mrs. Lee had
gone in. Marcella stood in the
door, her heart sick within her at
Tommy's thinness, his whiteness,
the pitiful stoop of his shoulders.
For second her face crumpled up
and two tears splaShed down
across her mouth. She brushed
them away quickly and managed,
somehow, to smile when Mrs. Lee
said:
Tommy, you know Marcella
Won Dreyfuss, don't you, dear?"
DARLING DARLING"
Tommy didn't answer his
mother because he couldn't trust
himself to speak in that moment.
He just took Marcella's hand in
his. He said finally: Hello, Mar
celia. Nice to see you again." But
his eyes said: Darling dar.
ling :"
Marcella turned away from those
eyes. She Joined Gloria by the
dresser, her heart weak within her,
her hands trembling. Gloria said !:
"1'n get the things out of his
closet, Marcella. You scoop up
this stuff on the dresser"
And so Marcella laid Tommy's
watch and his keys and his Gig
arctic case all in a neat little pile.
There were some letters, too, an
address book and a fountain pen.
She laid these with the other
things. When she picked UP the
wallet some green bills slid out, a
piece Of yellow paper and a white
envelope marked Stamps"
She picked them up and looked
at them. not really seeing them;
not really interested in them.
Then, gradually, her fingers
Stlffened about the yellow paper
her eyes widened, focused on it
bewilderingly, refused to tear
themselves away from it. For one
moment she thought she might
faint. She chung to the edge of
the dresser, her legs trembling be.
meath her.
Presently, she got herself under
control. Everything was in a neat
pile now. The wallet, the cards,
the pen-eVerything. That is
everything but the oblong of vel.
low paper. And that was down
deep in Marcella's pocket, her ul1iv.
erlng fingers clutched over it.
! CHAPTER XIV
Peter was on the porch of the
bungalow when they drove up with
Tommy-Peter and Katie and an
extremely Indifferent Jock. Peter
said, coming toward them: SAY,
Tommy, you are looking fiji" And
ne took his thin arm and assisted
him to the curb.
Tommy said: 81 grew about
eight inches while I was in bed,
I must be 6 feet 10 inches by now. y
He grinned a little and shook his
red head. Maybe I'll shrink up
though. At least I hope So"
Mrs. Lee said: You aren't
any taller, Tommy. You're Just
thinner and look taller"
In the house it was all very
pleasant and exciting. Peter
pulled out a big Cogswell chair
and pounded the pillows on it.
Gloria disappeared for a minute
and came promptly back with a
Spiced eggnog laced with brandy
Marcella showed a footstool under
Tommy'S feet, her cheeks pink
with something that he had Just
whispered to her.
Mrs. Lee hurried toward the
kitchen, where luncheon was all
prepared, except the finishing
touches. Katie, putting Jock down
on the hving.room floor. followed
her.
Tommy, sitting In the chair
very white and tired for the effort
made in coming home. said: 81
didn't think I'd ever want to sit
down again, once I was out OF
that wheelchair. But I do-drat
it'll" He slipped the eggnog crate
fully, his eyes on Marcella. AND
when a reviving flame swept
through his weak body from
the eggnog, from the light in Mar
cella's eye he laughed little
and said, gayly:
"Well, my future was in the
laps Of the gods, and they didn't
stand up and let it go smashing
70 .ainnn- a ,.n,,rnd THAR fnnkl I'm