Evening star., 1938-01-24


turned on later, when they were curled
up in pajamas on the bed.
OF COURSE, some one must have
written you about Phil and
Babe? Even If he is my cousin I
must say I didn't know he would
pull such stunt. Why. Chris, they've
been seen together all over town. Such
devotion!"
Chris crushed down the sensation
in her heart.
Its quite all right, Minna. I gave
Babe instructions to look after him
while I was away" She laughed
After all. Phil isn't my property"
Maybe the world did not think so,
but he was. he was.
Minna could not help sneering bit.
Shes looking after him all right. At
the Feather Fan several nights 4
week and you know how she hates
the place. But he likes it, so that
makes difference, of course. They
double dated with me and Johnnie one
night and she had on the most ador-
able dress. A green print. It was
new. Did she write you about it?"
Chris smiles were getting stiff. Yes,
Babe had written her about the dress
and the date. And Phil had men,
toned seeing her and Johnnie. Oh,
yes, she knew all about it.
Well, 1 must say" observed Min
ma. wryly. rhat it's the darndest af-
fair ever heard Of. Everybody thinks
he's keeping from proposing to her
because of you, and here you know
of 1t already"
Because of me?"
Sure. Phil must feel some obliga-
ton to you after dating you since
last year. How can he run off and
gobble up your sister behind your
back? 1t would be dirty trick. even
if you we're in town, and If you're
miles away it's twice as rotten"
But don't own him. He's noth-
ing to me. Nothing"
She longed to slap the dark little
face peering into hers so closely. as
though 1t would rob her of the secret
in her heart. 1t was difficult to keep
her voice calm and disinterested with
such desire to strike Minna straight
across her tiny, prating mouth.
CHRIS did not sleep much that
night. Torn by doubt and dis
belief, she watched the lights on the
unfamiliar, strange walls Minna
talked lot. she talked too much
she invented and enlarged at will.
Anything like this was meat for her
wagging and malicious tongue. Phil
never cared for Babe. He never
showed the slightest interest in her
affairs at the studio, her troubles
with Antoine 1t was so much gossip.
Or was it? She turned and tossed. the
thoughts tumbling, mauling, nagging.
They would not let her 60.
The very next morning in the first
delivery she received letter from
Babe. very penitent Babe Il hope
my letter reaches YOU before Minna
does" she wrote Chris looked down
the road where Emerson's car had
Just disappeared and smiled. she
Will undoubtedly tell you we've been
going out lot together. Phil and l.
We have, but We are through. and
believe me. it is for the best. I should
have told you. but I did not have
the nerve somehow. Please forgive
us. He is swell egg. but I could
never say more than that about him" :"
Chris smiled understandingly. She
forced herself to forget the whole af-
fair, to put away all the letters in
her suitcase and with them her heart
ache, her concern. her suspicious.
Minna had directed her thoughts
down the wrong path and the only
thing to do was to erase it from her
memory quickly. Babe and Phil
weren't in love; they couldn't be. Phil
had not said anything to her. but
he had kissed her, and he was hers.
IN THREE more days she would
be home again. Things would be
different at the office now That
would be only natural. What would
she tell Mr.. Boscombe; should he
mention marriage to her again. She
wondered if it was going to make any
difference in her working, having
hmi next door to her. his pleading
eyes and tired face so close to her
all the time.
Outside Of that she was certain that
everything would be going on Just
the same. just as 1t had been when
she had left, The last three days of
her trip she worked hard talking con-
fldence into herself. striving to con-
vince herself that there was nothing
to worry about. nothing to disturb her
She succeeded fairly well, until the
train drew nearer and nearer to home.
Her confidence slipped then, and
when she descended from the coach
and found no one waiting for her a
queer sense of oppression and lone
illness settled over her. To be sure
none Of them had known exactly
when she was coming in. but even so
she had been more or less expecting
some one to be there to meet her.
Something was wrong. Something
hung over her like a dark. forebod-
ing cloud. The things Minna had
said still travelled with her-nasty,
unpleasant companions
She slipped the key into the front
door, opened it wide and stared. If
it had not been for the pictures of
her mother and father still on the
mantelpiece she would have thought
she was in the wrong apartment, for
the living room had been redecorated
completely.
Babe! Babe! It's Chris. Where
are you?"
There was no answer.
(Copyrisht. 193sJ
Continued tomorrow
Tomorrow. The Ynvsterv If VYekie