Evening star., 1938-01-29
CHAPTER XII.

4 Her fingers were stiff, her
heart and mind cold and
dull. Babe. Vickie. No. No
1t couldn't be- It couldn't. 1t was a
mistake. OF course. A ghastly mis-
take.
They drove madly Chris wondered
II Phil were in his right mind He was
babbling softly to himself. squirting
at on-coming headlights, swaying
around cars. dodging lights. Her hands
were clenched together in her lap, two
frigid Jumps. She could hear her
teeth chetterins. and she couldn't
stop.
1t was all a mistake. She kept
whispering 1t. like a magic charm.
Not Babe and Vickie. Some one else
perhaps. 1t could not be.
The efficient floor nurse at the
hospital put comforting arm around
Chris and smiled at Phil. The little
girls not in such a bad way, my
dears.'
She's my sister" Chris said.
Your sister? Well, with a little
good luck she'll come through with
out 4 scar. That's youth, you know"
But Vickie-Mr. stone?" Chris
was praying. she realized
The nurse shook her head In
stantly killed. A fine looking young
man too. Did he have any relatives?
We want to notify them
He was alone-an orphan" Phil
was still shaking, his face pale. He
was controlling himself with an effort.
How did you happen to call me?"
The nurse smiled The little girl
kept calling your name. We found
it in shall black book in her purse Z"
Can we see her now-just for
a minute?"
The hand on her shoulder gave
Chris q reassuring pat. Just for q
minute. if you're quiet and don't
talk much. Come down this way"
As they followed down the corri-
dor, Chris heart ached. Does She
know about Vickie?"
Poor darling, she guessed right
away We couldn't keep it from her
Engaged, too. weren't they? Such
a pity Here-this is her room"
THE door swung open and they
stood for 4 minute looking in.
Phils lips trembled and then he
showed by Chris with . motion that
sent her against the door jam. Wide
eyed she watched him run across
the room, slide to his knees, and bury
mis- face on the bed. Elaine! Elaine!
Oh. my dearest!"
A soft voice whimpered. ooh Phil.
You came" There was happy sigh
and then silence as two hands clasped
tightly on the covers.
Chris stood where he had left her.
The only thing she realized at first
was that it Was the only time any one
had ever called Babe by her real
name. Elaine. OF course. Elaine
Sherman. That was Babe. And Phil
loved Babe and Babe loved him, and
it was all very simple. She groped
her way out into the hall.
There was no Christine any more.
Christine was just q big hurt, a ter
rible throbbing dull ache embodied
in flesh, moving stifI1y down the cor
ridor and sitting mechanically on a
couch that offered itself from out of
nowhere. Phil loved Babe and Babe
loved him, and it was just a funny
mistake that Chris loved him too.
But what about Vickie. poor broken
Vickie, lying in q dim, quiet room
somewhere under this same roof :?
She remembered Vickie's kissing her,
Vickie's scowling at her Vickie's plead
ing eyes.
She leaned back. The couch was
solid hard. real. With . sickening
spin everything fell into place be-
came IS clear az . bold etching in
black and white. Little things she
had noticed and forgotten looks and
words and thoughts made sense all
of 4 sudden. What an utter COM
plete fool she had been. Those let
ters from Babe and the rest while
she was away. They had fallen in
love then and had . spat or perhaps
Phil had felt his obligations to her
Minna was right then-and he had
been too weak to break off with Chris.
Afraid to hurt her he had hurt him.
self and Babe to boot. Babe had
turned to Vickie more or less won by
his attentions, his money, his evident
alteration. There it was, the whole
silly, pitful tale.
She thought Of them in there hold
ing hands. The anguish would be
gone from Phirs eyes now; Babe would
be at peace. And she-Chris- push
ing aside her own chance for love.
waiting for Phil. She envied Vickie his
dim, quiet room, beyond all pain. She
wanted to find . lonesome corner and
cry. She wanted more than anything