The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-26
CHAPTER

Il was lOO ldllldotiSs o1H
moments before, Fabienne had hop
ed there would be no one to see
her slipping up stairs to look in on
Sonny Parsons. Now with him.
bundled in blankets, Graded n he1
arms, she would have given any
thing in the world to have someone
find them. It was, seemingly, a oe-
serted hospital in which they a
\ strange group.
You can't take a sick child OUT
into a night as cold as this fa-
bienne said, hoping to appeal 10
Chris instinct.
Hes not sick any more. The doc
tor said he was going to discharge
him tomorrow. I've dressed him
warmly"
The child in F%abienne's arms
stirred restlessly. He was hot and
uncomfortable. Any moment ne
would awake. Let him, Fabienne
thought wildly. Let him cry out as
she could not! !
No, she couldn't, because, for all
that she was well aware OF the
wrong in what was being done
Chris story of persecution n IN
Justice had affected her deeply.
Perhaps Christine was not mad. FER
haps there was right in what she
was doing. If she believed that Lar
nv would come soon and help her'
Fabienne thought, Chris was dong
no different than she would nave
done herself. There are things
that are beyond such a law as gave
the custody of Chris child to his
father and into the care of a grand
father who wanted to deprive him
of his mothers love.
Christine said, II don't like to
say this to you, Fab. You'll have
to forgive me for bieng melodra-
matte. 1--we got a gun"
She pressed the elevator bell
while Fab stared at her, unable to
believe her own ears.
Its in here" Chris said, indi-
eating her pocket, as if she were
talking about a handkerchief.
Don't say anything to anyone as
we go out"
But suppose someone asks me
where we're going?" she said,
wishing that her brain didn't go COM
pletely numb in the face of the first
real occasion she'd had for using it.
1--WE thought it all out. You say,
This is the case DR.. Mallory spoke
to you about. He was coming to
bring the baby to his mother, but
he was delayed and sent me TO take
him with Mrs. Parsons"
Chris, 1 can't. Don't you realize
what this means? We can both &c
to prison.
did you ever hear of a mother
going to prison for KIDNAPPING hel
own child?" Chris asked calmly. In
deed it was suddenly a new Chris
not the distraught, shaking girl Of
the afternoon. She was completely
calm, mistress of the situation. i
was Fabienne whose teeth were chat
tering with nervousness when The
elevator came up.
Robert wasn't very bright, bu
he was bright enough to know tina
there was something irregular
about a child being taken from the
hospital at that hour. His face
showed his struggle to become ar
ticulate about it.
Fabienne said, TITS all right
Robert. DR.. Mallory discharged this
ease today. His mothers only just
come for him. We're taking him
home"
Out in the cold street, she hel6
the child closer to her.
my car is up the street." Chris
said. "Give him to me now. I'm go
ing to drive him to Boston. Moth
er's there. She'll put me up"
Fabienne said, Get in my car
It's the coupe ahead Of yours. 70,
can't take a child anywhere in al
open car tonight" She had com
pletely given up trying to decid
whether this was right or wrong.
Christine got into the car ant
Fabienne placed the still sleepin;
child in her arms. She a aroun
and got in the other side and start
ed the motor.
When it was running but the ca
not yet in motion, she said, "Thi!
is a desperate thing, Chris, ant
heaven only knows what'll harper
to us, but 1 seem to be in it now"
Stay on the East Side and taxi
the Bronx River parkway Chrii
directed.
"We'l never get to Boston to
night We're mad! AS soon as tn,
nurse discovers Sonny is gone
she'll send for the police and they'll
get us before we're out Of tn,
state!"
Drive FAST" Chris said, bendins
lovingly W her child, grading j
hungrily.
Chris met few cars on the road
and when she got on the parkwa,
she opened up, driving sixty mile
and more an hour. Don't you know
that your mothers place is the frs
place they'll look for you?"
II won't let them find me unit
Larry gets back. I'll find a way.
won't let you turn back now, Fa
bienne. If you turn me and Som,
over to the police, I'll kill myself
l don't want to live withou
Sonny. My life has been hell for tw,
years. This is my chance to saw
our happiness"
After that, Fabienne fell int,
deep silence, driving steadily, keep
ing her eyes on the road. her "a
attuned for the sound of a motto,
cycle.