The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-13
~THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Nine o'clock was striking in thu
church tower when Fabienne AM
Ellen came out Of Willoughby house
Nicky and Bill appeared from op
posite directions at the precise mo
mont the two girls appeared in tn
lighted doorway.
Makes me think Of my college
days." Ellen commented. do you
know, Fabienne, I haven't had sucf
fun in years as I've been having
since you came into my life? l can
work hard for hours and hours
every day and then, surprisingly
turn into a real party. 1t prop
ably isn't decent! Ny life is sup
posed to be devoted to charity"
"All work and no play -.
YOU know the rest Of it. What shall
we do tonight? Hi, fellers!"
we were just trying to decide
what to do tonight" Ellen told
Nicky, who had COM to her side al
once.
How about some bridge?" Fat
asked.
I'VE can't, Fab" Ellen reminded
her. The apartment was being
painted today and it's much toe
cold to keep all the windows open"
you IAN come to my digs" Bill
offered. They're clean but not
comfortable"
Lead on" Nicky called.
you know, Bill" Fabienne said
to him In the rumble seat of Nlckys
ear where she huddled under his
great coat, IT never thought of you
as having a home. I always sort Oh
imagined you sleeping on a cot In
the hospital. You go there every
night late. don't you?"
He nodded. Have to tuck the
kids in," he told her.
And wake them up, too" She
said smiling. "You work pretty
hard"
II a stand it. I'm tough. Re
member? That's what you thought
you we're. How's the sergeant?"
Hes fine" she said, grinning
broadly, happy becauae he remem'
bered little things about her. Hes
on safari, hunting mice all over
the place and terribly disappointed
to find the exterminator had got
there first" -.
"In bring him one tomorrow"
Bill promised.
His digs were three strangely
bare rooms, spotlessly clean, i'm
possibly untidy, in the rear OF a
box-like apartment house in East
Forty-ninth street.
Fabienne's eyes ate up every de-
tall Of the square living room, fill
Ing in pictures from the tales the
furnishings told her. The neat desk
and the worn books, the depres-
sion in the desk chair and the
gooseneck lamp, bent and tar
nished, told a story OF hours OF
study late at night. OF the four
other chairs in the room only one
was worn; Bill entertained n per-
son at a time. Bill was not a party
boy. There were only three pic
lures on the walls; a framed photo
graph Of a college campus. a Ho1-
bein reprint, a very good one. anc
a handsome antique map.
Bill was taking off her coat, say
ing. II told you it was clean but not
comfortable. Make yourself at home
I'll get some drinks. Bartlett, you'll
find the card table in the hall closet"
Nicky said, you got a kitchen
here? I'd like to e it."
Regular old woman, isn't he?"
Ellen said smiling. "Oh, Bill, are
the cards in your desk?"
Bill called back from the kitchen,
mo, you'll find 'em on top of the
bookcase in the bedroom"
Nicky came to the kitchen door.
"Fab, come here! Wouldn't you
trust a guy who can't cook to have
a prize stove? Come and look at
all the little gadgets."
Bill said, 1.-THE last tenants left
it. All the housekeeping I do is to
fix coffee in the morning"
Fabienne looked around the
kitchen and saw mute evidence Of
Bills meager bachelor existence: A
single place and cup and saucer
neatly placed beside a shining per-
eolator, a row of unmatched
glasses, a can opener, a tin Of bis
cults and an electric fruit squeezel
occupied the uncurtained cupboard
Poor Bill! He deserved better
than that. He deserved what Ellen
could give him and what Fabiennt
would have given a portion Of hel
life to offer. And. yet, she didn't
deep in her heart-want Ellen tt
give it to him.
In the bedroom Ellen looked OF
TOP Of the bookcase beside Bill
narrow bed for the cards that wer'
not there. She went across tn
room to look on top Of the highboy.
There were no cards, but Their
was a hair brush, a comb, a stethc
scope. a leather collar box and, il
back Of the collar box, a newspape
clipping Of a girls picture. 1t wa
Fabienne, radiant and glowing
with a corsage Of orchids drippini
from the collar Of her sable coat.
It was the same picture youn
Tomassino had shown the docto
one day in September, long befor
Bill Mallory and Fabienne had me
in the clinic that fateful day.
Ellen caught her underlip be
meath her teeth and hastily dre'
the picture out from its hidin