Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-10-25
CHAPTER Il

1us her pretty IdCS was piotSiiSu ehiiu
disfigured with weeping.
ooh, thank God you've got back!"
she sobbed, closing the door behind
Jean. "I-I was on the verge of call
ing Rupert land telling him every
thing! Oh, Jean to think -" lower
ing her voice to a whisper-"that any
child of mine could be so cruel, so
ruthless! She-she hates mel"
"No she doesn't!" soothingly. cts
just part of her act. Scene One,
starting with a bang! Bluff! She
wants to get the upper hand right
from the beginning. But if you're
going to fall for it, then it's much
better to tell Rupert. You bet he'll
put stopper on her!"
"But suppose he won't ever forgive
me? Oh, l can't face life all over
again alone!" More self plying tears.
Jean felt exasperated. Laurel should
have thought of all this many years
ago. And now, instead of busking up
and facing the consequences of her
own acts, she was buckling under.
She said tersely: Get right back
into that bed. You need a bracer. Have
you any brandy in your uggage?"
Laurel always carried flask on even
short sea trips.
eyes. Toinette unpacked for me last
night. I think she put it in the top
bureau drawer"
Jean found the flask and went in
to the bathroom with it, pouring a
stiff drink into glass, and some
water into another. She returned with
these to the bedroom.
"Here you are. And not word till
you've got that down!
"Ugh! what a vile taste it has"
But Laurel did as she was told.
"And now we've got to come to a
definite decision about Gaby," Jean
said firmly, land what's more, we've
got to stick to it. If Rupert isn't to
be although I think that would
be the best course to take-you've
got to play your part just as I've play
ed mine. It's plain that Gaby doesn't
want affection from us. Personally,
I can't think of her as a sister. Our
backgrounds have been so absolutely
different, and her standards certain
" aren't mine! But she's here in the
house, and unless you want to give
her game away, you've got to accept
her gracefully, and not throw any
more scenes, or there'll be a show
down with Rupert" =.
eyes, Jean," humbly.
"What did she say? And no more
tears, mind!"
81 won't. / feel - better now -
DEAR" Laurel blinked pathetically.
"She said I'd been inhuman. Can you
imagine - making me out - a
monster?"
"Well, suppose she had right to
be sore," Jean bracingly replied. "Her
life hasn't been a bed of roses, exact
ly. And now she's comparing yours
to hers, all these years. When she was
singing on the waterfront at Mar
settles, we were wallowing in luxury,
Laurel = and now she knows it! And
you can hardly expect her to beer
cordial. Would you, in her shoes?"
"I-but l told her / couldn't trace
her-that it wasn't my fault, but her
father's-that it was he who was cruel
and inhuman!"
"You shouldn't have said that! He
was the only parent she ever knew,
and though he died when she was
seven. it seems she was very fond of
him, and remembers him pretty clear
ly."
II tell you she hates me, Jean! Oh,
the things she said! I wanted to put
my arms around her and kiss her
that was after she brought me the old
photographs and the watch and pap
ers, ana I knew she really was my
long-lost daughter" gulped Laurel,
'but she drew back from me as
though I were "a rattlesnakew
"You do not kiss me until you have
made eXpiation = full atonement!"
These were the very words she used
to me, her mother!"
"Well, in a way you had it COM
ing to you, Laurel! There isn't any
question she's had pretty awful
time! And it doesn't make the men,
DRY of it any sweeter to know she
could have crashed in on US long ago.
She never knew you'd married money
until she worked for an American
woman in Martinique, and that was
just recently"
Laurel shuddered. 81 did try to find
herl But how could know if she
were alive or dead?"