The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-05
CHAPTER ~TWENTY-FOUR

q the lamp EHltCA oA A|-
bic. She took a mirror from the
drawer and held it up to lei face.
Only anxiety showed there, and
n Of her shock. SO her love for
Bill Mallory ghqwed in her face oid
1t.
She put the mirror away and lay
in darkness, knowing, admitting
that she did love Bill. And she kne"
it took no second sight for anyone
TO read it, knowing that in her IN
guarded moments, her thoughts
must have been written in her eyes.
II Prunella had seen it, Ellen, too,
must have been ware OF 1t.
And Bill? No, not Bill. She had
been careful Of that, leaning back
ward in an effort to keep from him
what che felt. Also a man was not
az likely, AZ a woman would be, 70
know what those swift changes
those lights in her eyes, those ten
der smiles would mean.
A woman in love would know. Ell
len would know. Ellen had never
said that she was in love with Bill.
But wasn't their easy camaradsrle'
their long intimacy, those looks OF
unspoken understanding enough &c
convince Fabiennc that theirs was
a love that needed no announce
ment2
Ellen - Ellen, who was such q
good. kind, understanding friend;
Ellen, who had been closer to her
than any other girl she had ever
known; Ellen who had given her
work that gave her life meaning,
and who had even taken her into
her home, nursed her when she Waa
I'll. Her thoughts were filled with
Ellen and they were compounded OF
gratitude and affection and shame.
On the fringe Of that tapestry Of
thought, there was the image oil
Bill. Telling herself that she did
love him even though she knew
that he was not for her-she would
like to have taken out her men,
cries, cherishing the remembrance
Of his touch, his tenderness; delight
ing her minds eye with a gallery
Of pictures Of him: Bill at the clinic
in his white coat with his kindly
eyes and SLOW smile, silencing fears
and promising healing; Bill with his
hat brim snapped over his eyes, his
trench coat collar carelessly turned
up as he walked with her one snowy,
still night; Bill sitting beside her bed
during those long, feVerish nights,
giving her his strength.
+. No, she must not think of that
while there was Ellen. Ellen whom
,ishe had hurt so much.
1t must end now. She must 20
away. Bill said that she couldn't 90
back to the settlement house for
some time, that she ought to 20
south and get some warm sunshine.
But she couldn't do that; there was
the little theater nearing it's com
pletion and there was also the
fact that she was without funds. Of
course, she knew hat she could al
ways get money from Uncle Mark
or Gertrude.
She wouldn't go south, but she
would leave Ellen's apartment. The
pIDDlcuI Wd5 LCW IL 90 II WlLIOuL
making her reason obvious.
The solution came from a quar-
ter she least expected. Two days
after the long night she had spent
I'm unhappy speculation, Dick came
down from Harvard and told her
that he was going to be married
at once and leave for Chilli.
He came in at supper time when
Bill and Ellen were keeping Fa-
bienne company at a card table set
up beside her couch.
my two very good friends, Ellen
Chapman and DR.. Mallory, / want
you to meet my brother, Dick" she
said, kissing Dick and holding him
at arms length. "And what's the
meaning Of this? / didn't know
there were n holidays this
week."
No more holidays for me-" he
said gaily. "Tm going to work"
"Work?" She hadn't taken him
Eeriously. Seymour men never
worked. They raised horses or
served on boards.
MY girls old man is giving me
q job with his company in Chill.
Brenda and I are going to be mar
ried a week from Saturday. We're
sailing the following Monday. In
cidentally. Fab. she's a swell per
gon. She wants you to be a brides.
maid"
Fabienne's thoughts were in a
state Of utter confusion. "A little
slower, please, darling. Is this the
Haviland girl who lives in Califor.
MAJ"
He nodded proudly.
"But I don't even know her" Fa-
bienne protested. "And she wants
me to be a bridesmaid? I don't be.
ieve I'll be able to get to California
IN that time"
"The wedding is going to be here.
At the apartment"
"What apartment" Fabienne ask
ed patiently.
Mothers apartment, Of course
"But mother hasn't an apart
ment. At least, it's rented to the
Derwents."
WAS" he told her. They've
gone to Arizona. I called mother
in Paris last night. She's sailing
for home day after tomorrow
Brenda's mother is dead and sc
mother is going to give her the wed
ding"
Yes, Fabienne thought, mother
would. She remembered her moth
er's Christmas letter and her hopes
$or bau con /sHThe HaviIands have