Evening star., 1940-04-22
CHAPTER XXXV,

Ii was a SODeT 19CeQ group WI1lCI
waited TO rthe famous psychiatrist'!
verdict the following day. Gall.
mother had not seen her sister al
1t was thought best not to excite
her.
Anna sat in the hospital wait
ing room nervously twisting hel
\ gloved hands which Gail occasion.
ally reached over to pat. Christie
pher was there. also. He had insisted
upon coming and Gail was grateful
The shock of discovering that
her aunt was the mysterious blond
! woman had upset her until she
felt incapable of making a decision
"Just to think" she kept saying tc
herself, that al 1.-The timeI was
. suspecting everybody else in the
store 1t was my own aunt"
She wondered how John Reid was
going to take this new development
Would he hold 1t against Gail for
al, the trouble she had caused him? /?
But she had no chance to discuss II
+ with Chris. 1t was Anna who asked
How did Belle get the keys that
night?"
She must have taken them out
of my overcoat pocket" Chris re-
piled. ut was in the hall you know
while Gail and I were in the
! kitchen"
Gail remembered that her aunt
!. had left the apartment when they
1 returned from foraging in the ice
/. box. 1t didn't seem possible that
Aunt Belle would have had nerve
enought to go through Christie
/. piers pockets but from the begin
/ ming he had insisted that he had
put them there.
Daring Woman.
Gail was utterly unable to rec
oncile her nagging petulant aunt
with the daring woman who wore
blond wig and frequented gam
bling places at all hours of the
night.
! "1t is not at all unusual" the
doctor explained to them. I'm fact
. 1t is a rather common form of in
sanity with women of certain
type. The patient has been the
victim of years of repressions and
inhibitions. 1t just happens that
her compleXes have taken this
particular form. 1t will be neces-
! sary to send her to a sanitarium.
The fear of discovery has led to a
complete collapse. She'll be more
comfortable in private institution
If you can afford 1t but confine-
ment Is necessary.
Anna shuddered.
do you mean that she'll never
be any better?"
'She may after a number of years.
But it is absolutely essential at this
point that she should not see any
one or anything which will remind
her of the past"
Chris said, Naturally we prefer
a private sanitarium. My father
will be responsible for the bills. He
asked me to specify that she is to
have the best possible care"
Anna glanced at him for a mo-
ment then looked away but did
not object. Later when they were
on their way home Chris con-
tinued, II don't know whether this
is the time to mention it but father
would like to come to see you. He
is very anxious to do whatever he
can to exonerate your husband but
he doesn't want to cause you any
fresh embarrassment"
Lips Move.
Anna's eyes were closed. Her
lips moved as if in prayer as she
said, MY husbands name must be
cleared"
Its for you to decide" Chris
said.
He left them promising to re-
turn that evening. Anna looked
exhausted but she sat in the living
room refusing to go to bed.
After all" she announced, IT
don't owe Belle anything. After
the way she has treated me. Even
In her condition she can't begin to
suffer as much as I have"
And what about me?" Gail
asked.
Anna stared at her as if she had
not known she was there.
you're going to marry Chris,
aren't you?"