The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-12
THIRTY

q comedy of errors.
It would never have happened II
Fabienne and Ellen had no fenced
so d~elicately in the old, gallant game
of protecting each other from kno"l-
edge that each believed would u
the other pain.
mot for anything in the world
would I permit myself to be re-
motely interested in your man,
they might have said to each other.
Except that they never said any
thing about either Nicky or BILL
unless it were some perfunctory
thing like, eff Bill m to the
house to take me home, Fab, will
you tell him that I had to go up to
Twenty-second street for a special
m%eeting?" Or, "Ellen, I expect Nlcky
will be around a little later. I forgot
to tell him that I have a rehearsal.
I won't be through until late. May
be you two can go to a movie or
something"
Ellen and Fab, Nicky and Bill.
The lives of the four of them
seemed to be closely knit those days.
All the other beaux that Fablenne
had mentioned the night she came
back to live at Ellen's apartment
were mysteriously eliminated from
the lists.
It seemed natural that Nicky
would be at the apartment as often
as Bill, now that Nicky had decld-
ed he was bored with Maryland and
had moved into a small apartment
of his own.
Fabienne was rather proud OF
Nicky, and encouraged his coming
to the Twelfth street apartment ire
uuently. Nicky was doing very lit
tie drinking and he was learning to
cook, doing up little dinners for him
self and Fabienne, and Ellen and
Bill, of course. They were gems.
The apartment was very gay those
long winter evenings.
Fabienne was glad to have
Nicky there. 1t made her feel freer
in the presence of Ellen and Bill.
Also her days were long and dull.
Ellen would not permit her to re-
turn to the settlement house to work
during the days, saying that her
three evening dramatic classes were
enough for a convaiescent.
The little theater on the third
floor was finished, complete to the
last detail. Every winking bulb
was in place in the row of foot
lights. Rose Riccio was president
Of the dramatic league. Three eve
nings a week Fabienne met her
group from six to nine and left with
a radio to dance until midnight, if
they liked.
One night old Andrew Hardy
came to the settlement house to
watch Fabienne work and, when it
was over, he held her young hand
in his dry old one and said, you're
a fine young woman, Fabienne. Your
grandfather would be proud of you.
The work you're doing deserves a
fine reward"
That was one of the nights that
Bill was waiting to take her home
Crab, if Bill m to take me
home, tell him I had to leave for a
meeting up town. Bill stood by,
looking much prouder of Fabienne
than he should.
She explained to him, "Mr. Hardy
is just prejudiced because he's an
old friend"
I'm not such an old friend"
Bill told her, fastening the Upper
of her galoshes. I'm not a bit pref
udiced and I think the work you're
doing is pretty fine. What are you
going to do about it,"
"Disillusion you," she said
promptly.
TT would take a lifetime to do
that" he said, looking up at her
from where he sat at her feet. His
eyes were twinkling at her and an
expression Of waiting for a response
was written on his features.
1t didn't seem possible that Fa-
bienne wouldn't understand his
meaning. But obviously Fabienne
didn't. She took her foot away and
said brightly, Time to go, Bill. We
might pick up Ellen at her meet
ing"
tits after len, and I ordered you
to bed at ten. II! take you home.
Ellen will get home all right"
"Now,' she said later, eff it were
Ellen who'd brought off this theater
project there'd be some truth to the
noble purpose. Ellen was born
noble and unselfish. But not little
Fab. Ellen does things for other
people because she's naturally a
giver. You have no idea, Bill, what
that girl has done in one very short
lifetime!
you know, when we found out
that grandfather had left Willough-
by house to charity, with the UNI
derstanding that Ellen was to be
the works, T had some very queer
ideas about her. None Of them adj
miring. Now I've eaten all my own
words"
tive never told you about Ellen
and me-" Bill said.
Fabienne's heart did a loop into
her throat and zoomed back. Sooner
or later, she knew she was going
to have to hear something like this,
but she had hoped to be prepared
for it as she was not now.
do you-you want to tell me?"
"I do. Maybe you can help ne"
"Oh, Bill" she said, II know how
much Ellen thinks Of you. She isn't
the kind who talks very much
about the things that are closest to
her, but when I first knew her and
She talked about you"
Bill looked at her with a funny