The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-04
CHAPTER F~ORTY-EIGHT
|~ r1r7N poa WI HkARD ~
. eDnsI ~ AsoaAr'o"


She called: "Prunella! I'm awake
Ind I'm starving"
Prunella, with a broad smile on
her face, opened the bedroom DOOR
"Mah goodness, o still ungry
chile? After all hat food you ct
las night? I'll have you brekfuss
in a minute"
run the tub first, Prunella."
you amt gonna git up, Miz Fa-
bienne? Miz Ellen seq you is to
stay abed this mawnin'. She had to
20 to the settlement house TO- a lit
tie while, but she's comm home
any minute"
IT can't stay in bed. I've got
things to do. Get the porter and
have him bring my trunk up here"
"You goin' away?" Prunella
asked, her smile disappearing into
the cloud Of her face.
Fabierne nodded. go along,
Prunella. Bath first, trunk and then
breakfast"
"All mawnin' the telephones bin
ringin' and people askin' for you,
Miz Fabienne."
II don't want to talk to anyone,
Prunella."
doctor Mallory, he say you is to
call him when o wakes up"
F%abienne's heart turned over
with a bitter-sweet pain.
HE seq you kin git him at his
office up to ha'pas' ten. Hes oper-
atm at st. Joseph's hospital at
'leben o'clock. You best hurry,
honey. It's nigh onto ten o'clock
now"
"Prunella! Will you please do as
ask?"
Eyes, ma'am," she sad sadly.
Fabienne bathed hastily, gulped
her breakfast and began packing
the trunk the porter brought into
the living room, trying not to think,
not to remember Bills voice saying,
"You see, it's this way, Fab-I'm in
love with you"
She should have known It long
ago, prevented it's eve happen
ing"
1t was not too late now, she
thought, putting sweaters in a
drawer in her trunk. Shed go away
and Bill would soon forget her and
turn back to Ellen.
Her throat vas beginning to ache
with the pressure Of the pain in
her heart. 1t would be better for
her to have the pain than for Ellen,
who was the best friend she ever
had, the finest person she had yer
known.
She heard a bell ringing again.
"Prunella, if that's the doctor, tell
him I'm still asleep. I don't want
to talk to him."
THAT amt no telephone. That's
the doorbel1."
Fabienne looked about her wild
ly, seeking escape. If that was
Bill
She couldn't see him again!
1t was Ellen. Ellen, dumb with
surprise when she saw Fabienne
kneeling before the trunk with her
arms filled with clothes.
I'm all well this morning, dar-
ling" Fabienne said brightly. Twill
you ever forgive me for what I've
done to you?"
II thought we'd got that all set
tied last night. What are you doing,
Fab? Where are you going?"
Paris"
"Paris?" Ellen repeated, sitting
down suddenly.
"Um hum" She put shoes in a
drawer with her sweaters. 1T
ought to be easy to get passage for
tomorrow. The boats aren't crowd.
ed at this time of year."
But, Fab"
"Will you hand me that silk neg
ligee, darling? I can roll some bot
ties up in it."
FAB, what are you going to
Paris for?"
Fabienne sat back on her heels.
"a change, Ellen. Don't you think
I need one? I've done enough harm
around here"
You haven't done any harm at
all. Chris explained everything.
You couldn't have done anything
else"
Look what Bill had to do"
That's all right with Bill, and
what anybody else thinks Of it
makes no difference. He's going
away 0 anyway. And ever If he
were not, he's big enough to get
away with it,"
You think a. lot of Bill, don't
you, Ellen"'
"Of course"
Fabienne smiled at her. HE
thinks lots Of you, too, Ellen. Don't
ever forget that"
Ellen gave her a perplexed
glance. She said, xvii you be gone
long?"
Some time"
"But you'I be coming back to
-. 10 me and to the settlement
house?"
Fabienne shook her head and
smiled at her brightly, with a hard
smile. mo, Ellen, no more charity
work for me. I'm fed up with being
a humanitarian. There's nothing in
1t. Look Where it landed me"
After a long minute, Ellen said,
II don't believe you. Fab. l know
you too we'll"
This is the real me you're seeing
now. The other was a girl playing
a game. Well, the games finished.
Ellen. You and I are Of g. different
caliber. I'm a butterfly"