The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-23
CtiAI IIIR FORTY

house until seven, so I'll have ~ bite
to eat down there and see you be-
fore the play" Ellen had written.
When Chris finished her recital
with the dramatic announcement OF
her intention to kidnap her W
child. Fabienne said, "You need a
rest. Chris. There won't be anyone
In the apartment until much later
tonight. Let me put you to sleep IN
my room. I'll give you some tea
and YOU can sleep. In the morning,
we'll see what plans we can make"
IT have them all made" Chris
said in that quiet tone of finality
she had used a moment before. your
being a nurse at the hospital makes
the plan perfect"
I'm not a nurse, Chris" Fa-
bienne said gently. I'm only a vol
unteer social worker"
but they know you and trust
you," Chris persisted.
"Oh, Chris, don't you see that this
is madness?"
Madness for a mother to want
her child"
No, that was not madness. 1t
would be mad for the mother OF a
blue-eyed angel like little Sonny
Parsons NOT to want him.
But everything else the driven girl
before her said was madness. There
was madness in the dilated pupils
of her eyes, in the taut drawn ex-
preston that whitened the corners
of her nose.
Her voice was suddenly tender.
'.He's so little" she said. And SO
like Larry! I've dreamed about
him every night for all these two
years. I taught him to say mama
when he was only a year old. When
I went into the hospital to see him,
he looked at me and I know he
knew me. I stayed at the hospital
one night and then I had to go be-
cause 1 didn't want Mr.. Parsons to
know I was there. I was afraid ned
take him away at once
Fabienne said, Come, Chris, you
can have a nice cup of tea m
you'll rest better"
The little Persian kitten climbed
into Chris lap. She petted it, with
out being aware of what she was
doing, and went on talking in a far
away voice. Larry will come back.
I cabled him. But he can't get here
before his father has got the baby
on a boat and far away where I can
never get him again."
Hell come back" Fabienne said
soothingly. And then you'll fix
things up"
I'm gong to fix things up my
self. At midnight she said stolidly,
but she got up, urged by the gentle
pressure of Fabienns's hands beneath
her elbows.
She went into the bedroom and
allowed Fabienne to take off her
hat and her shoes, but she wouldn't
let her remove her dress until Fa-
bienne said it would be too unused
to appear in. At last she permitted
its removal, but she would not al
low her to take it from her sight.
She said, Fab, remember when
we were kids and we used to talk
how nice it would be to have a
mother like Wicky?"
Mrs. Wexford was the house
mother at Miss Maidstone's school
for Little Girls, where Chris and
Fabienne, long-legged sprites of
seven and eight, had first met. Mrs.
Wexford was broad-bosomed and
had a touch that soothed the pains
of the young, both mental and ply
steal.
Then we used to say how pretty
our mothers were, as if their being
pretty made up for all the things
we didn't have"
How we'll Fabienne remembered
the fierce loyalty that covered
hurts that were never healed. They
were children Of divorce, she an(
Chris. 1t had been their first bond
my little boy is not going t.
wish he had a mother like a house
mother in school. I'm going to be
his mother! He's mine and Larry's
He needs us BOTH"
Fabienne went into the bathroom
looked in the medicine closet ane
found some sleeping tablets. Bill
had given them to her when she
was ill and overwrought. He saie
they were harmless and guaranteed
to put a patient to sleep for ten O.
twelve hours. She dissolved one il
Io1F n class - uro%ar opI hro,1rlt Z;
back to Chris.
Drink it," she said.
Chris drank it obediently and lean
ed back against the pillows.
Fabienne drew a blanket owe
her.
Chris caught at her hand. Late
you'll help me, Fabienne?"
: Fabienne said, "Try to fall aslee
now, Chris" Later she meant
bring Bill back after the play an
have him look at Chris.
There's one thing more. 70
mustn't think badly of Larry"
IT wouldn't dream of it," Fa
said dryly, wishing she could &c
her hands on Larry Parsons, VIII
had let his wife in for all the agon
Of the last few years.
."Larry's weak. He's poetic, h
isn't bad. You don't know no
strong-willed his father is. I coul
always do anything I wanted wit
him until they got him away-unt
they" she dropped suddenly mi
sleep.
She was safe until the dawl
anyway, Fabienne hoped, glancir