Evening star., 1940-02-27

z,n. xlIa: on .,na from GMsiifoEni; ~ ioi The ysd:
intern in the hosDitai. who Is in love
With Elaine: srranses for her 70 Mys
iase. Clara writes Monticeiii she viii
pay for. Kaine's' lessons and he. tells
.ns e ne. 'hs her has vGes n tr;nns y,.:
restaurant. Eric appears pleading with
aRe oher to %.5Ey Gn., him Re EFes .l.n h,
Wortorski sc comes mes VII With isI an OF oner ''e q
S5O.oOO to leave Eric alone. and says
she Is Eoing to marry him.
CHAPTER II.
Jane" Elaine asked sympatheti-
cally, what in the world is the mat
ter? What's happened? Goodness,
never saw you this way!"
Jane turned around on the sofa
and raised q grief-swollen face to
hers. She shifted. making q deter
mined effort to halt the tears.
"Jack OMalley is sending for his
girl in Ireland" she told Elaine, dab
bing at her eyes with her handker-
chief. Hes sending her the money
SO that she can come over and
marry him."
Elaine had known that Jack was
saving his money against just this
happy event, but she could not fig
ure out the cause for James tears.
Her face drew into q perplexed
froWn.
But that's nothing to cry about, -
she told Jane softly. II thought you
liked Jack and would be happy when
he could marry the girl"
Jane shifted. and once again tiny
tears appeared in her eyes. IL
can't be happy, Elaine. You see, l.
love him!"
The confession evoked another
storm Of tears and Elaine drew her
roommate's head to her shoulder.
She glanced pityingly down at her
trembling body but said nothing,
letting Jane cry herself out. But
James admission had surprised her.
Never since they began living to-
gether had her roommate in any
way indicated that her affection for
Jack was more than a friendly one.
Although she had always wondered
why Jane permitted the Irish police
man the run Of the house she had
assumed that she did this simply
because she liked him. But in love
with him? Somehow she had al
ways felt that Jane considered her.
self far above such an utterly human
emotion.
II never told him about it." Jane
said, regaining her control. "The
very first day met him he told me
about the beautiful colleen he had
seen and fallen in love with the
time he took a trip to Ireland. ]
didn't think 1t would be fair for me
to take advantage of the opportuni-
ties I did have to tell him how I felt
because of the fact that the girl was
4 unable to fight back. thought that
Jack would forget her after a while
and might even begin to notice me
But, well - She shrugged her
shoulders and turned her eyes away
Turns to Elaine's Problem.
"say, what are you doing here al
this time of day?" she asked sud-
denly. Don't tell me you were
| fired!"
Elaine rose to her feet and walked
quietly about the room. Jane.
question had made her recall hel
own problem. In simple words she
told her friend all that had oc.
CURED, just what she planned to do
James face was grave when she fin.
ished, and if Elaine had expected
any sympathy she was disappointed
for Jane was that type of person
who can say only what she sincerely
believes.
IF you were as smart as I thinl
you are you'd let Helen take hin
back to California If she can max.
him 60 with her." she said crisply
apparently forgetting her own trou'
bles in her desire to help Elaine
"And as for marrying him, I dom
think Helen will ever give you tn,
chance. That girl knows what sh,
wants and is terribly determined t.
get it, no matter what she has t.
do"
A ghost of q smile touched Elaine!
lips, but her eyes were flashing
That's what you think" she tole
Jane grimly. But I'll never Civ,
Eric to her. When he comes thi!
evening you'll see who wins out"
what makes you think he'll come
this EVENING"" Jane queried quietly
Hell come" Elaine said with
more confidence than she really felt
"And If he doesn't, I'll see him-ever
If I have to return to California"
Would Marry for Spite.
Yes, that was what she would do
Elaine decided, sinking into q chair
Nothing would ever prevent hel
marrying Eric now. Even If she
didn't love him she would still marry
him just for the satisfaction o1
knowing she had thwarted Helen.
despicable plans.
The hours passed slowly away and
the room suddenly seemed to have
become charged with an electric
tension as she sat quietly in hel
chair awaiting Eric's arrival. Mel
ther Of the girls said much Of any
thing for, preoccupied as they were
in their private problems, words
would have proved annoying.
Jane was seated before the easel
working carefully upon her painting
and Elaine watched her brush as
she moved 1t carefully over the can
vas. She was amazed at James
dexterity and decided with an absent
air that some day she would try
painting just to see what It was like.
It seemed years before the sun
finally set and the gray gloom Of
night pervaded the room, and Elaine
became aware Of q growing tension
within her. She tapped her fingers
restlessly on the arm Of the chair
and tried not to think Of the time
as the clock slowly tolled nine. It
was late, Of course, but Eric would
not fail her.