Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-10-03
CHAPTER EIGHT

full! So clear-headed! so marVelOuSly
impersonal! There's no trace of pet
tiness or meanness about you. Ill DO
exactly what you suggest. Go away,
cut free from everything-and find
out whether I'm full of genuine love or
if I've just been making the most
CHASTITY fool of myself. Oh, Ellnor,
my dear, you don't know how truly
fond I am of you. I do realize you
were always a thousand times too
good for me. Bless you, dear, for all
your goodness"
Quickly, impulsively, he kissed her
cheek and went out of the room.
It was as we'll, perhaps, that he
did not look back and see her face.
1t was a couple of days later that
Mary acquainted Nurse Hopkins with
her improved prospects.
That practical woman was warmly
congratulatory. "That's a great piece
of luck for you, Mary" she said. 1.-THE
old lady may have meant well by you,
but unless a things down in black and
white, intentions don't go for much!
You might easily have got nothing
at ALL"
"Miss Elinor said that the night
Mrs. Welman died she told her to do
something for me-"
Nurse Hopkins snorted. Maybe
she did. But there's many would have
forgotten conveniently afterwards.
Relations are like that. I've seen a
few things, I can tell you! People
can leave it to their dear son or their
dear daughter to carry out their wish
es. Nine times out of ten, dear son
and dear daughter find some very
good reason to do nothing of the kind.
Human natures human nature, and
nobody likes parting with money II
they're not legally compelled to! 1
tell you, Mary, my girl, you've been
lucky. Miss Carlisle's straighter than
most"
Mary said slowly: "And yet-some-
howl feel she doesn't like me-"
with good reason, should say"
said Nurse Hopkins bluntly. "Now
don't look so innocent, Mary! Mr..
Roderick's been making sleeps eyes
at you for some time now"
Mary went red.
Nurse Hopkins went on: "He's got
it badly, in my opinion. Fell for you
all of a sudden. What about you, my
girl? Got any feeling for him."
Mary said hesitatingly: "T-I don't
know. 1 don't think so. But, OF
course, he's very NICE"
"H'm," said Nurse Hopkins. HE
wouldn't be my fancy! One of those
men who are finicky and bundle OF
nerves. Pussy about their food, too,
as likely as not. Men aren't much
at the best of times. Don't be in too
much of hurry, Mary, my dear. With
your looks you can afford to pick
and choose. Nurse O'Brien passed
the remark to me the other day that
you ought to go in the films. They
like blondes, I've always heard"
Mary said, with slight frown
creasing her forehead: Nurse, what
do you think I ought to do about
Father? He thinks I ought to give
some of this money to him."
Don't you do anything OF the
kind" said Nurse Hopkins wrathful-
". "Mrs. Welman never meant that
money for him. It's my opinion he'd
have lost his job years ago if it hadn't
been for you. A lazier man never
stepped"
Mary said: cit seems funny when
she'd all that money that she never
made will to say how it was to 60"
Nurse Hopkins shook her head.
"People are like that. You'd be sur
prised. Always putting it off,"
Mary said: cit seems downright
silly to me-"
Nurse Hopkins said with faint
twinkle: "Made a will yourself,
Nary"
Mary stared at her. ooh, no."
"And yet you're over twentyone."
"But II haven't anything to
leave-at least suppose have now"
Nurse Hopkins said sharply: "Of
course you have. And nice tidy
little sum, too"
Mary said: "Oh, well, there's no
hurry
"There you co." said Nurse Hop
kins dryly. "Just like every one else.
Because you're a healthy young girl
isn't a reason why you shouldn't be
smashed up in motor car or bus,
or run over in the street any minue. "
Mary laughed. She said: Il don't
even know how to make will"