Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1942-07-24
CHAPTER XVII


her. 'Iook here" she said severely.
He'll marry when he wants and
whomever he wants. He's that sort.
And don't throw me at his head.
You'd only get me back in hurry"
Nevertheless, something of precise
" that sort was forming in Annie
Lewis's anxious mind. One night
soon afterward, she slipped out of the
house and went down the hill.
Annie moved slowly, every so often
putting her hand to her breast. She
was trembling when she reached
Chris's house, and she waited mo-
ment on the doorstep before she rang
the bell. When Chris opened the
door, however, she was smiling.
'I'm frightfully late, Doctor. If
you are busy"
"Come in" said Chris. I'm not
busy at all. But don't tell me you
are a patient"
II really came to talk to you. But
l suppose I AMIN a way"
He saw at once that she was thin
ner and that she moved carefully,
like a woman who was saving herself
from something. But she was still
smiling as he put her into chair.
She looked up into his face. Some
thing there gave her confidence. She
could trust this man, and all at once
she felt an overwhelming desire to
trust somebody.
"I want something for pain, Doc
tor"
What kind of pain?"
Before I tell want your solemn
promise to keep my secret. That
sounds rather melodramatic, but"
That's understood, of course" he
agreed quietly.
"I'm afraid 1 want more than that.
l don't want Beverly to know, or Mr..
Lewis. Not yet, at least. And ! must
be certain they won't"
He stared at her. He saw that her
mouth was quivering.
1T was too late to do anything, "
she said quietly. "And Beverly is
young. Also my husband has a hor-
ror of anything of the sort. / would
like to carry on as long as l can. Sure
ly you can understand that"
81 can understand it. Don't expect
me to agree with it. If there is any
thing to be done"
She was stubborn, however, as she
told him of her condition. She had
not come for a diagnosis. She. al
ready knew what was wrong. She
had seen man in New York. She
had come for relief, for something to
stop the pain. She had thought there
might be some other way out. Chris,
listening incredulously saw behind all
this something more than the eternal
and unwise-shame and secrecy of
women in her condition, and was
filled with CONSERVATION. What sort
of man was Lewis anyhow that he
must be saved a knowledge like this
He would give her no opiate until
luctantly she allowed him to do So.
When he Strengthened, it was to find
her watching him with her faint
smile.
"You see, was right, wasn't II"
"I'd like another opinion on it," he
said cautiously. "In any event some
thing ought to be done and done at
once. At least it"
"At least it would give me a few
more months of this! Do you think
/ want that?"
II don't understand you. To have
let yourself go like this, when you
have a husband and child. Surely
you owed them something.
81 wanted Beverly to be happy as
long as possible, and l had hoped she
would marry before this became
acute. Nature does a great deal for
us, Doctor. If she could have mar
ried and had children of her own, it
would have been more bearable.
had even hoped"
He looked at her closely. She was
still smiling, but rather diffidently
now.
"Yes?"
II had even hoped that you and
she would care for each other. l sup
pose I am very foolish, but at least,
as things are, 1 can afford to be can
did"
He knew they why she had come.
The pain was real; no doubt. of that.
But it was Beverly and Beverly's
problem which had brought her to
him. For the moment his surprise
was dominated by his pity for her.
II am shameless, of course, Doctor.
But at night when can't sleep, lie
awake and worry about her Nv huS-