The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-13
HOMECOMING
CHAPTER xxv1

CHARIEk XVI
4 Randy spread out the sheets of
Paris letter on the kitchen table.
Mkshe letter had come two days ago,
Mnd she had read it q dozen times,
but she returned to 1t again and
again, for the warmth and comfort
Fhe sense Of security and safety
that she derived from 1t.
q. OF course, Randy, it is a
Rhastly and terrible tragedy, par
Mcularly so to have happened to
Drake. It will be harder for him
than for most people because he
was SO free and independent.
And now, wan t you to note
carefully my advices. Drake lived
by that same freedom and inde-
pendence. He will feel-probabiy
already feels - that he has lost
both. It will be your problem to
restore them to him, that is If you
really propose taking care of him
as you suggest in your cabled mes
sage.
II am sure that you have al
ready made Drake feel that he
As needed and wanted in the
world. am writing him in this
same post that he is certainly
needed and important in my life
We can't give him legs, but we
can keep his mind and personality,
and soul, if you wish to call 1t
that, whole and well.
IT recalled last night that a
long time ago Drake talked of
real estate projects Of some kind
4 don't remember just what the
ideas were. But it occurs to me
that In any small town that is
growing at all, there must be
place for several real estate bust
nesses. The main point is to get
his mind and imagination going
On something definitely construc-
tive.
a" Your cablegrom has just
come telling me that you two are
married. My dear Randy, l can't
tell you what I feel. Selfishly, for
the sake of my friend, am over
whelmingly happy and grateful
feel that I don't have to be happy
for you-you have more than any
one can wish for you, know that.
Drake has been more than a
brother to me, and from this mo-
ment on you are more than my
sister. In you two I feel that
have more than a professional
reason for coming back to Kings
Row. You know, of course, that
have always hoped for an APP
pointment at the State Hospital
for the insane. I have kept DR.
Nolan informed of my progress
He has promised to recommend
my appointment when have fin
ished my work here in Vienna.
NY best love to both of you
Not SO many weeks now, and ]
shah be able to say directly tc
you both what find too difficult
TO say on paper
Randy folded the thin sheets of
paper carefully. 1t was strange
she thought, how vel she knew
Paris Mitchell.
Gradually, as the weeks went by
Randy pressed the suggestions Par
ris had made In his first letter. She
was amazed to see how Drake fell
more and more easily into the pat
tern she so carefully planned.
One day, following her carefully
disguised leads, Drake. recalled the
old project for retaining the
creek-bottom lands nearby. He
alighted upon it with Joy. He hac
begun from that day to move
toward a normal life. Sometimes
as Randy studied the sharp-cut
profile, it seemed as though this
catastrophe had burned Drake
clear of every trait that had beer
a little careless and coarse. Drake
spoke differently. He was actually
careful of his speech and his ac-
cent. Randy recognized something
that she associated with brakes
aunt, Mrs. Livingstone, and the
life of Union street as she hac
always imagined it.
What Randy did not notice wa!
the sudden and deep change II
herself. The tomboy look was
gone. The rounded look of rough
and-ready rowdiness that hac
always characterized her hac
slipped away like a mask.
"I'm going to move you down
stairs next week. Drake"
He frowned. "Where?"
THE front room. That's goint
to be our living room, and thu
little room of to the side tina
never has been anything but |
storeroom will be our bedroom.
He thought a moment. II
sounds pleasant"
There is just one from t win
dow. 1t looks into the front yard
There's big cedar tree outside
and across the road you can SCI
around Harper's Hill on out int
the country. It's quieter, too. Yol
don't hear the switch engines a.
you do back here"
brakes face contracted sud.
denly. "I'll be glad to get WHERE
I don't hear them so plain. Some.
times I dream-I guess Ill Away
have dreams like that"
II don't think so, Drake" Randy
spoke very calmly, but her ches
was tight. You'll have a lot o.
lv.heP things to think about"