Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-09-25
CHAPTER "a

For this was a new Katie, not only
a Katie who had so to speak, burned
her bridges behind her, but Katie
alternately frightened at what she
had done and secretly exultant. Prob
ably neither then nor later did she
know the full extent of that mtamy
of hers. What was letter? But
then, what was anything now that
Chris was free again?
She was a new Katie in other ways
also, although Chris hardly noticed
Il Katie familiar with neatness
and even cultivating it, Katie who
had already seen tragedy and death
in a variety of forms but hatle'
too now definitely more cheerful ana
with new hope springing IN her
practical young breast since Chris $
engagement was broken.
y Il
II was during that early fall that
Katie and Lily had talk one day
II started innocuously enough, Tor
Katie was wanting some clothes. Yet
that talk with all it implied was to
change the entire course of more than
one life.
give got to have suit, Mother"
Katie said, 81 can't go around rag
ged."
"Wen, what are you going to 90
about it," said Lily indifferently'
"Ask him for it? If you'd gone to
clerk in a store"
"Well, 1 didn't and that's that. II
Dick was worth anything, he'd help
us. But he's too busy helping HIM
self-to anything that's handy"
It was a moment before that reg
istered with Lily. Then she turned
on Katie terrible face.
"Just what do you mean by that :"
"You know as we'll as do. Where
do you think he got that money last
spring? If you believe he earned It,
l don't"
Hes your own brother, Katie. You
ought to be ashamed
"Weu, I'm ashamed all right" said
Katie. "He got out good and early
the next morning, didn't he? And
when did he ever do that before?"
eff you're saying that he took"
"I'm guessing, but that's my
guess
Katie was frightened after that,
but it was too late There was some
thing ominous in her mothers face.
She moved about like a woman In a
dream, and she ate no dinner that
night. If she had wept, Katie would
have understood, but her usual faclle
tears were dried up, her eyes blank
and staring.
Maybe Pm wrong, Mother
"Of course you're wrong. He's had
hard luck, and you've always been
down on him."
Chris was out that night on one of
the interminable walks by which ne
tried those days to earn a nights
sleep, and after Katie left, Lily went
into the office and carefully examin-
ed some sample bottles. Finally she
took one of sleeping tablets and shook
a couple into her hand.
She slept that night. Also she had
learned something. In that bottle IN
the office lay peace and forgetfulness
and a comfortable oblivion, and at
ter that she never slept without them.
She would take her pills and sit by
her window in her nightgown until
her head began to droop. Once or
twice she oversight in the morning,
and Chris had to rouse her. One day
he took her into the office and went
over her. Her pulse was slow, but
otherwise she seemed to be all right.
To her nothing matered now but
Dick; a Dick stealing at night into
that upper front bedroom, rifling
Chris's pockets, and then giving her
a portion of the loot!
One night Katie, finding Chris a
lone in the back office, wandered in
and sat down on his desk.
81 thought you needed company,
Chris"
"I'm not good company for man
or beast these days, Katie"
you're always good company for
me, Chris" She leaned over sud
denly and put her cheek against his.
"I've never changed. You know that,
don't you? Never have and never
will, Chris dear"
He put his arms around her. He
had no love for her; there were many
times when he disliked her and more
when he forgot her altogether. But
for that moment at least she was
something Young and friendly to