Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1946-06-21


grin. "You feel things all the way
through. All right, I'll give him a
ring in the morning. Rather late
for it tonight"
The next morning she was up,
having coffee, when Spratt came
into her room.
Thought I'd call Kessler now"
ne said. IF he feels like seeing
me can go by on the way to the
studio" He gave her a sidelong
glance. "Now that you've slept on
II, do you still feel like having Mar
garet here?"
Yes, if you do
Its all right with me-"
You're prince, Spratt."
He chuckled. mot me. You're
tne one who'll have to bother about
her clothes and lessons and teeth
and disposition. 1t won't be as
easy as looking out for your own
children, either"
Who said they were ever easy?"
Your minds made up, them"
She nodded.
'Okay," said Spratt. He sat down
on her chaise-longue and picked up
the phone.
This is Spratt Herlong. Can I
speak to Mr.. Kessler? What?
-. Yes Yes . I understand.
-. I'll be right over"
He set down the phone, and turned
10 Elizabeth, who had been listening
in alarm. "What is it, Spratt?" she
asked.
Spratt wet his lips, and shook his
mead slowly, as though trying to
get used to what it was he had Just
heard. He answered,
"Kessler died this morning at six
O'clock"
For moment he and Elizabeth
sat staring at each other. They
were speeches. with the curious
shocked feeling of trying to get their
minds adjusted to a sudden an
nouncement Of death. Spratt spoke
first, saying something about hav-
ing to call the studio. For a mo-
ment he was silent again, then he
stood up.
This is strange" he said slowly.
Like being hit on the head. He
never said anything about being that
sick. I'd better get over there right
away"
Yes, 60 right over" said Eliza
beth. She felt as if there was a
great deal more she should be say
ing. But she could not get it out
now. She asked, "Why didn't he
tell us, Spratt?"
Maybe he didn't know"
I think he did," said Elizabeth.
Spratt went over to the door and
opened it. II guess we were about
his best friends, too," he said guilt
ny as he went out.
There was nothing more she could
do now. Nothing but sit here, star
ing at the curtains.
But suddenly she remembered
that this was not true. There was
still something she could do, some
thing she must do at once. She
must get Margaret.
Elizabeth sprang up. At the idea
OF Margaret, alone again in her des-
olate little world, she found that she
was not quite as numb as she had
thought. She had to get Margaret
now, before the child began to feel
utterly abandoned. She began to
hurry into her clothes.
When she reached Kessler's apart
ment she found that Spratt had been
there and gone, to attend to the last
arrangements somebody had to at
tend to. The housekeeper was very
busy, answering the telephone and
carrying out the various instructions
Spratt had given her. Margaret was
curled up in big chair in the cor
ner where the tree had stood last
Christmas. She had put on her
clothes in haphazard fashion very
different from her usual neatness-
yesterdays crumpled dress, one
shoelace united, the parting between
her pigtails carelessly awry. When
Elizabeth approached her Margaret
looked up, showing a streaky little
face worn out with her having cried
too much.
Elizabeth did not say anything.
She sat down in the big chair, for
Margaret did not take up much
room and there was space for her
at the edge of the seat. She put her
arms around Margaret and drew the
W tidy little head to rest against her.
For a moment Margaret chung to
her without speaking, then she gave
another choking little sob.
He died." she said brokenlv,
Everybody that belongs to me
dies"
Elizabeth felt like sobbing too.
She was not used to hating anybody,
But with Margaret in her arms she
felt that if all the words of hate in
every language could be rolled into
one they could not express how
much she hated fascists and what
they accomplished.